CHAPTER XXII
THE BLANK SIGNATURE.
On the morrow, Mexico awoke to a holiday; nothing extraordinary, ina country where the year is a perpetual holiday, and where the mostfrivolous pretext suffices for letting off _cohetes_, that supremeamusement of the Mexicans.
This time the affair was serious, for the inhabitants wished tocelebrate in a proper manner the anniversary of the Proclamation ofIndependence, of which the day to which we allude was the eve.
At sunrise a formidable _bando_ issued from the government palace, andwent through all the streets and squares of the city, announcing witha mighty clamour of bugles and drums, that on the next day there wouldbe a bull fight with "Jamaica" and "Monte Parnasso" for the leperos,high mass celebrated in all the churches, theatres thrown open gratis,a review of the garrison, and of all the troops quartered sixty milesround, and fireworks and illuminations at night, with open air balls andferia.
The government did things nobly, it must be confessed; hence the peopleissued from their houses, spread feverishly through the streets at anearly hour, laughing, shouting, and letting off squibs, while singingthe praises of the President of the Republic, and taking, after theirfashion, something on account of the morrow's festival.
Don Martial, in order to throw out the spies doubtless posted roundValentine's house, had left his friend in the middle of the night, andgone to his lodgings, and a few minutes before day proceeded to thehouse of Mr. Rallier.
Although the sun was not yet above the horizon, the French gentleman wasalready up and conversing with his brother Edward, while waiting for theTigrero. Edward was ready to start, and his brother was giving him hisparting recommendations.
"You are welcome," the Frenchman said cordially, on perceiving DonMartial; "I was busy with our affair. My brother Edward is just off toour quinta, whither my mother and my brother Auguste proceeded two daysago, so that we might find all in order on our arrival."
Although the Tigrero did not entirely understand what the banker said tohim, he considered it unnecessary to show it, and hence bowed withoutanswering.
"All is settled, then," Mr. Rallier continued, addressing his brother;"get everything ready, for we shall probably arrive before midday--thatis to say, in time for lunch."
"Your country house is not far from the city?" the Tigrero asked, forthe sake of saying something.
"Hardly five miles; it is at St. Angel; but in an excellent positionfor defence, in the event of an attack. You are aware that St. Angelis built on the side of an extinct volcano, and surrounded by lava andspongy scoria, which renders an approach very difficult."
"I must confess my ignorance of the fact."
"In a country like this, where the government is bound to think of itsown defence before troubling itself about individuals, it is as well totake one's precautions, and be always perfectly on guard. And now beoff, my dear Edward; your weapons are all right, and two resolute peonswill accompany you; besides, the sun is now rising, and you will have apleasant ride; so good-by till we meet again."
The two brothers shook hands, and the young man, after bowing to DonMartial, left the house, followed by two servants well mounted, andarmed like himself. During this conversation the peons had put thehorses in a close carriage.
"Get in," said Mr. Rallier.
"What!" Don Martial replied, "are we going to drive?"
"By Jove! do you think I would venture to go to the convent onhorseback? Why, we could not go along a street before we wererecognized."
"But this carriage will betray you."
"I admit it; but no one will know whom it contains when the shutters aredrawn up, which I shall be careful to do before leaving the house. Come,get in."
The Tigrero placed himself by the Frenchman's side; the latter pulledup the shutters, and started at a gallop in a direction diametricallyopposed to that which it should have followed, in order to reach theconvent.
"Where are we going?" the Tigrero asked presently.
"To the Convent of the Bernardines."
"I fancy we are not going the right road."
"That is possible, but, at any rate, it is the safest."
"I humbly confess that I cannot understand it at all."
Mr. Rallier began laughing.
