CHAPTER XXXVIII.
THE LYNX.
In the course of the past few days certain events had taken placein Araucania which we must explain. The policy adopted by GeneralFuentes had produced the best results. The chiefs restored to libertyhad returned to their tribes, where they had warmly persuaded theirmosotones to conclude a definite peace. These persuasions had beeneagerly listened to.
The Huiliches, who asked no better than to resume the course oftheir peaceful labours in safety, warmly gave their adhesion to theconditions their Ulmens submitted to them.
A grand council was solemnly convoked on the banks of the Carampangne,at the closing of which six deputies, chosen from among the wisestand most respected chiefs, having at their head an Apo-Ulmen namedthe Lynx, and followed by a thousand well-armed horsemen, were sentto Antinahuel, in order to communicate to him the resolutions of thecouncil, and demand his assent.
When he perceived at a distance this numerous troop advancing amidstclouds of dust, Antinahuel breathed a sigh of satisfaction, thinkingwhat a noble reinforcement was coming: for the malocca which he was soanxious to attempt upon the Chilian frontier.
The troop which Antinahuel had perceived continued to approach, andsoon came within speaking distance. The Toqui then observed with secretdissatisfaction that it was commanded by the Lynx, who had alwaysbeen tacitly opposed to him. When the horsemen had arrived within tenpaces of the camp the Lynx made a sign, and the troop halted; a heraldstopped in front of the chiefs, and saluted them respectfully.
"Toqui of the four Uthal-mapus," he said, in a loud voice, "and youUlmens who hear me--the Lynx, the venerated Apo-Ulmen of Arauca,followed by six Ulmens no less celebrated than himself, is sent toyou to enjoin obedience to the orders emanating from the supremeAuca-coyog."
After speaking thus the herald bowed respectfully and retired.Antinahuel and his Ulmens looked at each other in astonishment, forthey could not comprehend what it all meant. The Toqui alone suspectedsome treachery planned against himself; but his countenance remainedimpassive, and he asked his Ulmens to accompany him to the councilfire. At the expiration of a minute the Lynx arose, made two stepsforward, and spoke as follows:--
"The grand Auca-coyog of Arauca, in the name of the people, to allpersons who are at the head of warriors, salutation! Certain that allour compatriots keep their faith, we wish them peace in that geniusof goodness, in which alone reside true health and holy obedience.This is what we have resolved: war has fallen unexpectedly upon ourrich plains, and has changed them into deserts; our harvests have beentrampled under the feet of horses, our cattle have been killed ordriven away by the enemy, our crops are lost, our toldos are burnt, ourwives and children have disappeared in the tempest. We will have nomore war, and peace must be immediately concluded with the palefaces. Ihave spoken."
A profound silence followed this speech. Antinahuel's Ulmens werestruck with stupor, and looked towards their chief with great anxiety.
"And upon what conditions has this peace been concluded?" asked theToqui.
"The conditions are these," the Lynx replied; "Antinahuel willimmediately release the white prisoners; he will dismiss the army;the Araucanos will pay the palefaces two thousand sheep, five hundredvicunas, and eight hundred head of cattle; and the war hatchet is to beburied."
"Hum!" said the Toqui with a bitter smile; "these are hard conditions.If I should on my part refuse to ratify this shameful peace?"
"But my father will not refuse," the Lynx suggested.
"But I do refuse!" he replied, loudly.
"Good! my father will reflect; it is impossible that can be his lastword."
Antinahuel, cunning as he was, had no suspicion of the snare that waslaid for him.
"I repeat to you. Lynx," he said, in a loud voice, "and to all thechiefs who surround me, that I refuse to ratify these dishonourableconditions. So, now you can return whence you came."
"Not yet!" said the Lynx, in his turn, as sharply as the Toqui. "I havenot finished yet!"
"What else have you to tell me?"
"The council, which is composed of the wise men of all the tribes, hasforeseen the refusal of my father."
"Ah!" Antinahuel cried. "What have they decreed in consequence?"
"This: the hatchet of Toqui is withdrawn from my father; all theAraucanian warriors are released from their oath of fidelity to him;fire and water are refused to my father; he is declared a traitor tohis country, as are all those who do not obey, and remain with him.The Araucanian nation will no longer serve as a plaything, and be thevictim of the wild ambition of a man unworthy of commanding it."
During this terrific peroration Antinahuel had remained motionless, hisarms crossed upon his breast.
"Have you finished?" he asked.
"I have finished," the Lynx replied; "now the herald will go andproclaim in your camp what I have told you at the council fire."
"Well, let him go!" Antinahuel replied. "You are welcome to withdrawfrom me the hatchet of Toqui. Of what importance is that vain dignityto me? You may declare me a traitor to my country; I have on my side myown conscience, which absolves me; but what you wish above all else tohave you shall not have and that is my prisoners. Farewell!"
And with a step as firm as if nothing had happened to him, he returnedto his camp. But there a great mortification awaited him. At thesummons of the herald all his warriors abandoned him. One after theother, some with joy, others with sorrow. He who five minutes beforecounted more than eight hundred warriors under his orders, saw theirnumbers diminish so rapidly that soon only thirty-eight were left.
The Lynx called out an ironical farewell to him from a distance, anddeparted at a gallop with all his troop. When Antinahuel counted thesmall number of friends left to him, an immense grief weighed upon hisheart; he sank down at the foot of a tree, covered his face with hisponcho, and wept.
In the meantime, thanks to the facilities which the Linda hadprocured Don Tadeo, the latter had been able for some days past toapproach Rosario. The presence of the man who had brought her up wasa great consolation to the young lady; but when Don Tadeo, who hadthenceforward no reasons for secrecy, confessed to her that he was herfather, an inexpressible joy took possession of the poor child. Itappeared to her that she now had no longer anything to dread, and thatsince her father was with her she should easily escape the horriblelove of Antinahuel. The Linda, whom Don Tadeo allowed from pity to benear her, beheld with childish joy the father and daughter talkingtogether.
This woman was really a mother, with all the devotedness and all theabnegation which the title implies. She no longer lived for anythingbut her daughter.
Whilst the events we have described were taking place, the threeChilians, crouched in a corner of the camp, absorbed by their ownfeelings, had attended to nothing--seen or heard nothing. Don Tadeo andRosario were seated at the foot of a tree, and at some distance theLinda, without daring to mingle in their conversation, contemplatedthem with delight. His first grief calmed, Antinahuel recoveredhimself, and was as haughty and as implacable as ever. On raising hiseyes his looks fell mechanically upon his prisoners.
Antinahuel, whose attention was roused, had watched Maria carefully,and was not long in acquiring the moral proof of a plot being laidagainst him by his ancient accomplice. The Indian was too cunning tolet them be aware of his suspicions; still he held himself on hisguard, waiting for the first opportunity to change them into certainty.He ordered his mosotones to tie each of his prisoners to a tree, whichorder was immediately executed.
At sight of this, the Linda forgot her prudence; she rushed, daggerin hand, towards the chief, and reproached him with his baseness.Antinahuel disdained to reply to her reproaches; he merely snatched thedagger from her hand, threw her down upon the ground, and ordered herto be tied to a large post with her face turned towards the ground.
"Since my sister is so fond of the prisoners," he said "it is but justthat she should share their fate."
"Cowardly wretch!" she replied, vai
nly endeavouring to release herself.The chief turned from her in apparent contempt; then, as he fanciedthat he must reward the fidelity of the warriors who followed hisfortunes, he gave them several bottles of aguardiente. It was at theend of these orgies that they were discovered by the count, thanks tothe sagacity of the Newfoundland dog.