CHAPTER XLIII.
THE ROCK.
But when setting forward so hastily, Valentine had considered the perilof the situation more than the possibility of travelling far at aquick pace. At the end of a very few miles the horses, overridden fortwo days together, and exceedingly weakened by the hurricane, couldscarcely be kept going; whip and spur were obliged to be constantlyapplied to keep them on their legs. At length, after an hour spent infruitless efforts. Don Tadeo, whose horse, a noble, well-bred animalhad just stumbled twice from sheer weakness, was the first to callValentines attention to the impossibility of going farther at present.
"I know it--I feel it!" the young man replied; "the poor animals arefoundered; but what can we do? We must kill them, if it be necessary!"
"Let us proceed, then, whatever may happen!" said Don Tadeo.
"Besides," the young man continued, "a minute gained is an age for us;by break of day Louis may be back. If our horses had been rested, wemight have reached the hacienda tonight; only the farther we get thebetter the chance of escaping those who are pursuing us. But, yourpardon, Don Tadeo, the Indian chief is making me a sign."
After leaving Don Tadeo, he drew nearer to the Ulmen.
"Well, chief?" he asked.
"Does my brother reckon upon being able to go much farther?" said theIndian.
"Pardieu! chief, you have put exactly the same question to me that DonTadeo has."
"What does the great chief say?"
"Why, he says that our horses are completely knocked up."
"Ooch! and what does my brother with the golden hair mean to do?"
"How can I tell? Let Trangoil-Lanec advise me; he is a warrior,renowned in his tribe."
"I think I have a good idea."
"Pray let us have it, chief; your ideas are always excellent."
The Indian bowed modestly.
"Let my brother listen to me," he said. "Perhaps Antinahuel is alreadyon our track; if he is not, it will not be long before he is. If hecomes up with us we shall be killed. What can three men do againstsixty? But not far distant from hence I know a place where we caneasily defend ourselves. Many moons ago, ten warriors of my tribe andmyself stood our ground at that place for fourteen whole days againsttwo hundred palefaces. Does my brother understand?"
"Perfectly, perfectly, chief! Guide us to this place; and if it pleaseGod that we reach it, I swear that Antinahuel and his mosotones shallfind somebody to answer them."
Trangoil-Lanec then took the guidance of the little troop, and led themslightly aside from the road. In the interior of South America whatwe in Europe agree to call roads do not exist; but there are insteadan infinite number of paths traced by wild animals, which all finish,after numberless meanderings, by leading to rivulets or rivers, whichfor ages have served as drinking places to the beasts of the desert.
The Indians alone possess the secret of directing their course withcertainty in these apparently inextricable labyrinths; so after a marchof twenty minutes our travellers found themselves, without knowinghow, on the banks of a charming river. In the centre of which arose anenormous block of granite.
Valentine uttered a cry of joy at sight of this natural fortress. Thehorses, as if they understood that they had at length arrived at aplace of safety, entered the water willingly. This block of granitewas hollow. By a gentle ascent it was easy to mount to the summit,which formed a platform of more than forty square feet. The horses wereconcealed in a corner of the grotto, where they seemed glad to liedown. Valentine did his best to barricade the entrance to the fortress.This being done, a fire was lighted.
Caesar had of his own accord posted himself on the platform--a vigilantsentinel. The Frenchman kept awake, whilst his companions, yielding tofatigue, slept soundly.
"I will go and take a little rest," Valentine said to Trangoil-Lanec,who awoke, casting an anxious look around him; "the night is over."
"Silence!" the chief murmured.
The two men listened: a stifled growl fell upon their ears.
"That is my dog!--it is Caesar warning us!" the young man cried.
He and the chief sprang simultaneously to the platform. In vain helooked around on all sides, nothing appeared, the same tranquillityseemed to reign around them. Nothing denoted movement but the highgrass on the banks of the river, which waved gently, as if bent by thebreeze. Valentine, for a minute, thought his dog was deceived, andwas preparing to descend, when he suddenly seized him by the middleand forced him to lie flat upon the platform, while several shotsresounded, half a score balls came hissing to be flattened against therock, and a number of arrows flew over the platform--a second more, andValentine would have been killed.