"My good fellow," he replied, "you will understand at the right time,so be easy. You need only know, that in acting as I am doing, I amcarrying out to the letter the instructions of Valentine, my friend andyours. It was not for nothing that he has so long borne the name of theTrail-hunter; besides, you remember the prairie adage, which has alwaysappeared to me full of good sense, 'The shortest road from one point toanother is a crooked line.' Well, we are following the crooked line,that is all. Besides, in all that is about to take place, you mustremain completely out of the question, and restrict yourself to being aspectator, rather than an actor, and willing to obey me in everything Imay order. Does this part displease you?"
The Frenchman said this with the merry accent and delightful simplicitywhich formed the basis of his character, and which caused everybody tolike him whom accident brought in contact with him.
"I have no repugnance to obey you, Senor Don Antonio," the Tigreroanswered. "The confidence our common friend places in you is a sureguarantee to me of your intentions. Hence dispose of me as you thinkproper, without fearing the slightest objection on my part."
"That is the way to talk," the banker said, with a laugh. "Now, tobegin, my dear senor, you will do me the pleasure of changing yourdress, for the one you wear is slightly too worldly for the place towhich we are going."
"Change my dress?" the Tigrero exclaimed. "Diablos! you ought to havetold me so at your house."
"Unnecessary, my dear sir. I have all you require here."
"Here?"
"Well, you shall see," he said, as he took from one of the coach pocketsa Franciscan's gown, while from the other he drew a pair of sandals anda cord. "Have you not worn this dress before?"
"I have."
"Well, you are going to put it on again, and for the following reasons:At the convent, people believe (or pretend to believe, which comes tothe same thing) that you are a Franciscan monk. For the sake, then, ofpersons who are not in the secret, it is necessary that I should beaccompanied by a monk, and more, that they may be able, if required, totake their oaths to the fact."
"I obey you. But will not your coachman be surprised at seeing aFranciscan emerge from the carriage into which he showed a caballero?"
"My coachman? Pardon me, but I do not think you looked at him?"
"Indeed, I did not. All these Indians are alike, and equally hideous."
"That is true; however, look at him."
Don Martial bent forward, and slightly lowered the shutter.
"Curumilla!" he cried, in amazement, as he drew back. "He, and so welldisguised?"
"Do you now believe that he will be surprised?"
"I was wrong."
"No, but you do not take the trouble to reflect."
"Well, I will put on the gown since I must. Still, with your permission,I will keep my weapons under it."
"Caspita! my permission? On the contrary, I order you to do so. But whatare they?"
"You shall see. A machete, a knife, and a pair of pistols."
"That is first-rate. If necessary, I shall be able to find you a rifle.Trust to me for that."
While talking thus, the Tigrero had changed his dress; that is to say,he had simply put the gown over his other clothes, fastened the roperound his body, and substituted the sandals for his boots.
"There," the Frenchman continued, "you are a perfect monk."
"No; I want something more, something which is even indispensable."
"What's that?"
"The hat."
"That's true."
"That part of my costume I hardly know how we shall obtain."
"Man of little faith!" the Frenchman said with a smile, "see, and beconfounded!"
While speaking thus he raised
the front cushion, opened the box itcovered, and pulled out the hat of a monk of St. Francis, which he gavethe Tigrero.
"And now do you want anything else, pray?" he asked, mockingly.
"Indeed, no. Why, your carriage is a perfect locomotive shop!"
"Yes, it contains a little of everything. But we have arrived," headded, seeing the carriage stop. "You remember that you must in no waymake yourself prominent, and simply confine yourself to doing what Itell you. That is settled, I think?"
The Frenchman opened the door, for the carriage had really stoppedin front of the Convent of the Bernardines. Two or three ill-lookingfellows were prowling about: and, in spite of their affectedindifference, it was easy to recognize them for spies. The Frenchman andhis companion were not deceived. They got out with an indifference aswell assumed as that of the spies, and approached the door slowly, whichwas opened at their first knock, and closed again behind them with aspeed that proved the slight confidence the sister porter placed in theindividuals left outside.
"What do you desire, senores?" she asked, politely, after curtseying tothe newcomers with a smile of recognition.
