CHAPTER IX.
THROUGH THE DESERT.
While, according to his orders, the captain of the soldados daconquista caused the camp to be raised and the mules to be laden,preparing everything for an immediate departure, the marquis--a preyto a terrible agitation--strode about his tent, cursing the fate whichappeared to dog his steps, and obstinately to destroy his most skilfulplans, constantly removing far from him at the moment when he thoughtto seize it, the rich treasure that he coveted--a treasure which, sincehe had laid himself out to seek it, had cost him so much fatigue andweariness of every kind, and for which he had during so long a timebraved immense perils, and almost lost his honour.
Suddenly he stopped, striking his forehead. A new idea crossedhis mind, giving a brightness to his eye; he tore a page from hispocketbook, wrote some words in haste, and gave it to a slave, orderinghim to carry it, on his part, to dona Laura Antonia de Cabral.
The day was splendidly beautiful; the sun had risen, radiant onthe horizon in waves of purple and gold; the morning breeze gentlyrefreshed the atmosphere, and the birds, timidly perched under thefoliage, sang with full vigour their joyous songs.
All was joy and happiness in that scene, so calm and majestic, whichthe hand of man had not yet deformed.
The black slaves, the half-caste hunters, and the Indian soldiers whocomposed the caravan, felt, spite of themselves, the magnetic influenceof that delicious morning, and appeared to have forgotten theirpast perils and fatigues to care for nothing but the future, whichappeared to them so sweet, and so full of seductive promise; it was inlaughing, in singing, and in talking gaily among themselves, that theyaccomplished the rude task of raising the camp.
The marquis alone remained dull and pensive. It was because, scorchedby the shameful thirst for gold, his heart concealed a terribletempest, and remained insensible to the magnificent harmonies of naturewhich acted so powerfully on the rude but honest organisations of theIndians and Negroes.
However, the horses were saddled, the mules were again loaded, therolled up tents were placed on a waggon drawn by several oxen. DonaLaura had stepped into her palanquin, which was immediately closed uponher. They only waited the order of the marquis to put themselves enroute.
Don Roque was walking apart, absorbed in his thoughts; he appearedto have forgotten that all was ready for the departure, and that themoment had come to effect the descent of the mountain--to enter thedesert.
At last the captain ventured to touch him lightly on the arm.
"What do you want with me, Don Diogo?" asked Don Roque, drily.
"My lord," answered he, "we only await your pleasure to commence thejourney."
"If it is so, let us set out immediately," answered he, making amovement towards his horse.
"Pardon, my lord," pursued the Indian; "before you give orders for themarch, I have some important information to submit to you."
"To me!" cried the marquis, looking at him with surprise.
"To you, my lord," coldly answered the Indian.
"Is it a new treason by which I am threatened?" pursued he, with abitter smile; "And do you wish to abandon me--you also, Don Diogo?"
"You are doubly unjust to me, my lord," sharply answered the Indian; "Ihave no intention of abandoning you."
"If I am wrong, which is possible, excuse me, Don Diogo; and let uscome to business, I beg you. Time flies."
"Some minutes more or less do not matter, my lord; we shall arrivequickly enough where we are going."
"What do you wish to say--explain yourself."
"What I have already had the honour to say to you this morning, mylord, that not one of us will return from this expedition."
The marquis made a gesture of impatience--
"Is it then for you to repeat to me your sinister predictions that youstop me thus?" he cried.
"By no means, your Excellency; I do not admit my right either tocontrol your acts or to oppose your plans. I have warned you, that isall. I am now at your orders."
"You have not, I hope, whispered a word to anyone of these absurdcrotchets which possess your brain?"
"What use would it be, my lord, to speak without your authority of whatyou term crotchets, and what I term certainties? The soldiers placedunder my orders know as well as I do what awaits them in the desert. Asto your slaves, what use would it be to frighten them beforehand? Is itnot better to leave them in entire ignorance? For, I repeat, to escapewill be impossible for us."
The marquis knitted his eyebrows, and crossed his arms with anger.
"Let us see," resumed he, with a subdued voice, but nevertheless, withtrembled emotion, "let us make amend for it, Diogo."
"I ask nothing better, your Excellency."
"Speak, but be brief; I repeat, time flies, an hour ago we ought tohave been on our journey."
The captain scratched his forehead with an embarrassed air, butappearing all of a sudden to arrive at a decision.
"This is the state of the case, my lord," said he; "up to the presenttime we have traversed civilised countries, or nearly so, where we haveonly had to contend against ordinary dangers; that is to say, the bitesof wild beasts or those of reptiles."
"Well?"