This attack was succeeded by a horrible yelling which was repeated bythe echoes of the two banks. This was the war cry of the Aucas, who, tothe number of more than forty, appeared upon the shore. Valentine andthe chief discharged their guns almost at hazard among the crowd. Twomen fell, and the Indians suddenly disappeared among the thick bushesand high grass. The silence, for an instance disturbed, was restoredso promptly, that if the bodies of the two Indians had not remainedstretched upon the sand, the scene might have passed for a dream. Theyoung man took advantage of the minutes respite afforded by the enemyto descend into the grotto. At the noise of the fusillade and of thecry of the Indians, Dona Rosario had started from her sleep in greatterror. Seeing her father seize his gun to mount to the platform, shethrew herself into his arms, imploring him not to leave her.
"Father! father!" she cried, "pray do not leave me alone, or let mefollow you! Here I should become mad with terror!"
"My daughter," Don Tadeo replied, "your mother will remain with you, Imust join your friends; would you wish that I should abandon them insuch circumstances? It is my cause they are defending; my place is withthem! Come! Courage, my darling Rosario, time is precious!"
The young girl sank helplessly on the ground.
"That is true!" she said; "Pardon me, my father."
For her part, without speaking a word, the Linda had drawn her dagger,and placed herself at the entrance of the grotto. At this momentValentine appeared.
"Thanks, Don Tadeo," he said, "but we can dispense with your presenceabove. The Black Serpents will, no doubt, attempt to cross the riverand gain entrance to the grotto, of which they certainly know theexistence. Remain here, then, if you please, and watch their movementscarefully."
Valentine had calculated rightly. The Indians perceiving the inutilityof firing at a block of granite against which their balls wereflattened, changed their tactics. They divided themselves into twobands, one of which kept firing; whilst the other, led by Antinahuel,ascended the course of the river. When they arrived at a certaindistance, the Indians hastily constructed rafts, upon which theyallowed themselves to float upon the stream straight toward the rock.Valentine and his companions, knowing that they had nothing to fearfrom those who kept firing at the rock from the bank, descended to thegrotto.
The young man's first care was to place Dona Rosario in safety. Thisduty performed, he took his post with his companions. A raft, mountedby seven Indians, tossed about violently by the current, all at oncewas dashed against the rock, and the Indians, howling their war cry,sprang off, brandishing their arms; but the three men, with the Linda,who insisted upon joining them, threw themselves upon them, and, beforethey had secured their footing, beat them down with the stocks of theirguns, and cast back their bodies into the river.
But scarcely had they got rid of these when two other rafts came down,followed almost immediately by a third and a fourth, carrying at leastthirty men in the whole. For an instant the _melee_ was terrible inthat confined spot, where they fought man to man, foot to foot. TheLinda, trembling for her daughter, with her hair streaming and her eyesflashing, defended herself like a lioness, powerfully seconded by herthree companions, who performed prodigies of valour. But, overpoweredby numbers, the besieged men were at length obliged to give ground.
A minutes truce ensued, during w
hich the Auras counted their numbers.Six of them were stretched dead. On the side of the besieged, Valentinehad received a cut from a hatchet on the head; but as he had seen itcoming, and had moved promptly on one side, it was not a deep wound.Trangoil-Lanec's left arm was severely wounded. Don Tadeo and the Lindawere unhurt.
Valentine cast a painful glance towards the spot which served as ashelter for Rosario, and then thought of nothing but nobly sacrificinghis life. He was the first to recommence the fight. Suddenly a violentfusillade was heard.
"Courage," Valentine shouted--"courage!--here are our friends!"
Followed by his companions, a second time he scaled the barricade, andthrew himself into the _melee_. All at once a cry for help of the mostheart-rending agony resounded from the grotto. The Linda turned round,and uttering a shriek more like the roar of a wild beast than the cryof a woman, threw herself upon Antinahuel, in whose arms Rosario wasstruggling. Antinahuel, surprised by this unexpected attack, left hishold of the young girl, and recognised the Linda.
