Fortune's Bride Part 19

"Good," Robert acceded cheerfully. "I didn't intend to go there unless you wanted to particularly." He was delighted with Esmeralda's caveat, for he had wondered a little whether she might want to spend the time at an army base where there would be other officers to pay her attention. "Then let's ride toward Tamames."

Since Esmeralda had no idea where that village was, she agreed, and they set out on a road that ran almost due south of Salamanca. At first they talked about the countryside, which was obviously grazing land, but the land soon began to rise toward the mountains. Eventually they came to a village, but it was a poor tumbledown place, and they did not stop except to ask about the road, for it divided into two tracks ahead. The right-hand fork, a woman told them, went to Tamames; the left ran along the base of a long spur of the mountains, climbed a pa.s.s, and eventually joined the road that ran from Tamames to Guijuelo. There was a small village at the meeting of the roads, she said, and perhaps they could stay there.

"Shall we be sensible or adventurous?" Robert asked, laughing.

"Oh, adventurous," Esmeralda replied. "At the very worst, we have food enough for supper and sheets and blankets. I thought about the fleas, you see."

At which, Robert caught her hand and kissed it, saying, "You are a woman after my own heart, I think the only woman in the world I could ever live with in comfort."

For the second time in only a few hours, Esmeralda was rendered speechless by surprise. It was not so much the actual words Robert had spoken or the gesture- he had kissed her hand before and praised her before- but there was an intensity and deliberateness in his manner that added a deeper meaning. Was it possible, Esmeralda wondered, that Robert had begun to feel more than she had permitted herself to hope for? Her heart leapt, and she checked the emotion fiercely. Do not hope too hard, she cautioned herself, or you will a.s.sume too much and startle or disgust him.

For a mile or two the track they had chosen was clear enough. After that, however, it began to look as if, despite what the woman said, the way might become impa.s.sable. They began to climb right up the mountain, and the road, which had been little more than a rutted cart track to begin with, degenerated until there was no significant difference between it and the sheep or goat trails that meandered over the mountainside. Esmeralda glanced nervously at Robert, but he grinned at her cheerfully.

"We won't get lost, if that's what you're worried about," he a.s.sured her. "All we have to do is keep going up. At the top, we go down, keeping the main ridge to our right. The road-such as it is-will improve once we come to the valley." Then he laughed. "I cheated, you know. Sir John has fairly good maps of this area because we had patrols riding all over it for the past ten days."

"I can see that there are enormous advantages to being married to a staff officer," Esmeralda replied, laughing also.

"Do you mean that?" Robert asked.

This time Esmeralda was not so unprepared. "Indeed I do. I always-" But at that inconvenient moment Boa Viagem stumbled, and Esmeralda's full attention was taken up for a moment in steadying her mount.

She would gladly have finished her remark, but Robert had moved ahead, turning briefly to advise that they go single file and not talk until the path was less dangerous. The advice was too good to ignore. They were well up toward the crest now, and the track wound back and forth, sometimes threading its way between the shoulder of the mountain and a precipitous drop. More than once Esmeralda bitterly regretted choosing adventure over safety, but it was too late to change her mind. The way back-supposing they could find a place to turn back-was as bad as the way forward.

All Esmeralda could do was keep her eyes fixed on the path itself, praying that she would not disgrace herself by giving way to panic. Her endurance was not strained to the uttermost, fortunately, before long they came out on the crest, which was not, as she had feared, a sharp peak. The area was broad, and the down-slope seemed to be more gentle. As she caught her breath she thanked G.o.d she had not complained. When Robert turned to gesture her forward and point out the magnificence of the scene, his eyes were glowing with pleasure. Not for the world would Esmeralda have dampened that enjoyment. If it killed her, she resolved, she would follow wherever he led.

Almost as if she were being rewarded for her resolution, Robert pointed downward and said, "Look. Isn't that lovely? Shall we eat there?"

