CHAPTER XXXIII.
MOONSHINE.
It was about four in the morning; the night storm had completely sweptthe sky, which was of a deep azure; day would speedily appear. GeneralCardenas, leaning sadly over the battlements of the town wall, wasreflecting, while his eye wandered over the plain and the camp of theMexicans, whose bivouac fires were beginning to die out. A littledistance behind him, aides-de-camp and orderly officers carelesslyleaning on their sabres were waiting with ill-disguised impatience tilltheir chief thought proper to leave the ramparts and return to thecabildo.
The general, we said, was reflecting. His thoughts were sad and gloomy.Provisions and ammunition, squandered by the officers ordered to servethem out, were running short; the garrison, tired of being shut upwithin the walls, were beginning to mutter, and would ere long complainloudly. Coahuila had been so completely invested by the Mexican armythat, from the day the siege began, no one had been able to enter orleave the town. The general, consequently, was as much deprived of newsas if he were five hundred leagues away from Mexico. The soldiers,accustomed since the beginning of the insurrection to live at theexpense of the country people, plunder, and ill-treat them, did notlike the confined diet to which they were constrained. Unpleasantrumours circulated among them, although it was impossible to trace themto their source. The officers themselves were discouraged, and desiredthe end of this state of things, which every day that passed renderedworse. The general, therefore, saw with terror the moment at hand whenall would fail him at once, and he would be forced to throw himself onthe mercy of enemies whom he had supposed so contemptible, and whomhe had taken a delight in exasperating by unlooked-for and objectlesscruelty. Hurled thus from his high estate into a bottomless abyss, thegeneral was suffering from one of those cold and concentrated attacksof fury which are the more terrible because they can find no outlet.
All at once the general fancied he could distinguished the shadowyoutline of a man, who was approaching the ramparts with the utmostcaution. Still this man appeared to care very little about being seenfrom the town, and only tried to conceal himself from the sentries, whomight have noticed him in the camp. Some considerable time elapsed erethis man, who advanced looking back anxiously every moment, arrivedwithin pistol shot of the ramparts. The general rose, and, making anofficer a sign to approach, whispered a few words in his ear. Theofficer went off, and the general returned to his post of observation.
The stranger still advanced, apparently growing bolder the nearer hedrew to the ramparts. All at once several men dashed out of a posterngate, and ere the stranger had time to attempt a useless resistance, hewas thrown down, bound, and carried into the town by the men who had socleverly seized him. Still, we are bound to mention that the soldiersexperienced no difficulty in dragging their prisoner along; on thecontrary, he affected to follow them with the most perfect readiness.The general, while waiting for the prisoner, walked up and down theramparts; when he was brought up to him, he looked at him for a momentin silence. The stranger was a young man, with an intelligent andsarcastic face, tall and powerfully built.
"Who are you, scamp?" the general asked him roughly, "And how is itthat you dare to prowl so near the walls of a besieged town?"
"Hang it all," the stranger replied, in excellent Spanish, though witha marked foreign accent, "I was not prowling round the walls."
"What were you doing, then?"
"I was merely trying to get into the town."
"This is an impudent scoundrel," the general said to himself, "but atleast he is frank. And, why, pray, did you want to enter Coahuila?"
"If you do not mind, General, giving orders that I should be freed fromthese cords, which annoy me, I shall answer you with greater ease."
"Very good; but I warn you that, at the slightest suspicious movement,I shall have your brains blown out."
"That is your business, General," the stranger replied carelessly.
At a signal from the general the stranger was unfastened; he gave asigh of relief on feeling himself at liberty.
"There," he said, "now a man can talk."
"Are you disposed to answer me?"
"Ask me a question."
"What is your name?"
"Moonshine."
"A capital name for a night bird."
"It is mine."
"What are you?"
"Canadian, and wood ranger; but, look ye, General, if we go on this waywe shall never come to an end. I prefer coming straight to facts. Ihave come to offer you a bargain."
"What is it?"
"Oh, oh, General, do not go on too fast; in the first place how muchwill you give me?"
"Why in the first place I must know--"
"The amount, that is true; well, I will tell you,--four hundredounces."[1]
"What! Four hundred ounces!" the general exclaimed, "You seem to me tobe an amusing scoundrel; but take care I do not hang you, in order toteach you not to play the mountebank with me."
"That is the reward for doing people a service," the Canadian said witha philosophic shrug of his shoulders.
"But, animal," the general continued impatiently, "what service are youdoing me?"
"An immense one, General."
"Come, explain yourself."
"I am most anxious to do so, but you will not let me speak."