"Stand back!" he said, in a deep guttural voice.
But the Linda, without replying, sprang headlong upon him, and plungedher dagger into his chest.
"Die, she wolf!" he howled.
The Linda fell.
"My mother--oh, my mother!" Rosario cried, in agony, kneeling downclose to her, and covering her with kisses. The chief stooped to seizethe young girl again, but then a new adversary stood firmly before him;it was Valentine. The Toqui rushed upon the Frenchman.
Valentine was brave, active, and vigorous, but he had to contend witha man whom he would never have been able to resist if he had not beenweakened by his wounds. The oily body of the Indian presented no holdfor the Frenchman, whilst his enemy, on the contrary, had seized himby the cravat. Neither Trangoil-Lanec nor Don Tadeo could render theircompanion any assistance, occupied as they were in defending themselvesagainst the Aucas.
It was all over with Valentine. Already his ideas began to lose theirlucidity, he only resisted mechanically, when he felt the fingers whichgrasped his neck gradually relax; with a last concentration of rage, hecollected all his strength, and succeeded in disengaging himself. Buthis enemy, far from attacking him, fell backwards--he was dead!
"Ah!" the Linda cried, with an expression impossible to be conveyed,"she is saved!"
And she sank back fainting in the arms of her daughter, claspingtightly in her hand the dagger with which she had pierced Antinahuel tothe heart. All eagerly assembled round the unfortunate woman, who, bykilling the inveterate enemy of her daughter, had so nobly retrievedher faults.
At length she sighed faintly, opened her eyes, and fixing a dim lookupon those who surrounded her, she convulsively seized her daughter andDon Tadeo, drew them towards her, and contemplated them.
"Oh! I was too happy! Both of you had pardoned me; but God decreedthat it should not be! Will this terrible death disarm His justice?Pray--pray for me!--that--that--hereafter--we may meet again in heaven!"
She was dead!
"My God!" said Don Tadeo, "have pity on her!"
And he knelt down by the body. His companions piously imitated him.
CHAPTER XLIV.
CAESAR.
A month after the events we have related, two men, seated side byside in a clump of nopals, were conversing earnestly whilst admiringa magnificent sunrise. These two men were Valentine Guillois and theCount de Prebois-Crance. The Frenchmen were watching this reawakeningof nature.
The count, rendered uneasy by the obstinate silence which Valentinepreserved, at length spoke.
"When you awoke me an hour ago," he said, "you brought me hither, inorder, as you said, that we might talk at our ease, and I followedyou without an observation. Well, we have been seated in this grovefor twenty minutes, and you have not even begun to explain yourself;your silence makes me very uneasy, brother, and I do not know what toattribute it to. Have you any ill news to announce to me?"
Valentine raised his head quickly.
"Pardon me, Louis," he replied, "I have no ill news to announce to you,but the hour for a thorough explanation between us has arrived."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You will soon understand me. When, about a year ago, reduced todespair, and resolved to take refuge in death, you summoned me toyour apartments in the Champs-Elysees, I pledged myself, if you wouldconsent to live, to restore you that which you had lost, not by yourown fault, but through your inexperience; you placed faith in me; youunhesitatingly abandoned France, you bade farewell for ever to the lifeof a gentleman, and you resolutely accompanied me to America. Now it isfor me to perform, in my turn, the promise made you--"
"Valentine!"
"Listen to me; you love Dona Rosario, and I am certain that on her partshe feels for you a true and profound affection; the services we haverendered her father, authorise us to have an explanation with him,which I am convinced he expects, and the result of which must renderyou happy for ever. This explanation, which I would not risk withoutspeaking to you first, I will have this morning, and speak frankly toDon Tadeo."
A melancholy smile flitted across the young man's lips, and he let hishead sink on his breast without replying.
"What is the matter with you?" Valentine cried anxiously; "Why is itthat this determination, which is to fulfil all your wishes, plungesyou into such grief? Explain yourself, Louis!"
"What good will it do to explain myself? Why should we speak today toDon Tadeo? What hurry is there?" the young man remarked evasively.