Below them, the hillside became wooded, but at some time in the past either a tremor of the earth or a natural fault had caused part of the mountain to fall. The result was a small, flat valley, sheltered to the east and west by the remaining lower rises of the hillside. Catching the full force of the southern sun, the area was obviously warmer than its surroundings. The trees and brush on the nearby hillsides had not yet lost their leaves, while the valley, treeless itself except for a few saplings, was covered by a lush carpet of gra.s.ses studded with autumn wildflowers and watered by a sparkling stream that tumbled from the cliff behind it.

Esmeralda gasped with pleasure and agreed eagerly to Robert's suggestion. She was so delighted with the prospect that the downward path, which was in some ways more dangerous than the climb they had completed, held no terror for her. They found a place not far from the stream, where several upstanding boulders would serve as backrests to complete their comfort while they ate.

Robert released the food hamper and the blankets from their fastenings on the saddles. Then while Esmeralda spread the blanket and laid out the meal, he loosened the girths on Hermes and Boa Viagem and fastened them lightly to some bushes nearby, where they could graze. He was not much concerned about the horses even if they should get loose. Both were well trained and would usually come if called.

Robert seated himself on the blanket and examined the luncheon Esmeralda had laid out. He had a pa.s.sing thought that this was the moment to continue the "distinguis.h.i.+ng attentions" he meant to pay his wife, but the ride had made him very hungry, and it seemed to him that romantic compliments were better paid when one's mouth was free of food. Thus, he addressed himself to eating and those brief comments, such as "Please pa.s.s the salt" and "This is excellent ham", natural to a picnic. He noted with pleasure and amus.e.m.e.nt that Esmeralda, sensible and delightful woman that she was, was also reserving her attention to what was on her plate.

Before they had finished, both heard a rustling in the wooded area of the eastern hillside. Robert turned at once to look at the horses, but they were where he had left them, innocently engaged with the nearby herbage. Relieved of his concern that one of the animals had wandered away, he took a sip of his wine and began to consider how to introduce the subject of his growing admiration for his wife.

He did not give any conscious thought to the sound he had heard. The immediate area was spa.r.s.ely populated because it was unsuitable for farming, but all around it was countryside that had been cultivated and used as grazing land for many generations. At the back of Robert's mind was the conviction that any large predators would have been exterminated long ago. He a.s.sumed the rustling was caused by deer that had been startled by their voices or scent.

Before he had put down his gla.s.s or really completed his thought, the gentle rustling was replaced by a much louder disturbance-and the sound was coming toward them, not moving away. Robert leapt to his feet, suddenly remembering that it was not only sheep and goats that were grazed in this region but also the fighting bulls of Spain. Four long strides took him to Hermes, and he seized his pistol from the saddle holster. The horse, startled by his rapid movement, threw up his head and whinnied. Behind Robert a snuffling grunt came in reply.

Esmeralda had jumped to her feet a moment after Robert. She, too, had ignored the rustling in the brush, not because she knew anything about the area but because she was facing the horses and could see they were undisturbed. She had pa.s.sed through parts of India where large predators roamed, but always the uneasiness of the horses had warned her father and the rest of their party of the presence of dangerous beasts. She had jumped up because of Robert's movement, and her eyes were on him, but an instant later the violent cras.h.i.+ng in the brush caused her to whirl around.

Disbelief and terror froze Esmeralda into absolute stillness. A huge, s.h.a.ggy form had burst into the open and was advancing on her with the speed of a runaway horse. She wanted to scream, but her mouth would not open and her throat was sealed shut. Even her breathing seemed suspended. And then the sight of the animal was shut out by Robert's blue shoulder as he swept her behind him. If anything, that was more terrifying. To be left alone facing the monster after Robert had been struck down was worse than being struck down first herself. Esmeralda fought for breath and took a faltering step sideways, seeing for the first time that Robert had his pistol trained on the animal. Relief brought air rus.h.i.+ng into her lungs, but fear made her hold her breath again when he did not press the trigger.

"Shoot!" Esmeralda whispered, terrified anew by the idea that Robert, too, was frozen with fear. "Shoot!"

