The Freebooters Part 56

"You are quite forgiven, Colonel," he said; "have you received any more bad news?"

"Neither good nor bad, but in truth very disagreeable; we learn that a corps of freebooters has been formed, of which you are strongly suspected to be the Chief, and which at this moment is ravaging the whole country."

"Have you heard no more than that?"

"Not up to the present."

"Well, before we part, I will give you some news, which, if I am not mistaken, will deeply annoy you."

"What do you mean, my friend? Explain yourself."

"Not at this moment. We have not come here to discuss politics, but our own affairs. Let us proceed regularly. We shall always have time enough to return to politics."

"That is true; but answer me one question first."

"What is it?"

"Is the news you have to tell me really serious?"

The Jaguar frowned and stamped his foot on the ground with suppressed violence.

"Extremely serious," he said.

There was a moment's silence; at length the young man walked up to the Colonel and laid his hand on his shoulder.

"Don Juan," he said to him in a kindly voice, "listen to me for a moment."

"Speak, my friend."

"Don Juan," he continued, "why do you so obstinately defend a lost cause? Why shed your generous blood in the service of tyranny? Texas wishes to be free, and will be so! Count the capable men who serve in your ranks; with the exception of two, perhaps three, there is not another you can mention: Mexico, exhausted by the revolutions which incessantly overthrow it, has at its disposal neither men nor money enough to a.s.sume a vigorous offensive: the very name of Mexican is odious to the Texans. On all sides the people are rebelling against you; it is a constantly rising tide, which breaks down every d.y.k.e. You are surrounded: within a month your army will be disgracefully expelled from our territory. Reflect, my friend, for there is yet time; return your sword to its scabbard, and leave fate to accomplish its task."

"Listen to me in your turn, friend," the Colonel answered, in a mournful voice. "What you have just said to me I knew as well as you do. I have felt for a long time past that the ground trembles beneath our feet, and that we shall ere long be swallowed up by the revolution; I therefore form no illusion to the fate that awaits us. But I am a soldier, my friend, I have taken an oath: that oath I must keep, at all risks.

Moreover, I am a Mexican--do not forget that fact; I must, therefore, regard this question from a point of view diametrically opposed to yours. Besides," he added, with feigned gaiety, "we are not yet in the state you imagine. You have certainly taken from us a few pueblos, but we still have the towns, and hold the sea. You sing victory too soon; the Texan revolution is as yet only in the state of insurrection. At a later date, when it holds a strong town, and its government is const.i.tuted, we shall see what is to be done; but for the present there is no cause to despair, my friend, and you have not made the progress you fancy."

"Perhaps so," the Jaguar answered, with an equivocal accent that caused the Colonel to reflect. "I thought it my duty to speak to you as a friend, and give you some disinterested advice; if you will not take it, you are quite at liberty to neglect it."

"Do not feel annoyed; my remarks can have nothing to wound your feelings. I had no intention of vexing you when I spoke as I did. But put yourself for a moment in my place; if I had made you the same proposals you offered me, what would your answer have been?"

"I should have refused, by Heaven!" the young man exclaimed, impetuously.

The Colonel began laughing.

"Well, I acted as you would have done. What harm do you see in that?"

"That is true; you were right, and I am an a.s.s! Forgive me, my friend.

Besides, was it not agreed that political questions should never separate us? Let us, therefore, return to the object of our interview, which is of much greater importance to us, and temporarily leave the Mexicans and Texans to settle matters as they can."

For some minutes the Colonel's eyes had been fixed on the sea, and he had listened to his friend's remarks with a very absent air.

"Why," he suddenly said, "look there, my friend."

"What is it?"

"Do you not see?"

"What do _you_ see, let me ask in return?"

"Hang it! I see the _Libertad_ corvette, which has first anch.o.r.ed under the guns of the Point Fort, bringing with her a privateer brig, which she has, in all probability, captured off the coast."

"Do you think so?" the Jaguar asked, sarcastically.

"Look for yourself!"

"My friend, I am rather like St. Thomas."

"What do you mean?"

"That as long as I am not completely convinced, I shall attach but very slight faith to the testimony of my eyesight."

These words were uttered with such a singular intonation, that, in spite of himself, the Colonel felt ashamed. "What can you mean?" he asked.

"Nothing but what I say," the Jaguar answered.

"Still, I fancy I cannot be mistaken. I can very distinctly see the Mexican flag over the reversed Texan colours."

"It is true," the Jaguar said, coldly, "but what does that prove?"

"What do you say?--'What does that prove?'"

"Yes."

"Are you so ignorant of naval matters, then, as not to know what takes place on board a vessel after an engagement?"

"I beg your pardon, friend, but I know all about it. But I know, too, that what we see may be the result of a stratagem, and that the brig, after capturing the corvette, may have an interest in concealing the fact."

"Come, come," the Colonel said, with a laugh, "that is carrying optimism a little too far. Let us leave the corvette and brig, and return to our own affairs."

"Well, I think you are in the right; for, judging from the turn the conversation has taken, we should presently be unable to understand one another at all."

During this conversation the sun had set, and night completely fallen.

The two gentlemen pa.s.sed their horses' bridles over their arm to prevent them straying, and then walked slowly, side by side, in the direction of the Rio Trinidad. The night was clear, the sky studded with a profusion of flas.h.i.+ng stars, and the atmosphere of marvellous transparency; it was, in a word, one of those American nights that conduce to gentle reverie.

The young men yielded involuntarily to the intoxicating charm of this exquisite evening; yielding to their thoughts, neither dreamed of resuming a conversation suddenly broken off by a bitter remark. For a long time they walked on thus, till they reached an angle in the road, where the track they were following divided into several branches. Here they halted.

"We must separate here, Don Juan," the Jaguar said, "for we probably do not follow the same road."

"That is true, friend, and I regret it," the Colonel answered, sadly, "for I should be so happy if I had you constantly by my side."