*CHAPTER XVIII*
*A Squire of Dames*
In the Casa Ximenez--Cut Off--Ways and Means--A Race with Time--TheBridge Perilous--Into the Abyss--A Deserted House--Through theStreets--Adios--Senor
Near the convent of San Agustin, at the south-eastern end of Saragossa,there stood, in the year 1809, an old, large, gloomy house known as theCasa Ximenez. It was not in the best part of the city, but it had anair of high respectability, and in truth had been for many years thetown residence of a prosperous burgher family, whose name stood for allthat was solid and dignified in civic and commercial life.
On February 1st in the aforesaid year the spacious rooms of the mansionwere empty--all but one. In the gilded sala on the first floor, achamber large enough to contain fifty or sixty persons as well as itsmassive antique furniture, sat two ladies, one old, the other in theheyday of youth. Though it was early morning, the room would have beenin pitch darkness but for two candles which, set in the cups of a silvercandelabra on the table, threw a glimmering illumination upon thepanelled walls. The sulphurous fumes of gunpowder hung heavily in theair. The deep, square windows were shuttered on the outside; there wasno crack or aperture through which the light of day could enter save ahole in one of the shutters, and that at this moment was blocked by along Spanish musket, behind which stood a middle-aged man in the sobercostume of an upper servant.
Within the house all was silent, but from without, penetrating the thickwalls and the iron-clamped shutters, came dull, heavy, thunderous soundsthat shook the air, set the candle flames quivering, and caused theelder of the two ladies to start and shudder and moan as if in pain. Atintervals the man at the window withdrew the musket, letting in for afew moments a streak of daylight that lay white across the yellowglimmer from the candles. With silent deliberation he charged hisweapon, passed it through the aperture with a downward slant, and pulledthe trigger, going through the same series of movements time after timewith clock-work regularity.
The old lady watched him as if fascinated. She was small and thin; thehair beneath her elaborate cap was white. With the long bony fingers ofone hand she clasped her mantilla closely about her shrunken frame; theother was held in the strong, warm hands of the younger lady, who sat onthe floor by the elder's chair and spoke to her alternately in soothingand in urgent tones.
"You really must come, Auntie," she was saying. "It is not safe here.Hark! there is another gun! They will break in before long, andthen--oh! come, come now; you can walk if you only try."
The old lady, still with her eyes fixed on the servant, shook her headand clutched her mantilla convulsively.
"Does he kill--every time?" she said in a thin quavering voice.
"How can we tell? And if he does kill, it only makes our positionworse, for they will find out where the shots come from, and they willburst in, and you--we--oh! Auntie, it is our only chance. See, I willsupport you; if you lean on my arm you will walk quite well, and I willnever leave you. Come!"
"I will not go," said her companion. "I will not, will not. The Frenchmay kill me, I have not long to live; but you, Juanita, you can escape.Francisco will shoot and kill until the very end; he and I will remainin the old house, in the old house--"
"They are coming nearer, Senorita," said Francisco, his respectful toneas quiet and unperturbed as though he were announcing a visitor.
"You hear that? You must come, Auntie. I will not leave you here!"
Springing suddenly to her feet, she stooped, threw her arms around heraunt's body, and lifted her from her chair.
"Francisco," she said, turning to the servant, "go on firing. If I donot return, come after me in ten minutes."
Then, straightening her back, she went to the open door, bearing easilythe wasted form of her aunt, who did not resist, but moaned and mutteredin helpless impotence. Out into the corridor, down the broad staircase,the strong girl carried the feeble woman. She reached the patio; then,instead of turning towards the great iron-studded gate at the front ofthe house, she made her way to the smaller but still strong gate at theback. In the open patio the sounds of musket shots were tenfold louderthan they had been in the house above; they were mingled with the shoutsof men afar off, the sudden shocks of explosions, and the crackle offlames. A pungent smell of smoke filled the air. The girl hastened hersteps towards the rear of the house, where the noises came lessdistinctly to the ear. Arriving at the gate, she set her burden downgently upon a bench, quickly drew the bolts, and, promising to return ina few moments, slipped out, closing the gate behind her.
