by Mayne Reid
CHAPTER FIFTY TWO.
A DANAE'S SHOWER.
"Now, I shouldn't wonder," continued the corporal, shifting upon hisseat, and facing fully round to the dwarf. "I shouldn't at all wonderbut that this diminutive gentleman has some spare cash upon him; andmaybe he'll oblige us by a little loan, considering the occasion. Whatsay you, _Senor Enano_?"
"I haven't any," was the ready answer. "And sorry to say it too--that Iam."
"It don't look much like he has," observed Perico, with a glance at thehunchback's tattered habiliments.
"Looks are not always to be relied on," persisted the corporal. "Who'dever suspect a pearl inside an ugly oyster-shell?"
"I haven't, indeed, _Senor Cabo_," once more protested the dwarf withearnest emphasis. "If I had, you'd be welcome to the loan you speak of.No man likes a game of _monte_ better than myself. Alas! so far frombeing in funds, I'm too like your worships--without a _claco_. I'vebeen stripped of everything; and, if you knew my story, you'd pity me,I'm sure."
"What story?" demanded the _cabo_, becoming curious.
"Why, that I've been robbed of all the money I had. It wasn't much, tobe sure, only two _pesetas_ and a _real_, but still that was better thanempty pockets. It happened about half an hour ago. I was on my way toSan Augustin, thinking I'd there get some supper, with a night'slodging; when not far from this, two men--footpads I suppose they were--rushed out from the roadside, and made straight at me. One took theright, the other left. But I've good long arms, as you see, prettystrong too; and so I was able to keep them off for a while. Severaltimes they caught hold of my wrists; but I succeeded in jerking themfree again. I believe I could have wrestled them both, but that onegetting angry, pulled out a long-bladed knife, and threatened to cut mythroat with it. _Por dios_! I had to surrender then, seeing he was inearnest."
While giving this somewhat prolix account of an altogether imaginaryadventure, he had started to his feet, and accompanied his speech with aseries of pantomimic gestures; dancing and flinging his arms about, ashe professed to have done while defending himself against the footpads.The grotesqueness of the performance, though seen only in the dimlight--for he kept under the shadow--set his listeners to laughing.Little dreamt they why he was treating them to the spectacle, or howcleverly he was outwitting them.
But there was a third spectator of the scene, unknown to all of them,who was aware of it. The _cochero_ could not at first tell what werethe things striking him in the pit of the stomach, as if he was beingpelted with pebbles! But he could see they came from the hands of thehunchback, flung behind in his repeated contortions and gesticulations.
Moreover, that they glistened while passing through the air, and lookedwhitish where they lay, after falling at his own feet.
"Well; what did they do to you then?" asked the corporal, when he andhis comrade had finished their guffaw. "Stripped you clean, as you'vesaid?"
"_Ay, Dios_! Just that, Senor. Took everything I had, except the ragsI wear; and to them I might well have made them welcome."
"Now, are you sure they took everything?" questioned the other, stillsuspicious. The earnestness of the dwarfs affirmation made him so.
"Of course, Senor. Quite sure. I'll swear to it, if you like."
"Oh, there's no need for the formality of an oath. Simpler to searchyou! and more satisfactory. Draw up here in front of me!"
The hunchback obeyed with an air of confident alacrity. He had noreluctance to being searched now, knowing his pockets were empty. Ofwhich the searcher satisfied himself by groping about among the rags,and sounding every receptacle where coin might be kept.
But if he found no money, an article turned up, which no littlesurprised himself and his comrade--a stiletto!
"_Caspita_!" he exclaimed, as his hand touched something hard in thewaistband of the dwarfs breeches, stuck behind his back. "What have wehere? As I live, a dagger!" drawing it out and holding it to the light."Silver-hilted, too! Yes; it's silver, sure; and blade beautifullychased--worth a _doblone_, at the very least!"
"Half mine," interrupted Perico, putting in his claim.
"All right, _camardo_. We'll settle that by-and-by. Now, you limb ofSatan!" he continued to the hunchback, "you told us the footpads hadstripped you clean. How do you explain this?"