Valentine shook his head, looking at him with astonishment; he couldnot comprehend his friend's conduct at all; he, however, determined todrive him into his last entrenchments.
"Well, this is the reason why: I wish to assure your happiness as soonas possible," he said. "The life I have been leading for a month pastin this hacienda is oppressive to me. Since my arrival in America mycharacter has changed: the sight of great forests, lofty mountains,in short, of all the sublime magnificence which God has spread witha bountiful hand in the desert, has developed the instincts of atraveller, the germ of which I carried at the bottom of my heart; theconstantly recurring changes of the adventurous life which I have ledfor some time, cause me to experience pleasures without bounds: in aword, I have become a passionate wood ranger, and I pant for the momentwhen I shall be permitted to resume my aimless rambles in the desert."
A silence of some minutes ensued.
"Yes," the count murmured at length, "that life is indeed full ofcharms----"
"That is why I am so eager to launch again into these scenes ofexcitement."
"What prevents our resuming them?"
"What! why you, pardieu!"
"You are mistaken, brother. I am weary as you can be of the life we areleading; we will depart as soon as you please."
"That is not my meaning; be frank with me: it is impossible that theardent love you felt for Dona Rosario could have evaporated thus all atonce."
"What makes you think I do not love her?"
"Come!--come!" Valentine replied, "let us have an end of all this; ifyou love Dona Rosario, why do you want to leave this place, and why doyou refuse to marry her?"
"It is not I who refuse," the young man murmured with a sigh, "it isshe!"
"She! no--no! come! that is not possible!"
"Brother, a long time ago, the very next day after the night whenat Santiago we delivered her from the hands of the bandits who werecarrying her off, she herself told me that we never could be united.She ordered me to avoid her presence, and demanded my word of honourthat I would never seek to see her again. Why, then, should I lullmyself with a wild chimera! You see, brother, I have no hope left."
"Perhaps!--but so many things have taken place since that period thatthe intentions of Dona Rosario may have changed."
"No," the count replied, despondingly.
"What makes you suppose so?"
"Her coolness--her indifference to me; the care she takes to avoid me;everything, in short, proves that I
have remained here too long, andthat I ought to leave her dangerous society."
"Why do not you have an explanation with her?"
"I have sworn, and whatever it costs I will accomplish my vow."
Valentine hung his head, but made no reply.
"I implore you!" the count resumed, "let us remain no longer here; thesight of her I love increases my anguish."
"Have you reflected seriously upon this?"
"Oh, yes!" the young man replied, with an air of real or forcedresolution.
"Well," said Valentine, shaking his head, "if such is your will, so itmust be; we will begone, then!"
"Yes, and as soon as possible; do not you think so?" the young mansaid, with an involuntary sigh.
"Oh! this very day; I am only waiting for Curumilla, whom I haverequested to go and procure horses. As soon as he returns we will start.
"And we will return to the tolderia of the tribe of the Great Hare,where we can live happily."
"That is a good idea; in that way our existence will not be a uselessone, since we can contribute to the happiness of those around us. Andwho knows?" Valentine added, smiling--"we may perhaps, become greatwarriors in Araucania."
Louis's only reply to this pleasantry was a sigh, which did not escapethe notice of his friend.
"Oh!" Valentine murmured, "he must and shall be happy in spite ofhimself."
Curumilla and Trangoil-Lanec appeared in the distance amidst a cloud ofdust, galloping towards the hacienda with several horses. The two youngmen rose to go and meet them.
Scarcely had they left the little grove when Dona Rosario put asidesome low branches and came out. She paused thoughtfully for a minute,looking after the two Frenchmen, who were walking away sad andgloomy; then suddenly raising her head with a saucy air, her blue eyebrightened, a smile stole over her lips, and she murmured with a prettynod of her head--
"Hum! ah!--we shall see!"
Then she returned to the hacienda, bounding along like a frightenedantelope.
