by Mayne Reid
CHAPTER NINETEEN.
A WOODEN-LEGGED LOTHARIO.
For some time the Dictator remained in his seat lighting cigarrito aftercigarrito, and puffing away at them furiously. The look of lightfrivolity had forsaken his face, which was now overcast with gloom.
At this time, as said, he wielded supreme unlimited power over theMexican people--even to life and death. For although he might notrecklessly or openly decree this, he could bring it about secretly--bymeans which, if rumour spoke true, he had more than once made use of.Indeed, there stood against his name more than one well-confirmed recordof assassination.
Thought of this may have had something to do with the cloud that hadcome over his features; though not for any qualms of conscience for themurders he may have committed or hired others to commit. More likely afear that he himself might some day meet a similar fate; like alldespots he dreaded the steel of the assassin. By his corruptadministration, he had encouraged bravoism till it had become adangerous element in the social life of his country--almost aninstitution--and it was but natural he should fear the bravo's bladeturned against himself.
Another apprehension may at this time have been troubling him. Althoughto all appearance secure in the dictatorial chair, with a likelihood ofhis soon converting it into a real throne, he had his misgivings aboutthis security. By imprisonments, executions, banishments, andconfiscations, he had done all in his power to annihilate the Liberalparty. But though crushed and feeble now, its strength was but inabeyance, its spirit still lived, and might again successfully assertitself. No man knew this better than he himself; and no better teachercould he have had than his own life's history, with its alternatingchapters of triumph and defeat. Even then there was report of a_pronunciamento_ in one of the northern cities of the Republic--theState, by a polite euphemism, being still so designated. Only a faint"gritto" it was, but with a tone that resembled the rumbling of distantthunder, which might yet be heard louder and nearer.
Little, however, of matters either revolutionary or political was hethinking now. The subject uppermost in his mind was that latent on hislips--woman. Not in a general way, but with thoughts specially bentupon one of them, or both, with whose names he had just been makingfree. As his soliloquy told, a certain "Condesa" had first place in hisreflections, she being no other than the Condesa Almonte. In his wickedway he had made love to this young lady, as to many others; but, unlikeas with many others, he had met repulse. Firm, though withoutindignation, his advances not yet having gone so far, nor been so bold,as to call for this. He had only commenced skirmishing with her; apreliminary stroke of his tactics being that invitation to ride in theState carriage extended to Dona Luisita Valverde, while withheld fromthe Countess--an astute manoeuvre on his part, and, as he supposed,likely to serve him. In short, the old sinner was playing the old gameof "piques." Nor did he think himself so ancient as to despair ofwinning at it. In such contests he had too often come off victorious,and success might attend upon him still. Vain was he of his personalappearance, and in his earlier days not without some show of reason. Inhis youth Santa Anna would claim to be called, if not handsome, a fairlygood-looking man. Though a native Mexican, a _Vera-cruzano_, he was ofpure Spanish race and good blood--the boasted _sangre-azul_. Hisfeatures were well formed, oval, and slightly aquiline, his complexiondark, yet clear, his hair and moustaches black, lustrous, and profuse.But for a sinister cast in his eyes, not always observable, hiscountenance would have been pleasing enough. As it was he pridedhimself upon it even now that he was well up in years, and his hairbecoming silvered. As for the moustaches, black pomatum kept them totheir original colour.
One thing soured him, even more than advancing age--his wooden leg.'Tis said he could never contemplate that without an expression of paincoming over his features, as though there was gout in the leg itselfgiving him a twinge. And many the time--nay, hundreds of times--did hecurse Prince de Joinville. For it was in defending Vera Cruz againstthe French, commanded by the latter, he had received the wound, whichrendered amputation of the limb necessary. In a way he ought to haveblessed the Prince, and been grateful for the losing of it rather thanotherwise. Afterwards the mishap stood him in good stead; at electiontimes when he was candidate for the Chief Magistracy of the State. Thenhe was proud to parade the artificial limb; and did so to some purpose.It was, indeed, an important element in his popularity, and more thanonce proved an effective aid to his reinstatement. With a grim look,however, he regarded it now. For though it had helped him politically,he was not thinking of politics, and in what he was thinking about heknew it an obstruction. A woman to love a man with a wooden leg! Andsuch a woman as Ysabel Almonte! Not that he put it to himself in thatway; far from it. He had still too good an opinion, if not of hispersonal appearance, at least of his powers otherwise, and he even thenfelt confident of success. For he had just succeeded in removinganother obstacle which seemed likely to be more in his way than thewooden leg. He had but late come to know of it; but as soon as knowing,had taken measures to avert the danger dreaded--by causing theimprisonment of a man. For it was a man he feared, or suspected, as hiscompetitor for the affections of the Condesa. It had cost him no smalltrouble to effect this individual's arrest, or rather capture. He wasone of the proscribed, and in hiding; though heard of now and then asbeing at the head of a band of _salteadore_--believed to have turnedhighwayman.
But he had been taken at length, and was at that moment in the gaol ofthe Acordada; which Santa Anna well knew, having himself ordered hisincarceration there, and given other instructions regarding him to thegaol-governor, who was one of his creatures.
After sitting for some time, as he stretched out his hand, and held theend of his paper cigar to the red coals burning in a _brazero_ on thetable before him, the frown upon his features changed to a demoniacsmile. Possibly from the knowledge that this man was now in his power.Sure was he of this; but what would he not have given to be as sure ofher being so too!
Whether his reflections were sweet or bitter, or which predominated, hewas not permitted longer to indulge in them. The door again opening--after a tap asking permission to enter--showed the same aide-de-camp.And on a similar errand as before, differing only in that now he placedtwo cards on the table instead of one; the cards themselves beingsomewhat dissimilar to that he had already brought in.
And with altogether a different air did Santa Anna take them up forexamination. He was enough interested at seeing by their size and shapethat those now desiring an audience of him were ladies. But on readingthe names, his interest rose to agitation, such as the aide-de-campnever before had seen him exhibit, and which so much astonished theyoung officer that he stood staring wonderingly, if not rudely, at thegrand dignitary, his chief. His behaviour, however, was not noticed,the Dictator's eyes being all upon the cards. Only for an instantthough. If he gave ready reception to his late visitor, still readierdid he seem desirous of according it to those now seeking speech withhim.
"Conduct the ladies in," was his almost instantaneous command, asquickly retracted. For soon as spoken he countermanded it; seeminglyfrom some afterthought which, as a codicil, had suddenly occurred tohim. Then followed a chapter of instructions to the aide-de-camp,confidential, and to the effect that the ladies were not to beimmediately introduced. He was to keep them in conversation in theante-chamber outside, till he should hear the bell.
Judging by his looks as he went out the young subaltern was more thansatisfied with the delay thus enjoined upon him. It was aught but adisagreeable duty; for, whether acquainted with the ladies who were inwaiting, or not, he must have seen that both were bewitchinglybeautiful--one being Luisa Valverde, the other Ysabel Almonte.