"Easily enough, your worship. They only thought of trying in mypockets, and the stiletto being there behind where you've found it,luckily they overlooked it."
"Oh, indeed!" doubtingly rejoined the corporal; "and pray how did youbecome possessed of it, _Senor Enano_? A dagger worth a _doblone_ isn'ta likely thing for such as you to be owner of--that is, in an honestway."
"I admit, your worship, it isn't likely. For all, I came honestly bythe article. It's an heirloom in our family; belonged to mygreat-great-grandfather, and's descended through several generations.For know, Senor, my ancestors were not deformed like poor me. Some ofthem were gallant soldiers, as yourself. Indeed, one of them rose tothe rank of sergeant--that was my mother's grandfather; but this daggerdidn't come down from him, being left in the main line."
"Well," laughingly returned the corporal, after listening to the quaintchapter of explanations, "the future herald of our family won't have totrace it beyond yourself. You're now under our protection, and have noneed to warlike weapons. So we, your protectors, will take the libertyof appropriating the historical toy. Get out the cards, Perico! Let ussee whether it is to be yours or mine."
"_May bueno_!" responded Perico. "How will you have the game? A single_albur_, or two out of three?"
"Well, as we've only the one stake, and no end of time for winning andlosing it, we'd better make it the long game."
"All right--come on! I have the cards spread--_sota y caballo_. Howsweet the Queen's face looks in the moonlight! Ah! she's smiling at me,I know, as good as to say--`Worthy Perico, that silver-handled weapon,your corporal tells you is worth all of an _onza_, will ere long bethine.'"
"Well, lay on the Queen if you like. I'll go the Jack, with all hisgrinning. Now shuffle, and deal off."
By this the two had seated themselves, _vis-a-vis_, just outside theverge where met moonlight and shadow, a suite of cards turned face upbetween them, the dealing pack in the hands of Perico. The hunchback,on his knees, with neck craned out, was a spectator; but one whosethoughts were not with his eyes. Instead, dwelling upon the valuableshe had so cunningly chucked back, making the mental calculation as tohow much they might be damaged by breakage, but caring less for thatthan the danger of their also becoming stakes in that game of _monte_.Could he have known what was going on behind, he would possibly havepreferred it so.
The unseen spectator, though silent, was not inactive, but the reverse.From the moment of seeing himself shut up--as it were, in a pen--he hadgiven all his thoughts to how he might escape out of it. It needed noneto tell him there was no chance front-wards by the road. A rush hemight make past the two soldiers, risking seizure, and surely having thebullets of their carbines sent after him. But even though he got off inthat way, what would be the upshot? The hunchback would be certain torecognise him, remembering all. Knowing, too, that his dialogue withthe Hussar colonel must have been overheard, he would hasten the veryevent which he, Jose, was now all anxious to provide against. The wordof warning meant for those now so much needing it might reach them toolate.
All these thoughts had passed through the _cochero's_ mind before thecard-playing commenced. More, too, for he had carefully inspected thecliff overhead, so far as the light would allow, aided by groping. Tohis joy, he had discovered that there was a possibility of scaling it.A sharp pinnacle of rock was within reach of the swing of his halters;and skilled in the use of the _laso_, over this he had succeeded inflinging the head-stall of one, hooking it fast. It but remained toswarm up the rope, and he was watching for an opportunity, whenglittering golden things, like a Danae's shower, came raining againsthis ribs, to fall at his feet.
He saw no reason
for these being left to lie there, but a good oneagainst it; so, stooping cautiously forward, he gathered up all, stowingthem away in his pockets. Then turning and taking hold of the halter,with as little noise as possible, he hoisted himself up to the crest ofthe cliff.
The soldiers engrossed with their game, and the dwarf, though but aspectator, having also become interested in it--none of the three eithersaw or heard him. And the last he heard of them as he stole silentlyaway was the corporal delightedly calling out--
"_Sota en la puerta, mozo_! The dagger's mine, darling Perico!"
