Roland Cashel Volume I Part 15

"I suppose my reeling brain became maddened by the excitement; for even yet, when by any accident I suffer slight illness, terrible fancies of that dreadful scene come back; and I have been told that, in my wild cries and shouts, I seem encouraging and urging on the infuriate herd, and by my gestures appearing to control and direct their headlong course. Had it been possible, I believe I should have thrown myself to the earth and sought death at once, even in this dreadful form, than live to die the thousand deaths of agony that night inflicted; but this could not be, and so, as day broke, I was still carried on, not, indeed, with the same speed as before; weariness weighed on the vast moving ma.s.s, but the pressure of those behind still drove them onward. I thought the long hours of darkness were terrible; and the appalling gloom of night added tortures to my sufferings; but the glare of daylight, the burning sun, and the clouds of dust were still worse. I remember, too, when exhaustion had nearly spent my last frail energy, and when my powerless hands, letting fall the bridle, dropped heavily to my side, that the herd suddenly halted,--halted, as if arrested by some gigantic hand; and then the pressure became so dreadful that my bones seemed almost bursting from my flesh, and I screamed aloud in my agony.

After this, I remember little else. The other events of that terrible ride are like the shadowy spectres of a magic lantern; vague memories of sufferings, pangs that even yet chill my blood, steal over me, but unconnected and incoherent, so that when, as I afterwards heard, the herd dashed into the Camanche encampment, I have no recollection of anything, except the terror-struck faces of the red men, as they bent before me, and seemed to wors.h.i.+p me as a deity. Yes, this terrible tribe, who had scarcely ever been known to spare a white man, not only did not injure, but they treated me with the tenderest care and attention. A singular incident had favored me. One of the wise men had foretold some days before that a herd of wild buffaloes, sent by their G.o.d, Anadongu, would speedily appear, and rescue the tribe from the horrors of impending starvation. The prediction was possibly based upon some optical delusion, like that I have mentioned. Whatever its origin, the accomplishment was hailed with ecstasy; and I myself, a poor, almost dying creature, stained with blood, crushed and speechless, was regarded as their deliverer and preserver."

"How long did you remain amongst them?" cried Miss Kennyf.e.c.k.

"And how did you escape?" asked Olivia.

"Were they always equally kind?"

"Were you sorry to leave them?" were the questions rapidly poured in ere Cashel could reply to any one of them.

"I have often heard," said Miss Kennyf.e.c.k, "that the greater mental ability of the white man is certain to secure him an ascendancy over the minds of savage tribes, and that, if he be spared at first, he is sure in the end to become their chief."

"I believe they actually wors.h.i.+p any display of intelligence above their own," said Olivia.

"These are exaggerated accounts," said Cashel, smiling. "Marriage is, among savage as among civilized nations, a great stepping-stone to eminence. When a white man is allied with a princess--"

"Oh, how shocking!" cried both together. "I'm sure no person, anything akin to a gentleman, could dream of such a thing," said Miss Kennyf.e.c.k.

"It happens now and then, notwithstanding," said Cashel, with a most provoking gravity.

While the sisters would have been well pleased had Cashel's personal revelations continued on this theme, they did not venture to explore so dangerous a path, and were both silent. Roland, too, appeared buried in some recollection of the past, for he rode on for some time without speaking,--a preoccupation on his part which seemed in no wise agreeable to his fair companions.

"There are the MacFarlines, Livy," said Miss Kennyf.e.c.k; "and Linton, and Lord Charles, and the rest of them. I declare, I believe they see us, and are coming this way."

"What a bore! Is there no means of escape? Mr. Cashel, pray invent one."

"I beg pardon. What was it you said? I have been dreaming for the last three minutes."

"Pleasant dreams I 'm certain they were," said Miss Kennyf.e.c.k, with a very significant smile; "evoked, doubtless, by some little memory of your life among the Cainanches."

Cashel started and grew red, while his astonishment rendered him speechless.

"Here they come; how provoking!" exclaimed Livy.

"Who are coming?"