Every morning at eight o'clock, in Spanish-American countries, thebells ring, to assemble at the same table the inhabitants of thehacienda--rom the owner who sits in the centre to the humblest peon whoplaces himself modestly at the lower end. The breakfast is the hourchosen to meet each other and to pay the compliments of the morning,previous to commencing the rough labours of the day.
At the first stroke of eight Don Tadeo descended to the hall and stoodbefore the table, his daughter being on his right hand. He saluted witha smile or a friendly word every one of the persons employed on thefarm as they entered.
The two Frenchmen came in last. After cordially shaking hands withthem, Don Tadeo assured himself by a glance that no one was wanting atthe meeting, took off his hat, in which he was imitated by all present,and slowly and solemnly pronounced the blessing. At a wave of his handall took their places.
The repast was short; it lasted little more than a quarter of anhour. The peons then returned to their labours under the order of themajor-domo, and Don Tadeo desired the mate to be served.
No one remained in the hall but Don Tadeo, his daughter, the fosterbrothers, the two Indian chiefs, and Caesar--if it be permissible toreckon a dog as company; the noble animal was crouched at the feet ofDona Rosario.
In a few minutes the mate had made its round on the company, and, yetwithout any apparent cause, a painful silence prevailed.
Don Tadeo was thoughtful; Dona Rosario was twisting her taper,rose-tipped fingers in the long silky ears of the dog, who had placedhis great head upon her knees, with his large, intelligent eyes fixedupon her face.
The count and his foster brother were anxious, and yet afraid toopen the subject that weighed upon their hearts; at length, however,Valentine became tired of this false position, and resolutely began.
"Well," he said, "what reply do you mean to make to Don GregorioPeralta, Don Tadeo?"
"What I told you, my friend," said Don Tadeo, turning towards him."Chili, henceforward liberated from the man who was dragging thecountry to destruction, no longer stands in need of me. I am determinedto trouble myself no longer with politics. I have long enough devotedmy life to the ungrateful labours I imposed upon myself to secure theindependence of my country, and deliver it from the ambitious man whowished to enslave it. I have accomplished my task; the hour of reposehas struck for me. I peremptorily refuse the presidency which DonGregorio offers me in the name of the people, and will devote myselfentirely to the happiness of my daughter."
"I cannot blame your resolution; it is noble and beautiful, Don Tadeo;it is Worthy of you," the count replied.
"And do you mean to send off this answer soon?" said Valentine.
"In a few minutes; but why do you ask me that question, pray?"
"Because," Valentine replied, "my friend and I will undertake, if youplease, to convey it."
Don Tadeo opened his eyes with astonishment.
"How so?" he cried, "What do you mean by that? Can you think of leavingus?"
A melancholy smile played for a moment round the young man's lips; theice was broken; the sacrifice must be bravely made, and he did nothesitate.
"Heaven is my witness," he said, shaking his head, "that it would be mymost ardent wish to remain here."
"Yes," the count interrupted, taking, in spite of himself, a furtiveglance at Rosario, who appeared to have no interest in what waspassing; "yes, we have too long forgotten ourselves in your charmingretreat. This delightful life enervates us; if we do not hasten to tearourselves from it, we shall soon find it impossible to do so."
"You must leave us!" Don Tadeo repeated, whose countenance becamecloudy, and his eyebrows contracted; "and what for?"
"Do you not know?" Louis replied, who took courage from the apparentcarelessness of Rosario, "that when for the first time we had the goodfortune to meet with you----"
"Good fortune for me!" Don Tadeo interrupted, warmly.
"Be it so!" said Valentine, striking in to assist his friend; "we werethen in search of fortune. Well, and now," he continued, gaily, "thanksto Heaven that our assistance is no longer necessary to you, we are notwilling to abuse your kind hospitality any longer."
"What does this mean?" Don Tadeo exclaimed, rising. "What do you callabusing my hospitality? Why do you employ such futile pretexts with me?"
"We must go!" the young man repeated, coldly.
"Oh! I cannot believe it is the thirst for gold which urges you toleave me. Your heart is too noble for that odious passion to gainpossession of it."