She found herself in a narrow irregular street. On the other side was arow of smaller houses, the upper stories of which projected over theroadway. At each end the street opened to wider thoroughfares, and theCasa Ximenez was nearer the northern extremity. Juanita gave a quickglance each way. The house at the end of the street on her left was inflames. Nobody was to be seen, but she heard fierce shouts, apparentlyin all directions, growing ever louder. She paused but for an instant,then ran across the street to a door opposite and hammered with herfists upon the wood. She waited; there was no answer, no sound ofmovement within. She knocked again with greater force, bruising herknuckles until they bled. Still no response. She stepped back a paceand looked up at the windows; all were shuttered. She struck the doorwith repeated blows, and cried to any who might be within to open it. Ashout to her left caused her to start and look round with apprehensionin her eyes. A French soldier, armed with a pike, had just turned thecorner, and behind him were others, some armed with muskets. At sightof them the girl turned to run back to the gate of the Casa Ximenez.Glancing in the other direction, she saw a figure hastening from thenearer end of the street--a figure in the long cloak and low hat of aSpaniard. He caught sight of the French and stopped short.
"Senor," she cried, "help us for the love of God! My poor aunt!"
"What is it, Senorita?" he said, running towards her. "What can I do foryou?"
She pushed open the gate and sprang through the narrow entrance. Thestranger followed her, slammed the gate behind him, and shot the twostout bolts into their sockets.
"My aunt," said the girl, "is an invalid; I was trying to save her. TheFrench are at the front; what are we to do?"
She spoke with decision, in rapid tones that conveyed no impression offear, but rather of courage and determination. The young Senor lookedat the huddled, helpless figure of the old lady on the bench.
"Senora," he said quickly to her, "we leave you for a little. Take meinto the house, Senorita."
As she led the way the youth threw quick glances to right and left,taking his bearings.
"Is anyone in the house?" he asked.
"Francisco; all the other servants have fled."
"Where is he?"
"In the sala."
"Take me to him."
Afterwards he remembered the peremptoriness of his speech; at the momentneither noticed it.
Entering the room, he saw the servant loading and firing asimperturbably as before his mistress departed.
"That's right; go on firing," said the stranger. "Now upstairs,Senorita."
She led him to the top of the house. The windows at the back overlookedthe tiled roofs of the lower houses opposite, slightly above the levelof the parapet. The street below was filling with French soldiers, whowere battering and firing at the doors, without for the moment doingmuch damage. From the barricaded and loopholed windows on the otherside shots flashed at intervals; the houses were evidently defended insome force, and the throng below were taken aback by the deadlycross-fires from above. The stranger measured with his eye the distanceacross the street from house to house.
"Have you any boards, tables, anything, about fifteen feet long?" heasked.
"I do not know. Francisco will know."
They ran downstairs.
"Can you bring the Senora up?" asked the youth.
"Yes, I carried her
down."
"Please do."
Juanita hastened to the patio below; Jack went into the sala.
"Stop firing now, hombre," he said to the servant. "There is one chanceof escape, from window to roof. Are there any planks?"
Francisco put down his musket, and glanced keenly at the speaker, with atouch of surprise at his urgent manner.
"None, Senor, but the boards of the floor."
"No time to tear those up."
He glanced round the room. He saw that the heavy curtains were enclosedat the top within an ornamental wooden framework, square-cut, massive,and ugly.
"Steps? A ladder?" he said.
"In the press at the head of the stairs, Senor."
"Quick! bring them here; and a hammer."
In a few moments Jack was standing on a short ladder, hammering theplanks of the framework apart. Extending over both windows and the wallbetween, they were about sixteen feet in length. A few hard blowswrenched the fastenings, and two planks an inch thick lay on the floor.Side by side they measured three feet across.
"Now, ropes, cords!" cried Jack.
A long, stout bell-pull hanging from the ceiling caught his eye.Tearing it down, by the time Francisco returned with a length of ropeJack had lashed the planks together at one end. Soon the other endswere bound as firmly together.