"Why, you understand, my lord, we are about, in a few minutes, to enterthe territory of the redskins."
"To what are you driving, with these interminable preambles?" asked themarquis.
"To this, your Excellency; you are a great lord, expert in everythingconnected with civilised life, but pardon me for saying so, in completeignorance of life in the desert. I believe then, with all due respectto you, my lord, that it would be well for you to permit me to takeupon myself alone, from today, the responsibility of the journey of thecaravan. There, your Excellency, that is what I wished to say to you."
The marquis remained some moments silent; his eyes fixed on the calmand loyal countenance of the captain.
"What you ask of me is very serious, Don Diogo," at last answered themarquis. "Treason surrounds me on every side; the men on whom I thoughtI had the most right to count have been the first to abandon me; youyourself consider this journey in advance to be a folly, and appear tobe afflicted by sad presentiments."
"Your Excellency, I am not surprised at the suspicions against me whicharise in your mind; on the contrary, I think them very natural. But thesoldados da conquista are all tried men, chosen with the greatest care,and since the formation of this corps there has never been found atraitor in it. I do not say this for myself, but the honourable mannerin which I have spoken to you--the things I have told you--ought toinspire, if not entire confidence in me, at least the commencement ofit."
"Yes, I know; all your proceedings have been in good faith; you seethat I render you justice."
"Not sufficiently, your Excellency; you judge me according to theknowledge acquired in civilised life, and not by that of the desert.Permit me, then, to make a simple observation."
"Speak."
"We are fifty leagues from the nearest town, a few leagues only fromthe Indian enemies, who only await an opportunity to attack us."
"That is true," murmured the marquis pensively,
"Good! You understand me, your Excellency; now, suppose I am a traitor?"
"I have not said so."
"Well! I admit nothing would be easier for me than to abandon you toyourself where we now are--to leave with my soldiers, and believe me,your Excellency, you would be as irremediably lost as if I gave youover tomorrow, or any other day, to the Indians."
The marquis turned pale, and his head fell on his breast with atroubled air. The logic of the captain's reason struck him to theheart, showing him his own powerlessness, and the great devotion of theman whom he accused, and who was ready so nobly to sacrifice his lifeto serve him.
"Pardon me my unjust suspicions, Don Diogo," he said; "my doubts aredissipated forever. I have faith in you; act in your own way, withouteven consulting me, if you think necessary. I swear to you, on my wordof honour as a gentleman, that I will
not embarrass you in anything;and that, under all circumstances, I will be the first to set theexample of obedience."
"I regret that I only have a life to sacrifice for you, my lord,"answered the captain.
"Do not speak any more of that, my friend, but act for the best."
"I will try to do so, my lord. First, will you inform me in whatdirection you intend to proceed?"
"We must first reach the borders of a little lake which lies in theneighbourhood of the Rio Bermejo."
"Oh, oh," answered the Indian, "the journey is long; we have totraverse, before arriving there, all the country of the Guaycurus andthe Payagoas; then we shall pass the Rio Pilcomayo, to enter the Islanode Manso. It is a rough way, your Excellency."
"I have always thought that Malco Diaz made us take a wrong direction."
"You are wrong, my lord. The manner in which he has abandoned youshows that he had the greatest interest in bringing you as quickly aspossible to the Indian territory."
"That is true."
"Now, my lord, if you will please to mount horse, we will set out assoon as you like."
"Immediately," answered the marquis.
The young man went towards the palanquin, in which dona Laura was shutup, whilst the captain rejoined his soldiers, and prepared all for thedeparture.
The marquis reined his horse to the right side of the palanquin, andslightly leaning from his saddle--
"Dona Laura," said he, "do you hear me?"
"I hear you," answered the young girl, although she remained invisible.
"Will you listen to me for a few minutes?" pursued the marquis.
"It is impossible for me to do otherwise," murmured she.
"You have received my letter this morning? Have you read it?"
"I have read it."
"I thank you, Senorita."
"I do not accept thanks which I do not merit."
"For what reason?"
"Because this letter has not in the least influenced my immovabledetermination."
The marquis made a gesture of scorn.
"You do not accept my conditions?"
"No."
"Consider, that a terrible danger threatens you."
"It will be welcome, whatever it may be, if it delivers me from theslavery in which you hold me."
"That is your last word, Senorita?"
"The last."
"But such obstinacy is folly."
"Perhaps. In any case it avenges me of you."
"It is to death that you are proceeding."
"I hope so; but you only asked of me a few minutes for conversation.They have nearly passed. Spare me then, Senor, speaking anymore to me,for I shall not answer you. Moreover, I perceive that your bandits areresuming their journey."