Robert did not even hiss for silence, so fixed was his concentration. His first sight of their attacker had filled him with a despair almost equal to Esmeralda's terror. A bull, he had been sure, would have been startled away by the sound of the pistol. They were aggressive animals, but not, after all, carnivores. And if the sound of the gun had not diverted the bull, Robert had intended to try to hit it on the broad head between the horns. Even if the pistol ball did not kill the beast-which was possible, for they were thickheaded animals and Robert did not intend to wait until the animal was very close-the blow in the face would surely stop or turn it. Then he would have time to finish the job or just let it go.

But it was no bull that was careening across the open ground toward him. It was a bear!

Chapter Twenty-Six.

Robert's disbelief was almost equal to his horror. There should be no bears in this area. This was not a wilderness. It was many miles to the real mountains of the Sierra de Pena da Francia. Despair choked him. There was little chance that the sound of a pistol would frighten off a monster that charged with such determination. He had no choice but to try to kill the beast. But a pistol ball that struck anywhere except in the brain would be about as much deterrent as a rap with a lady's fan, and the narrow head of a bear, obscured by the heavy fur, was a much more difficult target than the broad head of a bull. Worse yet, the lolloping gait of a bear made its head bob irregularly.

Robert realized that he would have to fire at nearly point-blank range. He reached behind him to push Esmeralda away, but she had already moved aside and he dared not take his eyes from the bear. He prayed she was running-until he heard her whisper. He nearly did fire at that moment, but just as his finger tensed, the bear slowed and rose abruptly on its hind legs. Robert uttered a strangled oath. To shoot into the body was nearly useless, but if the animal was about to launch itself at them- Robert's thought was abruptly shattered as Esmeralda shrieked, "No, don't! It's dancing, Robert. It's dancing."

For one long moment he stood with his arm extended and then allowed it to drop. Merry was right. The beast was dancing. Paws lifted and bent, the bear turned slowly in place, making little shuffling steps. As it came around, Robert could see the ring through its nose, and, as it lifted its head and uttered snuffling whines, he noticed that it also wore a broad collar. Obviously the animal was tame, but where was its keeper?

The same thought was in Esmeralda's mind, and she tore her eyes from the slowly gyrating animal to scan the woods. But there was no sound or movement other than-Esmeralda gasped-than the terrified whinnying of the horses and the drumbeat of their hooves. "The horses-" she began, and then gasped again as the bear dropped to all fours and began to approach.

"Back away slowly," Robert said. "I'm pretty sure it's the lunch it wants. Just don't startle it."

As he spoke, he reached out with his left hand and grasped Esmeralda by the wrist. His touch reduced her anxiety enough so that she was able to suppress her urge to run. It was all very well to know a bear was supposed to be tame, but without its keeper she was frightened by its approach. However, it did not rush them, but shambled forward slowly, snuffling and whining. Strangely, when it came to the blanket, it hesitated and looked up at them.

"Yes," Robert said, "eat."

Although it was improbable that the animal should understand commands in English, it must have sensed a.s.sent or approval in Robert's voice. It snapped up the half loaf of bread that had been left. As this disappeared, Robert increased the pace at which he and Esmeralda were moving away.

"Turn around," he said to her. "Look for the horses."

"I see them," she whispered a moment later. "Thank G.o.d horses are so stupid. They've only run into the trees instead of das.h.i.+ng off down the road. The brush must have caught them. They're still moving, but slowly."

"Go after them," Robert ordered. "Go as fast as you can without running. If the bear moves, I'll tell you what to do."

He released her wrist, and Esmeralda had to bite back a whimper of protest. She would be moving farther from the bear, but that was small comfort. Actually she felt safer where she was with Robert touching her, but her panic was over, and her mind was in control. Obviously it was necessary to catch the horses, and that was less dangerous than facing the bear. Besides, Robert had a pistol.

By the time Esmeralda had caught her skittish mare, however, Robert had determined that the bear offered little threat. Once shock and fear no longer exaggerated what he saw, he realized that the "huge" animal was not huge at all. As bears go, it was rather small. There was further evidence that the bear had been raised by men. When the bread was gone, it ate whatever was left on the plates and then began to sniff the picnic basket, but although it pawed it experimentally and even turned it over, it made no attempt to tear the basket open. Finally it lifted its head, looked at Robert, and whined, almost like a dog.

