CHAPTER XLIV.
THE RETURN TO VALDIVIA.
Night was come; bending over the pillow of his friend, who was stillburied in that lethargic sleep which generally follows great loss ofblood, Valentine watched with anxious tenderness the changes which attimes darkened his pale countenance.
"Oh!" he said, in a suppressed voice, clenching his hands with anger,"be thy assassins who they may, brother, they shall pay for their crimedearly."
The curtain of the tent was slowly raised, and a hand was laid upon theyoung man's shoulder. He turned quickly round; Trangoil-Lanec was beforehim. The face of the Ulmen was dark as night, and he appeared a prey tostrong emotion.
"What is the matter, chief?" asked Valentine, terrified at his manner;"what has happened, in the name of Heaven? Have you any fresh misfortuneto announce?"
"Misfortune incessantly watches over man," the chief remarkedsententiously; "he should be ready to receive it at all hours, like anexpected guest."
"Speak then!" the young man asked, in a firm voice; "whatever mayhappen, I will not falter."
"Good, my brother is strong, he is a great warrior, he will not sufferhimself to be cast down. Let my brother hasten; we must be gone!"
"Be gone!" cried Valentine, with a nervous start; "and my friend?"
"Our brother Louis will accompany us."
"Is it possible to move him?"
"It must be," the Indian said peremptorily; "the war hatchet is dug upagainst the palefaces, the Aucas chiefs have drunk firewater, the geniusof evil is master of their hearts; we must depart before they think ofus; in an hour it will be too late."
"Let us depart then," the young man replied, sorrowfully, convinced thatTrangoil-Lanec knew more than he was willing to tell, and that somegreat danger threatened them, since the chief, who was a man of triedcourage, had let fall that mask of stoicism which scarcely ever abandonsthe Indian.
Preparations for departure were made in all haste, and were soonterminated. The hammock in which Louis reposed was solidly fastened totwo long cross pieces of wood, and then, as it was, harnessed upon twomules without awakening him. The little band set out, employing thegreatest precautions. They proceeded thus for more than an hour, withoutexchanging a word; the campfires of the Indians became every minute morefaint in the distance, and they were, at least for the present, out ofdanger. Valentine approached Trangoil-Lanec, who rode at the head of theconvoy.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"To Valdivia," the chief replied; "it is there alone that Don Louis willbe able to recover in safety."
"You are right," said Valentine; "but shall we remain inactive?"
"I will do what my brother the paleface wishes; am I not his penni?where he goes I will go--his will shall be mine!"
"Thank you, chief," the Frenchman replied, with emotion; "you have abrave and worthy heart."
"My brother saved my life," said the Ulmen earnestly; "that life is nolonger mine, it belongs to him."
Whether it was that the Araucano chiefs did not perceive the departureof the strangers, or that, as is more probable, they did not think itworthwhile to pursue them, the little troop was not interrupted in itsflight--for what other name could be given to this night march amidstthe desert? They advanced slowly, on account of the wounded man, whocould not, in his state of weakness and prostration, have supported theshaking of a more rapid pace.
Towards three o'clock in the morning, a few fugitive and uncertainlights, which flitted across the horizon, and with difficulty piercedthrough the fog, which at that hour of the night envelopes the earthlike a winding sheet, announced to the party that they were approachingthe city, and should soon be there. At the end of three quarters of anhour, they reached the gardens which envelope Valdivia like an immensebouquet of flowers, from the centre of which it seems to spring up. Theparty made a short halt, in order not to attract observation on enteringthe city, through the state of the horses and mules. From that time theyhad nothing to fear from the Indians.
"Is my brother acquainted with the city?" Trangoil-Lanec asked.
"Why do you ask that question?"
"For a very simple reason. In the desert, by night or by day, I canserve as a guide to my brother; but here, in this tolderia of thewhites, my eyes close--I am blind; my brother must conduct us."
"The devil!" said Valentine, quite disconcerted; "in that sense I am asblind as you, chief; it was only yesterday that I entered the city forthe first time: and," he added, laughingly, "the bullets then whistledround in such a merry fashion, I had scarcely time to look about me, orto ask my way."
"Don't let that disturb you, senor," said one of the peons, who hadheard the few words pronounced by the two men; "only tell me where youwant to go, and I will undertake to conduct you."
"Hum!" Valentine replied; "where I want to go to? Caspeta! I cannotexactly say; all places are alike to me, provided my friend be insafety."
"Pardon me, senor," the arriero replied, "if I dare----"
"Oh, dare! dare! there's a good fellow! your idea is probably excellent;for myself, I confess at this moment my mind is as empty as a drum."
