CHAPTER II.
THE MISSION.
Valentine, after suddenly parting from the general as we narrated, didnot appear at all alarmed about pursuit; and if he hurried on at first,he soon relaxed his speed. On arriving about a hundred yards from thespot where his interview with Don Sebastian had taken place, he stopped,raised his eyes to the sky, and seemed to consult his position. Then hewent on; but, instead of proceeding toward the mission, he turned hisback completely on it, and returned to the bank of the river, whence hehad before been retrograding.
Although the hunter was walking at a quick pace, he seemed greatlypreoccupied, and looked mechanically around him. At times he stopped,not to listen to any strange sound, but through the thoughts whichoppressed him, and robbed him of all sense of external things. EvidentlyValentine was seeking the solution of a problem that troubled him.
At length, after about a quarter of an hour, he saw a faint light afew paces ahead of him. It glistened through the trees, and seemed toindicate an encampment. Valentine stopped and whistled softly. At thesame moment the branches of a shrub, about five yards from him, parted,and a man appeared. It was Curumilla.
"Well," Valentine asked, "has she come?" The Araucano bowed his head inreply. The hunter made an angry gesture.
"Where is she?" he asked.
The Indian pointed to the fire the hunter had noticed.
"Deuce take the women!" the hunter growled; "they are the least logicalbeings in existence. As they let themselves ever be guided by passion,they overthrow unconsciously the surest combinations."
Then he added in a louder voice,--
"Have you not executed my commission, then?"
This time the Indian spoke.
"She will listen to nothing," he said; "she will see."
"I knew it!" the hunter exclaimed. "They are all alike--silly heads,only fit for mule bells; and yet she is one of the better sort. Well,lead me to her. I will try to convince her."
The Indian smiled maliciously, but made no reply. He turned away and ledthe hunter to the fire. In a few seconds Valentine found himself on theskirt of a vast clearing, in the centre of which, by a good fire of deadwood, Dona Angela and her camarista, Violanta, were seated on piles offurze. Ten paces behind the females, several peons, armed to the teeth,leant on their long lances, awaiting the pleasure of their mistress.Dona Angela raised her head at the sound caused by the hunter'sapproach, and uttered a slight cry of joy.
"There you are at last!" she exclaimed. "I almost despaired of yourcoming."
"Perhaps it would have been better had I not done so," he answered witha stifled sigh.
The young lady overheard, or pretended not to hear, the hunter's reply.
"Is your encampment far from here?" she continued.
"Before proceeding there," the hunter said, "we must have a littleconversation together, senora."
"What have you to say to me that is so interesting, or rather, sourgent?"
"You shall judge for yourself."
The young lady made a gesture signifying her readiness to hear somethingwhich she knew beforehand would be disagreeable.
"Speak!" she said.
The hunter did not allow the invitation to be repeated.
"Where did Curumilla meet you?"
"At the hacienda, just as I was mounting to start. I only awaited him tobegin my journey."
"He tried to dissuade you from this step?"
"He did; but I insisted on coming, and compelled him to guide me here."
"You were wrong, nina."
"For what reason?"
"For a thousand."
"That is no answer. Mention one."
"Your father, in the first place."
"He has not yet arrived at the hacienda. I shall have got back before hecomes. I have nothing to fear on that side."
"You are mistaken. Your father has arrived: I have seen him--spoken withhim."
"You! Where? When?"
"Here, scarce half an hour ago."
"That is impossible," she said.
"It is the fact. I will add that he wanted to kill me."
"He!"
"Yes."
The young lady remained thoughtful for a moment; then she raised herhead, and shook it several times.
"All the worse," she said resolutely. "Whatever happens, I will carry itout to the end."
"What do you hope from this interview, nina? Do you not know that yourfather is our most inveterate foe?"
"What you say is too late now. You ought to have urged these objectionswhen I sent my request to you."
"That is true; but at that time I still had hopes, which I can no longerentertain. Believe me, nina, do not insist on seeing Don Louis. Returnas speedily as possible to the hacienda. What will your father think ifhe does not see you on his arrival?"
"I repeat to you that I will have a most important conversation with DonLouis. It must be, for his sake and for mine."
"Think of the consequences of such a step."
"I think of nothing. I warn you that, if you still refuse to performyour promise to me, I will go alone to find the conde."
The hunter regarded her for an instant with a singular expression.He shook his head sorrowfully, and took her hand, which he pressedaffectionately.
"Your will be done," he replied gently. "No one can alter his destiny.Come, then, as you insist on it. God grant that your obstinacy does notentail frightful disaster!"
"You are a bird of ill omen," she said with a laugh. "Come, let usstart. You will see all end better than you anticipate."