"Some friends of ours, who, strange to say, have the misfortune to be peculiarly disagreeable to my sister Livy to-day, although I have certainly seen Lord Charles contrive to make his company less distasteful at other times."

"Oh, my dear Caroline, you know perfectly well--" broke in Olivia, with a tone of unfeigned reproach.

"Let us ride for it, then," said Miss Kepnyf.e.c.k, without permitting her to finish. "Now, Mr. Cashel, a canter,--a gallop, if you will."

"Quite ready," said Cashel, his animation at once returning at the bare mention; and away they set, down a gentle slope with wooded sides, then they gained another gra.s.sy plain, skirted with trees, at the end of which a small picturesque cottage stood, the residence of a ranger; pa.s.sing this, they arrived at a thick wood, and then slackened their pace, as all pursuit might be deemed fruitless. This portion of the park, unlike the rest, seemed devoted to various experiments in agriculture and gardening. Here were little enclosed plots of Indian corn and Swedish turnips; here, small plantations of fruit trees. Each succeeding secretary seemed to have left behind him some trace of his own favorite system for the improvement of Ireland, and one might recall the names of long-departed officials in little experimental specimens of drainage, or fencing, or drill culture around. Less interested by these patchwork devices, Cashel stood gazing on a beautiful white bull, who grazed in a little paddock carefully fenced by a strong oak paling.

Although of a small breed, he was a perfect specimen of strength and proportion, his ma.s.sive and muscular neck and powerful loins contrasting with the lanky and tendinous form of the wild animal of the prairies.

The girls had not remarked that Roland, beckoning to his servant, despatched him at full speed on an errand, for each was loitering about, amusing herself with some object of the scene.

"What has fascinated you yonder?" said Miss Kennyf.e.c.k, riding up to where Roland still stood in wondering admiration at the n.o.ble animal.

"The handsomest bull I ever saw!" cried he, in all the ecstasy of a 'Torero;' "who ever beheld such a magnificent fellow? Mark the breadth of his chest, and the immense fore-arm. See how he lashes his tail about. No need of bandilleros to rouse your temper.".

"Is there no danger of the creature springing over the paling?" said Olivia, drawing closer to Cashel, and looking at him with a most trustful dependence.

Alas for Roland's gallantry, he answered the words and not the glance that accompanied them.

"No; he'd never think of it, if not excited to some excess of pa.s.sion.

I 'd not answer for his patience, or our safety either, if really provoked. See! is not that glorious?" This burst of enthusiasm was called forth by the bull, seized with some sudden caprice, taking a circuit of the paddock at full speed, his head now raised majestically aloft, and now bent to the ground; he s.n.a.t.c.hed some tufts of the gra.s.s as he went, and flung them from him in wild sport.

"Bravo, toro!" cried Cashel, in all the excitement of delight and admiration. "Viva el toro!" shouted he. "Not a 'Corrida' of the Old World or the New ever saw a braver beast."

Whether in compliance with his humor, or that she really caught up the enthusiasm from Cashel, Miss Kennyf.e.c.k joined in all his admiration, and seemed to watch the playful pranks of the great animal with delight.

"How you would enjoy a real 'toro machia!'" said Cashel, as he turned towards her, and felt that she was far handsomer than he had ever believed before. Indeed, the heightened color of exercise, and the flas.h.i.+ng brilliancy of her eyes, made her seem so without the additional charm derived from sympathy with his humor.

"I should delight in it," cried she, with enthusiasm. "Oh, if I could but see one!"

Cashel drew nearer as she spoke, his dark and piercing eyes fixed with a look of steadfast admiration, when in a low half-whisper he said, "Would you really like it? Have these wild and desperate games an attraction for you?"

"Oh, do not ask me," said she, in the same low voice. "Why should I confess a wish for that which never can be."

"How can you say that? Have not far greater and less likely things happened to almost all of us? Think of me, for instance. Travelling with the Gambusinos a few months back, and now--now _your_ companion here."

If there was not a great deal in the mere words themselves, there was enough in the look of the speaker to make them deeply felt. How much further Cashel might have adventured, and with what additional speculations invested the future, is not for us to say; for just then his groom rode up at speed, holding in his hands a great coil of rope, to one end of which a small round ball of wood was fastened.