The general had a knowledge, or fancied he had, of his fellow men; heremembered his interview with Oliver, and understood that if this man,knowing his reputation, ventured to speak in this way to him, he musthave very powerful incentives, and feel very sure of impunity; besides,his own serious position made it a bounden duty for him to obtaininformation by all possible means. He therefore restrained himself,resolved if the Canadian was really laughing at him to have him hung atonce.
"Well, speak, and the plague smother you!" he said to him.
"In that case, General, the matter is this. But pledge me first yourword of honour that if what I am going to tell you is really asimportant to you as I fancy, you will at once pay me the sum I ask."
"Very good; but if you deceive me you will be hung or shot--the choicebeing left you."
"Very good; it is a bargain. Where is the money?"
"Do you suppose that I carry four hundred ounces about me?"
"Hang it, what is to be done?" the Canadian said, scratching his head.
"Stay," the general said, as he showed him two diamond rings, "theseare worth nearly double the sum you ask. Are you satisfied?"
"On your word, now? Well, I will risk it. Well, listen. This night Ihad sheltered myself as well as I could about three or four leaguesfrom here, for the purpose of camping. Unfortunately for me, the stormcame on, and compelled me to seek a safer shelter."
"Cut it short."
"I will, General. The night was so dark that, not knowing the country,I lost my way, and got into the very centre of the Mexican camp."
"Ah, ah! And I suppose they gave you a warm reception?"
"They gave me no reception at all, General."
"What? Did they turn you out?"
"Who turn me out?"
"Hang it, how do I know? The sentries, perhaps."
"Why, General, that is the very point; the camp is deserted; theMexican army has disappeared."
The general gave a bound of surprise.
"Are you mocking me, scoundrel?" he shouted violently; "Are you awarewhom you are speaking to when you come to tell me such falsehoods?"
"Hang it, General, it is easy to assure yourself whether I speak thetruth, by going to see. However, it appears that the Mexicans were in ahurry to be off, for they left behind them cannon, forage--everything,in a word."
"That is strange," the general muttered, as he fixed on the Canadiana glance that seemed trying to read his very heart's secrets, whichthe hunter sustained without evincing the slightest confusion, "thatis strange," he repeated; "and do you not know the cause of thisprecipitate departure?"
"How should I know it? I am a stranger. Perhaps, though--but no, the
ycannot know it yet, as I expected to obtain a good reception from themby telling them of it."
The hunter spoke with such simple frankness, his face displayed suchcandour, that the general had not for a moment a thought of suspectinghim; on the contrary, he listened to him with the most earnestattention.
"What more?" he asked eagerly.
"What, do you not know it?"
"It seems not."
"And yet it has caused a regular disturbance. It is reported thatGeneral Iturbide has been surprised by the Viceroy's troops and takenprisoner, after an obstinate resistance, so that the insurrection isonce again subdued."
At this moment an officer, who had gone off with several others toobtain information about the Canadian's statement, ran up breathless.
"General," he said, "what this man has told you is true; the Mexicanarmy has abandoned its camp with such haste that hardly anything hasbeen removed."
"Then," said the hunter, "I have earned my money, General?"
"Yes," he answered, as he handed the Canadian the rings, which hecarefully placed in his bosom. "But," he added, as he looked at himfixedly, and laid a stress on every word, "as you might, after all,be a traitor and clever spy, you will remain here till we obtain morethorough information. You appear to me to be much sharper than youpretend, and your head shall answer for your sincerity."
"I shall be very glad to remain here," the hunter replied carelessly;"here or elsewhere makes little difference to me. Still I do not quiteunderstand how I can be a traitor, since you recognize the truth ofwhat I have told you."
Moonshine allowed himself to be led away without the slightest emotion,and the general mounted his horse, in order to assure himself of thecertainty of the facts announced to him. The camp was most thoroughlydeserted, not a man or horse remained in it. Everything testifiedto the precipitation with which the Mexicans had retired. They hadattempted to carry off a few guns and baggage waggons; but, doubtlessdiscouraged by the difficulties they had to overcome, and probablydemoralized by some crushing news, they had left guns and trainscattered in all directions. Tumbrils filled with ammunition, arms,stores, even provisions, were thrown about in disorder, as if they hadat first intended to remove them, but, pressed by time, had been forcedto leave them behind.