"Don Tadeo, you do us but justice," the count replied; "it is not thethirst for gold which actuates us, for our intention on leaving you isto retire among the Aucas Indians."
Don Tadeo looked perfectly astonished.
"Do not form a bad opinion of us," the young man continued; "be assuredthat if a powerful motive did not oblige us to depart, I, at least,should be most happy to remain with you."
Don Tadeo walked up and down the hall in great agitation.
"Can you not tell me the motive you speak of," he said in anaffectionate tone.
The young lady turned her head imperceptibly.
"I cannot!" Louis murmured, bowing his head.
Rosario shrugged her shoulders with an air of disappointment.
"Very well, caballero," Don Tadeo replied, with cold dignity; "youand your friend are free to act as to you seems best. Pardon me thequestions I have put to you, but your resolution, which I in vainendeavour to account for, has destroyed past recovery a cherished hope,which I should have been most happy to have seen realised. Here is myletter to Don Gregorio Peralta; when do you wish to set out?"
"This very instant!" the count replied; "my friend and I intended tobid you farewell immediately after breakfast."
"Yes," Valentine continued, who perceived that his foster brother,overcome by his feelings, could not say any more; "we beg you to acceptour thanks for the friendship you have deigned to display towards us,and to assure you that the remembrance of you will live in
the bottomof our hearts."
"Farewell, then!" Don Tadeo said, with great emotion. "God grant thatyou may find elsewhere the happiness that awaited you here."
Valentine bowed without replying; his tears choked his utterance.
"Adieu, senorita!" murmured the count, in a tremulous low voice; "mayyou be happy?"
She made no reply: deeply wounded, he turned away quickly, and strodetowards the door. In spite of all their resolution, when on the pointof going out, the young men cast one look behind them, to salute forthe last time persons who were so dear to them, and whom they wereabandoning for ever. Don Tadeo stood motionless in the same place,apparently still as much surprised as hurt. Dona Rosario continuedplaying mechanically with the ears of the dog.
"Caesar!" shouted Valentine.
At the voice of his master, the Newfoundland dog disengaged himselfquickly from the arms of the young girl, and bounded to his side.
"Caesar!" Rosario murmured faintly.
And then, in spite of the signs and orders of his master, the animallaid itself down at her feet.
With a bursting heart, the count made a violent effort, and sprangtowards the door.
"Louis!" Rosario cried. "Louis, you have sworn never to be separatedfrom Caesar."
Louis staggered, as if struck by lightning; a glow of inexpressible joylit up his face; he let the letter fall, and gently thrust forward byValentine, fell at the feet of the lovely and now smiling girl.
"My father!" Rosario implored, throwing her arm round his neck, "I wellknew that he loved me."
Valentine felt an acute pang mixed with an immense joy at thisdenouement.
"It is I," he said, picking up the letter with a smile, of which nonebut such a man is capable, "who must carry the answer."
"Oh, no!" Dona Rosario said, with a playful pout, "You will not leaveus, my friend; are you not the dearly beloved brother of my Louis? Oh,we will not let you go!"
Valentine kissed the hand extended to him, and secretly wiped away atear, but he made no reply.
The day passed away rapidly and happily for all; when night was come--
"Farewell, brother!" said Valentine, with deep emotion. "Thank Heaven,you are henceforth sheltered from all misfortune."
The count looked at him anxiously.
"Brother," he said, "are you unhappy?"
"Who, I?" said Valentine, endeavouring to smile, "I never was so happyin my life!"
After embracing the count, who gave way to him, though astonished atthe sudden appearance of grief in such a man, he strode away. Louiswatched him depart, saying to himself--
"What can be the matter with him? Oh, tomorrow he shall explainhimself!"
But on the morrow Valentine had disappeared.
He also loved Dona Rosario.
The young people waited for him a long time. At length, three monthsafter his departure, when all hopes of his return had completelyvanished, the Count de Prebois-Crance married Dona Rosario. ButValentine was wanting.
* * * * *
Those of our readers who have taken an interest in Valentine, and wehope that they are numerous, will find his further adventures recordedin the "TIGER-SLAYER."
THE END.
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