"I consent; but trust yourself to me, and leave your escort here."
"I ask nothing better. I will only take Violanta with me."
"As you please."
At a sign from her mistress the camarista went up to the peons, whowere still motionless, and gave them orders not to leave the clearingunder any pretext before her return. Then, guided by Valentine, the twofemales proceeded toward the camp of the filibusters, Curumilla formingthe rear guard. On arriving about a hundred yards from it Valentinestopped.
"What is the matter?" Dona Angela asked him.
"I hesitate about troubling my friend's repose. Perhaps he will be angrywith me for having brought you to him."
"No," she said, "you are deceiving me: that is not your thought at thismoment."
He regarded her with amazement.
"Good heavens!" she continued with animation, "do you fancy I do notknow what is troubling you now? It is to see a girl of my age, richand well born, take what your countrymen would call an improper step,and which, were it known, would inevitably destroy her reputation. Butwe Americans are not like your cold and staid European women, who doeverything by weight and measure. We love as we hate. It is not blood,but the lava of our volcanoes that circulates in our veins. My love ismy life! I care naught for anything else. Remain here a few moments,and let me go on alone. Don Louis, I am convinced, will understandand appreciate my conduct at its just value. He is no common man, Itell you. I love him. In a love so true and ardent as mine there is acertain magnetic attraction which will prevent it being spurned."
The young Mexican was splendidly lovely as she uttered these words. Withher head thrown haughtily back, her flashing eye and quivering lip, shewas at once a virgin and a Bacchante. Subdued, in spite of himself, bythe maiden's accent, and dazzled by her glorious beauty, the hunterbowed respectfully before her, and said, with considerable emotion inhis voice,--
"Go, then; and may Heaven grant that, by your aid, my brother may beagain led to take an interest in life!"
She smiled with an undefinable expression of archness and serenity, andflew, lightly as a bird, into the thicket. Valentine and Curumilla, whowere near enough to the camp to see what occurred, though the sound ofvoices could not reach them, resolved to wait where they were till theirpresence became absolutely necessary.
The encampment was in the same state as when the hunter quitted it togo and meet the general. Don Louis and Don Cornelio we
re fast asleep.Dona Angela remained for a moment silent, fixing on Don Louis a glancein which an unbending resolution flashed. Then she stooped down gentlyover him. But at the moment when she was about to lay her hand on hisshoulder to arouse him, a sudden sound caused her to tremble. She sprangback, threw a startled glance around, and disappeared once again in thethicket.
Hardly had she retired ere the sound which smote on her ears, andinterrupted the execution of her project, became louder; and it was sooneasy to distinguish the cadenced sound of a large body of men on themarch, and the harsh creaking of cartwheels.
"Your companions are arriving," Dona Angela said hurriedly to Valentineas she rejoined him; "they are only a short distance from the mission.Can I still count on you?"
"Always," he answered.
"I have changed my mind: I will not explain my views to the count inthis way, but in the presence of all of you, by the light of the sun.You shall soon see me again in your midst. Good-by! I am going back tothe hacienda. Prepare the count for my visit."
After making a parting sign to the hunter, and smiling on him, the younggirl remounted her horse, and set off at a gallop, followed by herescort.
"Yes, I will prepare Louis to receive her," the hunter muttered, ashe followed her with his eyes for a moment. "That child has a nobleheart: she really loves my foster brother. Who knows what will be theconsequences of this love?"
And, after shaking his head two or three times dubiously he re-enteredthe encampment, accompanied by Curumilla, whose Indian stoicism wasunshaken, and who seemed perfectly a stranger to all that was takingplace around him.
Valentine awoke Louis. The latter sprang up at once.
"Have you any news?" he asked.
"Yes, the company is coming up."
"Already! Oh, oh! it has pushed on. That is a good omen."
"Shall we stay here long?"
"No, two days at the most, or long enough to rest the men and cattle."
"Perhaps it would be better to push on at once--"
"I should like it as much as yourself, but it is impossible, as the40,000 rations we ought to have found here have not yet arrived, and weare forced to await them."
"That is true."
"I am the more annoyed at this oversight, because our provisionsare rapidly diminishing. Still, do not let our comrades see ourdisappointment, but let us put on a good face. They know we went aheadof them to make the commissariat arrangements, so let them fancy we havesucceeded."
Valentine bowed in affirmation. The night was almost at an end; alreadythe sky on the horizon was beginning to be shaded with large whitestrips of cloud; the stars had all disappeared one after the other; andthe sun was just about to rise. Curumilla threw a handful of dried woodon the fire in order to make a flame, and neutralise the effect of theicy night air.