"Help me upstairs with it."
They reached the topmost room, whither the girl had already carried herfeeble, whimpering aunt. The extemporized bridge was long enough torest on the ledge of the opposite parapet, with a foot each way tospare. But it could not be thrown across without a support at the otherend; its weight would more than counterbalance any pressure that couldbe exerted on the end in the room.
"Another rope!" cried Jack.
He had noticed a strong staple in the attic roof above the window.Francisco came back in two minutes with a long rope. Jack lashed itround the end of the planks, sprang on the window-sill, and pulled therope through the staple.
"Now let it out steadily as I push the bridge across."
Juanita stood with shining eyes, watching the young stranger as hepushed the planks across the street, while Francisco stolidly paid outthe rope. The bridge rested on the parapet.
"Hold this end firmly against the sill," said Jack to Francisco.
Juanita held her breath as the young fellow mounted a chair, stepped outof the window, and walked cautiously to the middle of the bendingbridge. In a moment he was back again in the room.
"It will bear," he cried. "I go first with the Senora."
He lifted the old lady carefully; she was too much dazed to have anyconsciousness of what was before her, and lay inert in Jack's arms,moaning "Ay de mi! Ay de mi!" incessantly.
"Wait till I return," he said to Juanita, who stood, her cheeks flushedwith excitement and hope, within the room.
Step by step he slowly bore the old lady across the creaking, swayingplanks, till he reached the other side; then he laid her gently downbehind the parapet at the foot of the gable. Then he sped back.
"Now it is your turn, Senorita," he said, preparing to lift the girl.
"I can go alone," she said without hesitation. "I can," she repeatedresolutely as Jack sought to detain her.
Springing lightly on to the planks, she paused for an instant, caughther skirt in one hand, bit her lips, and then ran across as lightly as ahare, Jack watching her with a tense feeling of anxiety mingled withadmiration. He gave a gasp of relief.
"Now, hombre," he said, turning to the old servant, who had held theplanks steady without uttering a word.
"Not so, Senor," he said; "I go last."
"Nonsense! I am responsible for this. Get on at once."
There were loud shouts from below.
"I am old, Senor. The Frenchmen in the street have seen us now; theywill shoot; it matters little if I die."
"No more. You must go. The ladies require you."
From the parapet opposite Juanita was looking at them. Her cheeks werevery pale.
"Come, Francisco," she said in a tone of authority that brooked nodenial.
The man hesitated no longer. He mounted the bridge, and walked withslow, firm step towards his mistress. An upward shower of shots peltedall around him. One struck him in the leg; he stumbled, nearlywrenching the planks from Jack's grasp, and Juanita uttered a cry as thepoor man fell headlong into the street.
Francisco Falls from the Plank]
Jack saw that there was no time to be lost. A few dexterous shots frombelow might destroy the bridge. He must run the gauntlet. He mounted athis end. At the same moment Juanita, with great presence of mind,seized the other end, and held it firmly against the parapet. Threebounds, amid flying shots, and Jack reached the parapet in safety.Then, catching up the planks, he hurled them down upon the crowd.
"You are not hurt, Senorita?" he said.
"Poor Francisco!" was her reply. There was a tremor in her voice, notfrom fear, as her next words showed. "I am ready, Senor; tell me whatwe are to do now."
There was a trap-door a yard away, opening inwards. Jack tried this withhis foot; it was bolted, but the bolt rattled, and could evidently beforced with little exertion. Without hesitating he sprang heavily on tothe wood; it gave and fell in with a crash. Jack's body had almostdisappeared into the opening, when as he fell he caught the ledge withboth hands, and though the sudden stoppage gave his muscles a severewrench, he managed to maintain his grip, and hung on with legs dangling.
"Senorita," he said, "come and look down and tell me what the drop is.I cannot see, myself."