With a shock, he realized that the poor creature had no claws. He had also noticed that if one discounted the thick fur, the bear was unnaturally thin. It occurred to Robert that without claws it could not dig for the roots and grubs that made up a good part of the diet of bears in the wild, nor could it catch fish. And then, when he did not respond to its whining and open the basket, the animal rose to its hind legs and began, pathetically, to dance again. Robert could not resist the appeal. He moved forward, eyeing the beast warily, but it only snuffled and shuffled about with more energy, as if realizing a reward was coming.

Having hurriedly dumped the contents of the picnic basket, Robert withdrew, chiding himself for taking such a chance. Nonetheless, now he felt no uneasiness at turning his head to see how Esmeralda was making out with the horses. To his relief, he saw that she already had Boa Viagem's reins in hand, but Hermes was proving more difficult to catch. The horse knew her, of course, but in his nervous state he was not prepared to allow anyone to approach too close. Moreover, Esmeralda was hindered by needing to hold Boa Viagem and pull her through the brush each time she moved toward Hermes.

Robert glanced back at the bear and saw it happily engaged in devouring every edible item. He moved slowly away, glancing back now and again, but his movement did not seem to arouse any interest. About halfway across the field, after a last glance, he unc.o.c.ked his pistol, put it into his pocket, and called softly to Esmeralda that he would catch Hermes himself. However, no sooner were the words out of his mouth than Esmeralda uttered a cry of consternation as Boa Viagem almost tore loose from her grip and Hermes tried to bolt again.

Turning swiftly, Robert saw the bear hurrying after him. He growled an oath, but his irritation was mixed with amus.e.m.e.nt, and he did not reach for his gun. Half a chicken dangled from the animal's mouth, and without stopping, it was trying, by tossing its head and snapping, to get hold of the portion that was slipping away. The chicken dropped. The bear hesitated and whined anxiously and then, when it saw Robert standing still, began to root around in the tall gra.s.s for the tidbit it had dropped.

Boa Viagem had almost stopped struggling, and Hermes, whose dangling reins had tangled in some bushes, was snorting nervously but not fighting the restraint. Robert realized that although the size and movements of the bear were alarming the horses, they were not as terrified as he expected. He also noticed that the bear paid no attention whatsoever to Hermes and Boa Viagem. Plainly it was accustomed to horses, which would be a natural result of being part of a traveling circus.

For the next few minutes they all remained in position as if they were images in a tableau, the only movement being that of the bear's jaws as it demolished the remains of the chicken. Then Esmeralda asked softly, her voice trembling a little, "Why does it follow you?"

"Because, like a d.a.m.ned fool, I fed it," Robert replied. "Don't be frightened of it, Merry. The poor thing hasn't any claws."

"But what are we to do?" The fear was gone from her voice, but anxiety remained.

Before Robert could decide on an answer, the bear began to advance again. It was impossible for Robert to retreat because that would take the animal closer to Merry and the horses. He started to reach for his pistol, but the movement was slow and uncertain. And there was no threat in the casual, shambling advance. Plainly the bear expected to be welcome. Robert could not shoot it.

Behind him, he heard Esmeralda gasp. And then the bear was upon him, gently nudging him with its nose, pus.h.i.+ng its head under Robert's half-raised hand. Instinctively Robert scratched behind the furry ear. The bear snuffled softly with pleasure, its eyes closing.

"Oh my goodness," Esmeralda exclaimed, laughing shakily, "I don't think you should do that. You'll have a friend for life."

"I know, d.a.m.n it," Robert said, "but it's a nice creature. Look, I'll try to lead it back to the food. See if you can find somewhere to secure Boa Viagem and grab Hermes before he breaks loose."

"Robert-" Esmeralda began, but he had already grasped the bear's collar and started off.