"My dear sister," the Frenchman answered, "be good enough to informthe holy mother abbess of our visit, and ask her to favour us with aninterview for a few moments."
"It is still very early, brother," the nun answered, "and I do not knowif holy mother can receive you at this moment."
"Merely mention my name to her, sister, and I feel convinced that shewill make no difficulty about receiving us."
"I doubt it, brother, for, as I said before, it is very early. Still, Iam willing to tell her, in order to prove to you my readiness to serveyou."
"I feel deeply grateful to you for the kindness, sister."
The sister then left the parlour, after begging the two gentlemen towait a moment. During her absence the Frenchman and his companion didnot exchange a syllable; however, this absence was short, and onlylasted a few minutes.
Without speaking, the sister made the visitors a sign to follow her,and led them to the parlour where we have already taken the reader, andwhere the abbess was waiting for them.
The Mother Superior was pale, and seemed anxious and preoccupied. Sheinvited the two gentlemen to sit down, and waited silently till theyaddressed her. They, on their side, seemed to be waiting for her toinquire the nature of their visit; but, as she did not do so, and thissilence threatened to be prolonged for some time, Mr. Rallier resolvedon breaking it.
"I had the honour, madam," he said, with a respectful bow, "to send youyesterday, by one of my servants, a letter, in which I informed you ofthis morning's visit."
"Yes, caballero," she at once, answered, "I duly received this letter,and your sister Helena is ready to go away with you, whenever youexpress the wish. Still permit me to make one request of you."
"Speak, madam, and if I can be of any service to you, believe me, that Ishall eagerly seize the opportunity."
"I know not, caballero, how to explain myself, for what I have to sayto you is really so strange that I fear lest it should call up a smileto your lips. Although Dona Helena has only been a few months in ourconvent, she has made herself so beloved by all her companions, throughher charming character, that her departure is an occasion of mourningfor all of us."
"You render me very happy and very proud by speaking thus of my sister,madam."
"This praise is only the expression of the strictest truth, caballero.We are all really most grieved to see her leave us thus. Still, I shouldnot have ventured thus to make myself the interpreter of our regrets,were there not a very strong reason that renders it almost a duty tospeak to you."
"I am listening to you, madam, though I can guess beforehand what youare going to say to me."
She looked at him in surprise.
"You guess! Oh, it is impossible, senor," she exclaimed.
The Frenchman smiled.
"My sister, Dona Helena, as is generally the case in convents, haschosen one of her companions, whom she loves more than the others, andmade her her intimate friend. Is such the case, madam?"
"How do you know it?"
He continued; with a smile--
"Now, this young lady, so beloved not only by Helena but by you,madam, and all your community, is a gentle, kind, loving girl, who, inconsequence of a great misfortune, became insane, but whom your tendercare has restored to reason. Still, you keep the latter fact a profoundsecret, before all from her guardian, who, not contented with havingstripped her of her fortune, now insists of robbing her of her happinessby forcing her to marry him."
"Senor, senor," the abbess exclaimed, as she rose from her seat, withan astonishment blended with terror, "who are you that you know so manythings of which I believed the whole world ignorant?"
"Who am I, madam? the brother of Helena, that is to say, a man in whomyou can place the most entire confidence. Hence permit me to proceed."
The abbess, still suffering from extreme agitation, sat down again.
"Go on, caballero," she said.
"The guardian of Dona Anita, either that he has suspicion, or for someother motive, wrote to you yesterday, ordering you to prepare her tomarry him within twenty-four hours. Since the receipt of this fatalletter, Dona Anita has been plunged in the deepest despair, a despairfurther heightened by the sudden departure of my sister, the only friendin whose arms she can safely reveal her heart's secrets. But you,madam, who are so holy and good, are aware that God can at his pleasureconfound the projects of the wicked, and change wormwood into honey. Didyou not receive a visit yesterday from Don Serapio de la Ronda?"