"_Caramba!_" Don Cornelio exclaimed, as he woke up suddenly; "I amfrozen; the nights are so cold."
"Are they not?" Valentine said to him. "Well, if you want to warmyourself, nothing is easier. Come along with me."
"I am quite willing. Where are you going?"
"Listen."
"I am doing so. Stay!" he said at the expiration of an instant. "Canthat be the company?"
"It is. But it is unnecessary for us to put ourselves out of the way,for here they come."
In fact, at this moment, the French advanced guard entered the mission.According to the treaty made with the Atrevida Company, 40,000 rationsshould have been prepared at the mission for the troop. The countgave the command to Colonel Flores, with orders to push on, and,accompanied by Valentine, Curumilla, and Don Cornelio, had gone onahead. Unfortunately the company had not carried out its engagementswith that loyalty the count had a right to expect. Instead of 40,000rations he had found scarce half, ranged with a certain degree ofsymmetry in a ruined cabin. This breach of faith was the more injuriousto the interests of the expedition, because the count, owing to thisperfidious manoeuvre, found himself almost unable to push on, as he wasabout definitively to leave the inhabited and cultivated plains to buryhimself in the desert.
Indeed, since the company had left Guaymas, the ill-will of the Mexicanshad been so evident under all circumstances, that Don Louis had requireda superhuman energy and will of iron not to give way to discouragement,and withdraw in the face of these obstacles raised in his path withunparalleled animosity. Still, up to the present, the Mexicans had neverdared to break their engagements so boldly as now: hence they mustfeel themselves very strong, or at least their precautions were so welltaken, and they felt so sure of success, that they raised the mask.
Besides, the count had found no one at the mission to hand him overthe stores in the name of the company; and the persons who treated himso unworthily had not deigned to weaken by an excuse the treachery ofwhich they were guilty at this moment. Don Louis foresaw, then, thatafter such behaviour, the _denouement_ of the odious farce played by theMexicans was at hand, and he prepared to face the storm bravely.
The mission was held in military fashion by the company; for they wereon the edge of the desert, and it was wise to begin a careful watch.Cannon were planted at each angle of headquarters--sentinels placed atregular distances; in short, this mission, sad and abandoned on theprevious day, seemed to have sprung magically into life again; therubbish was removed, and the old Jesuit church, more than half in ruins,suddenly assumed the appearance of a fortress.
When the count had given the necessary orders for the instalment of thecompany, and was assured of their perfect execution, he inquired ofColonel Flores how he had performed his duties as temporary chief. Thecolonel, alone among the French, and feeling himself consequently inthe wolfs throat, was too crafty not to act ostensibly with the utmostloyalty; hence on every occasion he offered proofs of goodwill, andacted with a degree of circumspection by which Valentine, that eternaldoubter, was nearly duped, although he knew perfectly well the nature ofthe Mexican character.
Then the count withdrew with the hunter, and the two foster brothersheld a conversation, which, to judge by its length, and, above all, DonLouis' thoughtful air when it was ended, must have been very important.In fact, Valentine, accomplishing his pledge to Dona Angela, informedthe count of the events of the past night, not only telling him all thathad passed between him and the young lady, but also the details of hisinterview with the general on the river bank.
"You see, then," he said in conclusion, "that the situation is growingmore and more critical, and they mean war."
"Yes, it is war; but so long as the least hope is left me, be assured,brother, that I shall not give them the satisfaction of supplying apretext for a rupture."
"You must play more cautiously than ever, brother. However, unless I amgreatly mistaken, we shall speedily know what we have to expect."
"That is my opinion too."
At this moment Don Cornelio appeared, accompanied by Curumilla.
"I beg your pardon," he said to the hunter; "but I should feel obligedby your putting matters right with the chief, who persists in telling methat we are at this moment closely watched by an Indian war party."
"What!" Valentine said, frowning. "What is that you say, Don Cornelio?"
"Look here. While walking in the neighbourhood of the mission with thechief, I picked up this----"
"Let me see," Valentine said.
Don Cornelio handed him a moccasin, which the hunter examinedattentively for several minutes.
"Hum!" he then said, "this is serious. Where did you find it?"
"On the river bank."
"What do you think of it, chief?" Valentine said, turning to theAraucano.
"The moccasin is new--it has been lost. Curumilla has seen numeroustrails."
"Listen," Don Louis said quickly. "Tell no one about this discovery:we must distrust everything, for treachery is hovering around us,and threatens us from all sides at once. While I strengthen ourintrenchments under pretext of a longer stay here, you, brother, will goout to reconnoitre with the chief, and assure yoursel
f of what we havereally to fear from the Indians."
"Be quiet, brother: on your side, keep a good watch."