The beast grunted but followed him docilely, even quickening its pace when it saw they were approaching the blanket, which was still strewn with food. Robert stood beside the animal while it ate, sufficiently relaxed now to pick up the basket to remove an item or two that had stuck when he had hastily shaken out the contents previously and to replace in it the gla.s.ses, silver, and china they had been using. Significantly, the bear did not growl as Robert took items almost from under its nose, and even moved aside a trifle when he reached for a bottle that had rolled nearly to its feet.

"I have Hermes," Esmeralda called.

"Have a good time, old boy," Robert said, patting the animal's shoulders.

He experienced a twinge of guilt when he felt the way the bones protruded under the pelt. The bear had clearly almost been starved. It seemed cruel to leave it. Robert suppressed that thought. An army officer simply could not travel around with a dancing bear.

However, Robert soon discovered that it was not a matter about which he was to have much choice. Although the bear allowed him to get about twenty or thirty feet away, if he moved off farther it s.n.a.t.c.hed up what it could and followed. Twice Robert brought it back to the food and even ordered it to stay. Each time it went where he led it without protest, nonetheless, it would not let him get too far away. At last Robert decided it must have been trained, possibly by the tug of a long rope attached to its sensitive nose, to stay within a certain distance of its keeper.

Knowing that did not solve the immediate problem. Esmeralda needed Robert's a.s.sistance to mount, nor was she strong enough to hold both horses as they struggled to bolt while he lifted her to the saddle with the bear on his heels. Unfortunately, the brush and saplings available offered no place secure enough to tie either horse, and the branches of the trees that were strong enough were too high for Esmeralda to reach. At last Robert told Esmeralda to take the horses back into the woods, secure them as well as she could where they could not see the bear, and bring him one of the ropes that had been used to fasten the baggage to the saddles.

By then Esmeralda, too, was convinced the bear was completely harmless. She had been laughing at Robert's struggles to convince it that he was not its master, and she came right up to the animal. Not a sc.r.a.p of food remained on the blanket, so the bear looked at her with hopeful interest, snuffled, and nuzzled her. She patted its head.

"I am very sorry," she said to it, "but I have nothing more to feed you, silly bear. Are you lost, poor thing?" And then, to Robert, "What are you going to do with the rope?"

"Tie the bear to a sapling by the ring in its nose," he replied. "It won't pull loose. The nose is very tender."

"Oh, no!" Esmeralda cried. "It will starve. Robert, don't."

He shook his head and smiled. "I won't leave it tied, Merry. I'd shoot it before I'd do that. Once you are mounted, I'll come back and untie it."

"But that won't work," she objected. "I don't think I would be able to hold Hermes for you, and you won't be able to mount if Bear follows you. Robert, the horses don't seem very frightened. I think I could have got Boa Viagem quiet if I hadn't been so frightened myself. I'm not frightened now. Could I bring her out of the wood and see if we cannot accustom her to Bear?"

"I see you've named the beast," Robert said, smiling.

Esmeralda was idly scratching the head still lifted toward her, and the bear was swaying slightly, its eyes half shut. Nothing could be more evident than the fact that the animal had not only been hungry but also very lonely. Whoever had owned it, Robert thought, must have treated it well. It seemed to be as much a pet as a performing animal.

Then he frowned thoughtfully. "You may have a better answer than mine, Merry. Although the horses were wary, they weren't really terrified. But if you aren't afraid to stay with-" he grinned briefly at the use of the name, "Bear, I think I had better deal with the horses. The only trouble is that it might take so long to get Hermes and Boa calmed down that we would be caught by the dark. Over this ridge, the road should run into a valley, but I'm not sure. I wouldn't care to climb another mountain at night, nor would I like to go back down the way we came up."

"No!" Esmeralda agreed with emphasis. "Well, the sooner started, the sooner we can judge how long it will take. I'm not afraid to stay with Bear, but I'm not sure it will stay with me. Go ahead and get Boa. She seemed to be the least affected."