"What is that for, Mr. Cashel?" inquired both the girls together, as they saw him adjust the coils lightly on his left arm, and poise the ball in his right hand.

"Cannot you guess what it means?" said Roland, smiling. "Have you never heard of a la.s.so?"

"A la.s.so!" exclaimed both in amazement "You surely could never intend--"

"You shall see," cried he, as he made three or four casts with the rope in the air, and caught up the loops again with astonis.h.i.+ng dexterity.

"Now only promise me not to be afraid, nor, if possible, let a cry escape, and I'll show you some rare sport Just take your places here; the horses will stand perfectly quiet." Without waiting for a reply, he ordered the grooms to remain at either side of the young ladies, and then dismounting, he forced open the lock and led his horse into the paddock. This done, he leisurely closed the gate and mounted, every motion being as free from haste and excitement as if made upon the high-road. As for the bull, at the noise of the gate on its hinges, he lifted up his head; but as it were indifferent to the cause, he resumed his grazing att.i.tude the moment after.

Cashel's first care seemed to be to reconnoitre the ground; for at a slow walk he traversed the s.p.a.ce in various directions, carefully examining the footing and watching for any accidental circ.u.mstance that might vary the surface. He then rode up to the paling, where in unfeigned terror the two girls sat, silently following him in every motion.

"Now, remember," said he, smiling, "no fears, no terrors. If you were to make me nervous, I should probably miss my cast, and the disgrace, not to speak of anything else, would be dreadful."

"Oh, we 'll behave very well," said Miss Kennyf.e.c.k, trying to a.s.sume a composure that her pale cheek and compressed lips very ill corroborated.

As for Olivia, too terrified for words, she merely looked at him, while the tears rolled heavily down her cheeks.

"Now, to see if my hand has not forgot its cunning!" said Roland, as he pressed his horse's flanks, and, pus.h.i.+ng into a half-gallop, made a circuit around the bull. The scene was a picturesque as well as an exciting one. The mettlesome horse, on which the rider sat with consummate ease; in his right hand the loose coils of the la.s.so, with which to accustom his horse he flourished and shook around the head and ears of the animal as he went; while, with head bent down, and the strong neck slightly retracted, the bull seemed to watch him as he pa.s.sed, and at length, slowly turning, continued to fix his eyes upon the daring intruder. Gradually narrowing his circle, Cashel was cautiously approaching within a suitable distance for the cast, when the bull, as it were losing patience, gave one short hoa.r.s.e cry and made at him, so sudden the spring, and so infuriate the action, that a scream from both the sisters together showed how near the danger must have appeared. Roland, however, had foreseen from the att.i.tude of the beast what was coming, and by a rapid wheel escaped the charge, and pa.s.sed close beside the creature's flank, unharmed. Twice or thrice the same manouvre occurred with the same result; and although the horse was terrified to that degree that his sides were one sheet of foam, the control of the rider was perfect, and his every gesture bespoke ease and confidence.

Suddenly the bull stopped, and retiring till his haunches-touched the paling, he seemed surveying the field, and contemplating another and more successful mode of attack. The concentrated pa.s.sion of the creature's att.i.tude at this moment was very fine, as with red eyeb.a.l.l.s and frothed lips he stood, slowly and in heavy strokes las.h.i.+ng his flanks with his long tail.

"Is he tired?" said Miss Kennyf.e.c.k, as Cashel stood close to the paling, and breathed his horse, for what he foresaw might be a sharp encounter.

"No! far from it," answered Roland; "the fellow has the cunning of an old 'Corridor;' you 'll soon see him attack."

The words were not well uttered, when, with a low deep roar, the bull bounded forward, not in a straight line, however, but zigzagging from left to right, and right to left, as if with the intention of pinning the horseman into a corner. The terrific springs of the great beast, and his still more terrific cries, appeared to paralyze the horse, who stood; immovable, nor was it till the savage animal had approached within a few yards of him, that at last he reared up straight, and then, as if overcome by terror, dashed off at speed, the bull following.