Juanita went down on hands and knees, and peered into the darkness. Fora moment her eyes could discern nothing; then, as they became accustomedto the obscurity, she said that the trap-door opened into an attic room,and that the floor was not far below. Jack instantly let go, anddropped. The distance was but ten feet. Regaining an erect posture, hefound, after a little groping, a short ladder in a corner of the attic.He placed this in the opening, and went up into the light again. It wasthe work of only a few minutes to carry the old lady down the ladder.Juanita followed, and instantly busied herself with her half-faintingaunt.
"Wait here, Senorita," said Jack, "while I go down into the house andsee if the way is open for escape."
The attic door was not locked. Jack went out, down the stairs, throughthe house from top to bottom, and found every room empty, every windowbarricaded, and the outer doors locked. Unlike the occupants of theother houses on this side of the street, the inhabitants of this hadclearly not stayed to defend it. The front door was bolted on theinside; at the door of a yard at the back the bolts were drawn, showingthat escape had been made that way. Jack pulled at the door; the lockheld firmly; it was impossible to force it; the only means of exit wasover the wall. Hastening upstairs again, he explained the position toJuanita, who looked at him with the same quiet self-possession.
"Do you know any house in the centre of the city, Senorita," asked Jack,"where you can take refuge? Your own house is now, without doubt, in thehands of the French."
"Yes, Senor, we have friends in the Calle del Coso with whom we canstay."
"Then, if you will allow me I will escort you thither. I do not know thetown very well, but I know the Calle del Coso."
"Yes, we will go. But how can we take my aunt, Senor?" asked the girl."Helpless as she was half an hour ago, she is prostrate now. You couldnot carry her all the way."
"I think I know of a plan. The first thing is to take her downstairs,and I am strong enough for that."
In a few minutes all three were at the yard door. Jack returned to theattic for the ladder, and having placed that against the wall, hecarefully carried the old lady to the top, where he sat with her untilJuanita had also mounted, drawn up the ladder, and let it down on theother side. They were now in a narrow lane, in which nobody was to beseen, though they knew by the shouts and the gunshots that fighting wasgoing on at no great distance. Leaving the old lady in
Juanita'scharge, Jack went back into the house, and soon returned with a largechair and two short props he had found in the patio. Placing the oldlady in the chair, he passed the props through the legs on each side.
"If you will hold them at the back, Senorita," he said, "I will takethem in front, and then we shall be able to carry the Senora betweenus."
Thus burdened, they walked slowly down the lane, turned to the right,and found themselves in a street filled with soldiers and citizens,among whom were many women and priests. Almost all, even the priests,were armed, and many were hastening in the direction of the Augustineconvent, where the French, after a desperate struggle, had justsucceeded in forcing an entrance to the town. Barricades had beenerected at various parts of the street. No one showed any surprise atthe sight of an old lady carried on a chair. Strange incidents of thesiege were happening every day. Every hour some new family was obligedto quit its dwelling and seek safety in flight. Unnoticed andunmolested, Jack and his companions in a few minutes reached the housein the Calle del Coso to which Juanita had referred. They were admittedimmediately to the patio. There Juanita found her friends eating a mealthe frugality of which spoke only too plainly of the straits to whichthe city was now reduced. The exhausted condition of the old ladydemanded instant attention, and while the group of friends gatheredabout her solicitously, Jack took a hurried farewell of her niece.
"Now that you are in safety, Senorita, I can leave you and go to fulfilan errand I have. I trust the Senora will soon recover from herweakness and terror, and that you will not suffer from the strain ofthis frightful morning."
"Senor, you have the heart-felt thanks of my aunt and myself. But foryour timely help--I dare not think of it. And poor Francisco! To thinkof him dead, killed by those horrible French! ... We can never thank youenough."
Jack was conscious of some constraint in the young lady's manner, whichhe ascribed to the reaction from her excitement and the peril recentlygone through.
"I am only too glad that I happened to be passing at that moment,Senorita," he said. "And now, farewell!"
He bowed. The young lady looked at him with a curiously scrutinizingexpression in her eyes; then, returning his bow with somewhat moreformality, Jack thought, than the occasion required, she said:
"Adios--Senor!"
Boys of the Light Brigade: A Story of Spain and the Peninsular War Page 21