Bear seemed content to remain with Esmeralda, who continued to scratch its ears and murmur soothingly. The animal clearly was not particular and would grant the favor of its company to anyone who would pet it. And, surprisingly, when Robert led the mare forward she did no more than jib a little. Very soon she seemed as willing to ignore Bear as it was willing to ignore her.

Finally Robert put Esmeralda in the saddle and was even able to fasten the empty picnic basket into position. When Robert brought the horse forward and Esmeralda stopped petting Bear, the creature moved aside to one of the boulders against which they had rested while they were eating and began to rub its back and sides against the stone. Robert watched it as he went to fetch Hermes, but this time the bear did not follow him. Although this made Robert's task easier since he could mount his horse at a distance and thereby control it more easily, he was oddly disappointed.

"I guess it realizes we have no more food," Esmeralda said, directing Boa Viagem toward Robert, who was now mounted and coming out of the wood.

He thought she sounded disappointed, too, but he made no comment on that, merely asking whether she wished to go down the track ahead of or behind him. She said behind, and Robert turned Hermes into the path, suppressing an urge to call out to the bear. Nor did he permit himself to look back to see if Esmeralda was following. Naturally she would be following, that would only be an excuse.

Although somewhat less steep than the upward route, the descending track was equally bad and full of sharp bends. Robert kept Hermes to a slow walk, and half the time he would not have known that Esmeralda was behind him if it had not been for the sound of Boa Viagem's hooves. He was not sorry the road was so narrow. Although he had missed any chance to woo Esmeralda as he had intended, he was not now, for some reason, in the mood for it and was glad of the excuse not to ride side by side. He thought sourly that the day had not even provided any useful military information. The path they were on could only be used by infantry and even then only in the direst of need.

However, they came at last to a flat area, and Robert forced his lips into a smile and turned to urge Esmeralda to come alongside. Instead he stared and then began to laugh most heartily. About thirty feet behind, down the last turn of the road, as if it had always patiently followed riders, came Bear.

"Merry, look!" Robert said.

"I know it's there," she replied.

"Why the devil didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"Because I thought you might not want it along," she said, somewhat guiltily.

Robert burst out laughing again. "I don't-I mean, I shouldn't."

But suddenly he was in a good mood again. "What the devil are we going to do with a bear? Good G.o.d, Merry, no commanding officer will ever let me loose again. First time off on my own I come back with a wife. The next time with a bear. What will people say?"

"That you have an extraordinary proclivity for picking up strays, owing to a very soft heart," Esmeralda said.

It was an excellent opening to say that the first stray he had found had brought him extraordinary happiness, but Robert could not follow it up. Down in the open valley, he could not pretend to himself that the sun was not a good deal lower than he had hoped, and it was getting cold. He knew that it was still a long way to the meeting of the roads and that there was another mountainous area to cross before they came to the village where the roads met. Despite his relief that Bear had followed, the creature would slow their pace now that they were out of the hills and could expect the track to improve. Furthermore, it had to be fed.

He said nothing of these concerns to Esmeralda beyond mentioning that they had better move on, but she knew he was troubled. And, in a little while when they came to a river, which the road forded, she pointed to a track that ran down the side they were on.

"Robert, do you think that might lead to a farm? Look out there." She pointed. "I think those are cultivated fields."

Esmeralda's guess was correct, but the warm welcome extended to Robert when he rode ahead and asked for shelter for the night was somewhat cooled when he mentioned the traveling companion they had acquired. In the end, it was necessary for Robert to walk the last half mile, leading Bear by a thong through its nose, but there was plenty to feed the animal and a shed in which to lock it. Robert had been worried that Bear might not be willing to stay alone, but he found that as soon as it was tied it settled down peacefully.

Then, over a plentiful if plain meal for themselves, they obtained an additional bonus. One of the farmer's sons thought he recognized Bear. He believed that he had seen the animal performing in Bejar, but that had been months ago, before the French left that part of Spain. The bear had been with a small group of foreign jugglers and acrobats.