Indeed, the caravan began to descend the slope of the mountain, thepath narrowed more and more, and a long conversation became absolutelyimpossible.
"Oh; curses on you," cried the marquis with rage.
The young girl only answered by a burst of mocking laughter. Don Roquemade a last gesture of menace, and buried his spurs in the flanks ofhis horse.
The captain had brought to bear on his arrangements for the march thequalities both of a soldier and an experienced trapper.
The soldados da conquista, accustomed for a long period to make war onthe Indians, had been placed in advance by him, and on the flanks ofthe caravan, under orders to clear the route, and to carefully watchthe thickets both to the right and left.
The half-caste hunters, formed in a single compact troop, advanced,fusil on thigh and finger on trigger, with eye and ear on the watch.
The Negro slaves formed the rearguard.
The caravan, thus disposed, could not but present a considerablyextended and imposing line. It was composed of fifty-five men inall, of whom about forty-five were resolute fellows, for a long timeaccustomed to track the desert, and who could be reasonably counted onin case of need. As to the other ten, they were Negro or mulatto slaveswho had never seen fire.
The caravan slowly descended the mountain, its track cleared right andleft by the soldiers sent out by the captain as scouts.
By degrees, as the travellers approached the desert, the landscapechanged, and assumed a more imposing and grand aspect.
Some moments more, and the descent would be finished.
Don Roque approached Don Diogo, and touching him lightly on theshoulder--
"Well," said he, smiling, "we shall soon be on the plain, and we havenot seen a living soul. Believe me, captain, the threats made by theIndians are but rodomontade; they have tried to frighten us, that isall."
"Do you speak seriously, my lord?" said the Indian. "Do you reallybelieve what you say?"
"Certainly, dear Don Diogo; and everything, it appears to me, gives mereason to do so."
"Then you are taking a wrong view of it, your Excellency, for I certifyto you that the Guaycurus have advanced nothing that they do not intendto carry out."
"Do you fear an attack?" said the marquis.
"An attack--not, perhaps, immediately, but at least a summons."
"A summons; on the part of whom?"
"Why, on the part of the Guaycurus, probably."
"Come, you are jesting. On what do you base such supposition?"
"I do not suppose, your Excellency, I see."
"What, you see--"
"Yes, and it is easy for you to do the same, for before a quarter of anhour the man whom I warn you of will be before you."
"Oh, oh! That is good."
"Look, your Excellency," said Diogo, stretching his arm in a certaindirection; "do you see that grass which quivers and bends with aregular movement?"
"Yes, I see it; well?"
"You remark, do you not, that this movement is only partial, andcontinually advances towards us?"
"Just so; but what does that prove?"
"That proves, your Excellency, that an Indian is coming towards us at agallop."
"Come, you are jesting, captain."
"Not the least in the world, my lord; you will soon have a proof of it."
"I shall only believe it when I see it."
"If it is so," pursued the captain, hiding a smile, "believe, then, forhere he is."
At that moment a Guaycurus Indian, armed as a warrior, and mounted ona magnificent horse, suddenly emerged from the high grass, and boldlyreined up across the path, within a pistol shot of the Brazilians,waving in his hand a tapir skin.
"Fire on that vagabond," cried the marquis, shouldering his carbine.
"Do not do that," said the captain.
"What! Is he not an enemy?" pursued the marquis.
"That may be, your Excellency; but at this moment he is an envoy."
"As an envoy--that savage? You are jesting with me without doubt,"cried the marquis.
"By no means, my lord; let us hear what this man has to say to us."
"What good will it be?" said he, with scorn.
"If it were only to know the projects of those who have sent him."
The marquis hesitated an instant, then placing his carbine again in hisshoulder belt--
"Well, that is possible," murmured he; "better allow him to explainhimself. Who knows? Perhaps they desire to treat with us."
"It is not probable," answered the captain laughing; "but, in any case,if you will permit me, my lord, I will go and question him."
"Do so, do so, Don Diogo; I am curious to know this message."
The captain bowed; then, after having thrown down his tromblon, hissabre, and his knife, he proceeded at a trot towards the Indian.
"You are mad," cried Don Roque, darting towards him; "what, do youabandon your arms? Do you wish, then, to be assassinated?"
Don Diogo smiled, shrugging his shoulders with disdain, and, holdingback the marquis's horse by the bridle to prevent him advancing anyfurther--
"Do you not see that that man is without arms?" said he.
The marquis made a gesture of surprise, and stopped; he had notremarke
d that circumstance.
The Guide of the Desert Page 9