"Why, senor, should you not go to the residence of Don Tadeo de Leon, mymaster?"
"Pardieu!" cried Valentine, vexed at his own want of thought. "On myword, you are something like a guide! I do not go to Don Tadeo, because,simply, I don't know how to find the place, that's all."
"I know, senor; Don Tadeo is most likely at the cabildo."
"By Jove! that's true again; my powers of thought seem to have beendriven out of my head; but which is the way to the cabildo?"
"I will show you, senor."
"That's well! this is an intelligent lad. Let us be moving, my friend."
"Forward, then!" cried the arriero. "_Ea! arrea mula!_" he shouted tohis beasts.
In a few minutes they debouched upon the Plaza Mayor, opposite thecabildo. The city was still and silent; here and there traces of thesanguinary contest of the preceding day, heaps of broken furniture, orlarge trenches cut in the ground, gave evidence of the ravages caused bythe insurrection. A soldier was marching with slow steps in front of thecabildo. At sight of the little party, he stopped, and cocked his musket.
"Who goes there?" he shouted sharply.
"_La Patria!_" Valentine replied.
"Go on, then!" said the soldier.
"Hum!" the young man murmured; "it appears not to be such an easy matterto obtain entrance; never mind," he added, "let us try. My friend," hesaid, in an insinuating voice, to the sentinel, who stood motionlessbefore him; "we have business in the palace."
"Have you the password?"
"Santiago! no," Valentine answered, frankly.
"Then you cannot enter."
"And yet I wish very much to enter."
"Very possibly; but as you have not the password, I advise you to goon your way; for I swear, if you were the devil in person, I would notafford you a passage."
"My friend," said the Parisian, in a jeering tone, "you do not talklogically; if I were the devil, I should stand in no need of thepassword--I should get in in spite of you."
"Take care, senor," whispered the arriero; "that soldier is not unlikelyto fire at you."
"Pardieu! that's what I reckon upon," said Valentine, laughing.
The peon looked at him in astonishment; he thought he was mad. Thesoldier, annoyed by this long conversation, and believing it of no useto stand wrangling with these jokers, presented his musket, cryingangrily,--
"For the last time, go on, or I will fire!"
"I am determined I will go in!" Valentine replied, resolutely.
"To arms!" the soldier cried, and fired. Valentine, who had watchedattentively all the soldier's movements, had slipped quickly from hishorse, and the bullet whistled harmlessly over his head. At the cryof the soldier and the report of his piece, several armed soldiers,followed by an officer with a lighted lantern in his hand, rushedtumultuously out of the palace.
"What is going on here?"
the officer asked, in a loud voice.
"Ah!" Valentine cried, to whom the voice was not unknown, "is that you,Don Gregorio?"
"Who calls me?" said the latter; for, in fact, it was he.
"I, Valentine!"
"What! is it you, my friend, who are making all this disturbance?"replied Don Gregorio, advancing; "I thought it was nothing less than anattack."
"What the devil was I to do?" said the young man, laughing; "I had notthe password, and I wanted to get in."
"Hum! none but a Frenchman would have such an idea as that."
"Is it not original?"
"Yes, but you risked being killed."
"Bah! we are always risking being killed, and yet we are not," saidValentine, carelessly; "I recommend my plan to you, under similarcircumstances."
"Much obliged! but I do not think I shall ever try it."
"Ah! there you are wrong."
"Well, then, come in! come in!"
"That is all I want; particularly as I must see Don Tadeo instantly."
"I believe he is asleep."
"He must be awakened."
"Do you bring interesting news, then?"
"Yes," Valentine replied, becoming suddenly serious; "terrible news!"
Don Gregorio, struck with the tone in which the Frenchman had pronouncedthese words, had a presentiment of some misfortune, and asked nofurther. The arrieros bore the hammock, with Don Louis still asleep,into the cabildo. By the care of Don Gregorio he was carried to abedchamber, and placed in a bed hastily provided.
"What does all this mean?" Don Gregorio said, in astonishment; "is DonLouis wounded?"
"Yes," Valentine replied, in a husky voice; "he has received two daggerwounds."
"But how did it all happen?"
"You will soon learn; but pray conduct me instantly to Don Tadeo."
"In heaven's name, come, then! your reserve alarms me."
And, followed by Valentine and Trangoil-Lanec, Don Gregorio plunged intothe labyrinth formed by the numerous corridors of the palace, with whichhe seemed well acquainted.