This sounded right to Robert. Such a small group might well make a pet of their only performing animal. It was disappointing that they had been in Bejar so long ago, but Robert still thought it worthwhile to go there. He felt that the bear must have been valuable to the group and they might have remained in the vicinity or returned to it in hopes of getting news of their lost pet. Further questioning elicited the information that there was a way across the valley to the village of Belena, and from there a good road to Bejar. The farmer's son would guide them.

They reached Bejar in two days. Several people recognized Bear, and Robert learned, again to his disappointment, that the animal had been with the troupe when they left. One young man remembered hearing that the performers intended to go west, to Ciudad Rodrigo. Since Robert and Merry had found Bear wandering in an area somewhat to the north but roughly between Bejar and Ciudad Rodrigo, he could not help but feel that some accident had overtaken the group on the road. He would have liked to follow the route, but knew they would not have time enough before his leave was over. All he could do was leave word in each place they pa.s.sed as they went back north to Salamanca that the lost performing bear should be inquired for at the headquarters of the British army.

Robert and Esmeralda had found that, aside from the excitement Bear generated, it was no trouble on the road, and once leashed it was completely docile. The chain Robert purchased seemed to give the bear a sense of security, and it would remain wherever it was fastened without attempting to get loose. Within two days the horses became quite accustomed, too, and Bear could be accommodated with them in a shed or a corner of a barn. All this was very well as long as Robert and Esmeralda were free agents, but there was a good chance that Robert would be ordered to get rid of the animal when they returned to headquarters in Salamanca. Although he would have been happy to restore it to its original owners, Robert had no intention of handing Bear over to those who might use it in one of the cruel sports so popular in Spain.

The hubbub when Robert and Esmeralda rode through the streets to the headquarters area leading the bear was quite as great as Robert had foreseen. It was even great enough to draw Sir John himself out to investigate the cause of the disturbance. Fortunately, stimulated by the crowd and the attention, which seemed to please the animal, Bear chose to give a spontaneous performance. After Esmeralda dismounted, Bear placed one clumsy paw on one of her shoulders and its chin on the other, and it waltzed her solemnly around, whining and grunting in a travesty of singing that was irresistibly funny.

Everyone roared with laughter and applauded. A few jokesters even threw coins, which brought more laughter and applause when Bear carefully picked them up with its mouth and dropped them into Robert's hand. Later, when Robert reported for duty, Sir John told him that it was the first time in months he had laughed so heartily. Then Moore frowned slightly, as if he realized that he had trapped himself. It would be ungracious after such a statement to order Robert to get rid of the bear. But Robert knew it was only a suspended sentence. Sooner or later, Bear would have to go.

He discussed this with Esmeralda as they were undressing for bed, and she promised to make every effort to find some solution to the problem, but it was only later, after they had made love that Robert realized that Bear had created quite another problem. So much time and thought had been expended on the animal that he had quite forgotten his original purpose for taking leave. Not one word of love had been said to Esmeralda during the whole five days. Robert sighed softly. He would have to find another way.

The next day, however, Bear and all other inessentials like love were driven from Robert's mind. During the night of November 28, Sir John received news of another great disaster for the Spanish armies. There was now no organized force, aside from the fifteen thousand men-and they were all infantry without either guns or cavalry to support them-Sir John had to oppose more than eighty thousand French. It was, in Moore's opinion, impossible that Baird could possibly join him before he was confronted by the enemy. Therefore, he wrote at once to Baird to retreat to Corunna. He wrote also to General Hope to retreat, but by way of Ciudad Rodrigo. This might still permit a conjunction of his men with Hope's.

The reaction of the general officers to the idea that they should retreat without making a single attempt to confront the French was such strong surprise and dismay that, uncharacteristically, Moore was forced to inform them curtly that he had not called them together to request their counsel. But even his own staff officers were appalled. Robert found a free half hour to tell Esmeralda that she had better pack any large items they had purchased to be sent back to Lisbon with the heavy luggage.

Esmeralda's breath caught. "Are you going into action, Robert?" she asked.

"No, curse it!" he snarled. "We're going to back off like a bunch of whipped curs with our tails between our legs." And he stormed out of the apartment.