"Yes, that gentleman deigned to visit me a few moments before Ireceived the fatal letter to which you have referred."
"Did not Don Serapio, on leaving you, say these words: 'Be kind enoughto inform Dona Anita that a friend is watching over her; that thisfriend has already given her unequivocal proofs of the interest hetakes in her happiness, and that, on the day when she again sees theFranciscan monk, to whom she confessed once before, all her misfortuneswill be ended?'"
"Yes, Don Serapio did utter those words."
"Well, madam, I am sent to you, not only by him, but by another person,who is no less than the President of the Republic, not only to take awaymy sister but also to ask you to deliver up to me Dona Anita, who willaccompany her."
"Heaven is my witness, senor, that I would be delighted to do what youask of me. Unhappily, it is not in my power; Dona Anita was entrustedto me by her sole relation, who is at the same time her guardian, andthough he is unworthy of that title, and my heart bleeds in refusingyou, it is to him alone that I am bound to deliver her."
"This objection, madam, the justice of which I fully appreciate, hasbeen foreseen by the persons whose representative I am. Hence theyconsulted on the means to remove the scruples by entirely releasing youfrom responsibility. Father, give this lady the paper, of which you arethe bearer."
Without uttering a word, Don Martial took from his pocket the blanksignature Valentine had entrusted to him, and handed it to the abbess.
"What is this?" she asked.
"Madam," the Frenchman answered, "that paper is a blank signature of thePresident of the Republic, who orders you to deliver Dona Anita into myhands."
"I see it," she said, sorrowfully; "unfortunately this blank signature,which would everywhere else have the strength of the law, is powerlesshere. We only indirectly depend on the temporal power, but arecompletely subjugated to the spiritual power, and we can only receiveorders from it."
The Tigrero took a side glance, full of despair, at his companion, whoseface was still smiling.
"What would you require, madam," he continued, "in order to consent togive up this unhappy young lady to me?"
"Alas, senor, it is not I who refuse compliance. Heaven is my witnessthat it is my greatest desire to see her escape from her persecutor."
"I am thoroughly convinced of that, madam; that is why, feelingpersuaded of your good feeling towards your charge,
I ask you to tell mewhat authority you require in order to give her up to me."
"I cannot, senor, allow Dona Anita to quit this convent without aperfectly regular order, signed by Monseigneur the Archbishop of Mexico,who alone has the right to command here, and whom I am compelled toobey."
"And if I had that order, madam, all your scruples would be removed?"
"Yes, all, senor."
"You would have no further difficulty in allowing Dona Anita to depart?"
"I would deliver her to you at once, senor."
"Since that is the case, madam, I will ask you to do so, for I havebrought you that order."
"You have it?" she said, with undisguised delight.
"Here it is," he answered, as he took a paper from his pocketbook, andhanded it to her.
She opened it at once, and eagerly perused it.
"Oh now," she continued, "Dona Anita is free, and I will----"
"One moment, madam," he interrupted her, "have you carefully read theorder I had the honour of giving you?"
"Yes, sir."
"In that case be kind enough to allow the young ladies to put on secularclothing, and, as their departure must be kept secret, allow my carriageto enter the front courtyard. I fancied I saw ill-looking fellowsprowling about the neighbourhood, who looked to me like spies."
"What must I say, though, to the young lady's guardian? I am going tosee him today."
"I am aware of that, madam. Gain time; tell him that his ward isill; that you have succeeded in gaining her consent to the projectedmarriage, but, on the condition that it be deferred for eight and fortyhours. It is a falsehood I am suggesting to you, madam, but it isnecessary, and I feel convinced that heaven will pardon it."
"Oh, do not be anxious about that, senor. I will gladly take on myselfthe responsibility of this falsehood; Dona Anita's guardian will notdare to oppose so short a delay, however well inclined he may be to doso: but in forty-eight hours?"
"In forty-hours, madam," the Frenchman answered in a hollow voice,"General Guerrero will not come to claim the hand of Dona Anita."