The road followed by the Mexican army was perfectly visible, not onlyby the deep marks on the saturated ground, but also by the utensils ofevery description, uniforms, and arms scattered on the road. It was nolonger a retreat, but a flight. The general tried in vain to seek theclue to this insoluble enigma. The chief of the Mexican army could nothave had the idea of laying a trap for him. Everything contradictedthis supposition; it was not admissible that an experienced soldier,for the purpose of deceiving his enemy, would consent to abandon to himhis guns, ammunition, and even provisions; such a trick would have beenmost clumsy, since it would provide the Spaniards with all they wanted,as the Mexicans must be perfectly aware.
It was more simple to believe that what the hunter said was true; thatGeneral Iturbide has been defeated and made a prisoner by the Spanishtroops, and that the Mexicans, terrified by this disastrous news, hadbeen assailed by a panic and disbanded, seeking their safety in flight,as had happened several times already during the course of the war.Still, the general in chief, as a prudent and experienced man, wouldnot risk anything till he had heard the opinions of his officers. Aftergiving the requisite orders for a guard to be placed in the camp, hegalloped back to the town and summoned a council of war. Moonshine wassummoned before the council, and was heard again. The hunter repeated,without the variation of a syllable, what he had already told thegeneral.
This deposition produced a marked effect on the members of the council.Each was of opinion that they must at once start in pursuit of thefugitives, in order not to allow them time to recover from their terrorand reassemble. This was the general's opinion too; still, undercircumstances of such gravity, he had desired to avoid responsibility,and appear constrained to yield to the wishes of his officers. Asgenerally happens in such cases, the Spaniards passed from a state ofthe utmost dejection to the greatest braggadocio. The Mexicans, whohad so long caused them to tremble, were only scoundrels, unworthy tocontend with brave men, and they could be brought to order with theflat of the sabre.
The general, considering it useless to leave a strong garrison in thetown, as the enemy had retired, and not wishing, in the case of theMexicans making a stand, to advance without an imposing force, orderedtwo regiments of cavalry to mount, each trooper having an infantryman on his crupper, and took two field guns with him. This small armyamounted to about five thousand men, more than sufficient to pursue anddestroy demoralized bands, who would probably attempt no defence and beeasily cut up. When all was ready for the start, General Cardenas gaveorders to bring up the Canadian, who had first brought him the happynews of the enemy's flight. The latter arrived, accompanied by theofficer to whom he had been given in charge. The general smiled on thehunter.
"Listen to me," he said to him, "you appear a man of sense. You willcome with us."
"What to do, General?" the hunter answered coldly; "I suppose you donot want me anymore?"
"I should like to have you near me."
"In order to blow out my brains, if you think proper to do so, eh?"
"That is possible; but come, notwithstanding."
"That would not be fair, General; I have honestly kept to my bargain.It is not my fault if, instead of quietly remaining here, you thinkproper to roam about the country at the risk of something happening."
"Then your advice would be that I should remain here?" the general saidto him, with a searching glance.
"I have no advice to give you, General; I am neither a soldier nor anofficer, and your affairs do not concern me. I tell you my opinion,that is all."
"But you are a wood ranger?" he continued, after a moment's reflection.
"Yes, General, and nothing else."
"In that case, you will make a famous scout."
"You want to make a second bargain with me, I think."
"Perhaps so. Do you refuse?"
"I am not at liberty either to accept or decline. You have the power onyour side, and I am forced to obey."
"I like to hear you talk in that way. Perhaps you can find the enemyfor me?"
The hunter detected the snare.
"Hang it!" he said simply, "As a wood ranger I can easily follow atrail. Put me on the traces of the Mexicans, and if they have not runto earth like prairie dogs, or flown away like eagles, there are heavyodds in favour of my bringing you up with them."
The general reflected.
"Listen to me," he said directly after, "I trust to you. If you serveme faithfully, you shall be nobly rewarded; if you deceive me, you willdie."
"I do not understand you; I will try to bring you up with the peopleyou are looking for; but I cannot pledge myself to more, as the restconcerns you."
"That is all I ask."
"On those conditions I am your man."
"Come along, then," the general continued; "but," he added, lookingfixedly at him, "remember that you risk your head; at the slightestsuspicion I will have you strung up without the least hesitation."
The Canadian merely shrugged his shoulders in answer to this threat,smiled craftily, mounted a horse that was brought him, coolly placedhimself on the general's right hand, and at the word of command thesmall corps left the town in good order. So soon as it reached theplain, it proceeded towards the Mexican camp, curiously watched by allthe inhabitants of Coahuila, who had flocked to the ramparts to witnessthe departure of the Spaniards, and who, in all probability, formedinternal vows never to see them again.
[1] About L1600 of our currency.
The Queen of the Savannah: A Story of the Mexican War Page 38
