THE AMBASSADORS.
The paper which the peon handed to Captain de Laville, and which caused him to feel such emotion, only contained one name; but it was a name well known at Guetzalli—that of the Count de Prébois Crancé. The Guetzallians had heard vague rumours of the French expedition formed at San Francisco for the purpose of working the inexhaustible mines of the Plancha de Plata. They knew, too, of the company's arrival at Guaymas; but since then they had received no news, and were completely ignorant of the events that had occurred.
The captain had not the remotest idea that the Count de Prébois was the leader of that expedition; but, from several words Louis had let fall during his stay at the hacienda, he suspected him of fostering certain projects against the Mexican Government. This was the reason why, on receiving the paper, his first impulse was to exclaim, "He here! What can be the matter?"
He proceeded at once to the count, persuaded that the latter, outlawed for some reason by the Mexican Government, had come to demand an asylum from him. Colonel Suarez' unexpected visit coincided strangely with the count's arrival, and confirmed him in his notion; for he supposed, with some appearance of truth, that the colonel was ordered to enforce on him not to receive the exile, or, if he received him into the colony, to hand him over at once to the Mexican authorities. Fearing lest he might commit some error prejudicial to the count, he had hurriedly left the colonel alone, in order to come to an understanding with his compatriot, as from the first moment he had resolved not only not to surrender him, but not to abandon him if he claimed his aid.
The reader sees that, although the captain's hypothesis was false, it bordered on the truth in several points.
Don Louis and Valentine, seated on butacas, were smoking and talking together, while drinking, to refresh themselves, a decoction of tamarinds, when the door opened, and the captain appeared. The three men shook hands affectionately, and then de Laville, making the others a sign to sit down again, began the conversation at once.
"What good wind brings you to Guetzalli, my dear count?" he said.
"Hum!" the latter said. "If you asked what cordonazo, you would be nearer the truth, my dear De Laville; for never has a more terrible hurricane assailed me than threatens at this moment."
"Oh, oh! do tell me about it I need hardly say, I suppose, I am quite at your service."
"Thank you; but, before all, one word. Who has taken the Count de Lhorailles' place in the government of the colony?"
"Myself," the young man modestly replied.
"By Jove! I am delighted to hear that," the count said frankly, "for no one was more worthy than you to succeed him."
"My dear sir!" he said in confusion.
"On my word, captain, I tell you honestly what I think: all the worse if it wounds you."
"Far from that," the young man remarked with a smile.
"Then all is for the best. I see that my interests will not be imperilled in your hands."
"You may feel assured of it."
"Permit me to introduce to you my most intimate friend, my foster brother, whose name you must often have heard, and with whom I should be glad for you to be better acquainted: in one word, he is the French scout whom the Indians and Mexicans have surnamed the 'Trail-hunter.'"
The captain rose hurriedly, and held out his hand to the hunter.
"What!" he said with considerable emotion, "Are you Valentine Guillois?"
"Yes, sir," the hunter replied with a modest bow.
"Oh, sir!" the young man exclaimed warmly, "I am delighted to form your personal acquaintance. Everybody respects and cherishes you here, because you maintain that title of Frenchman, of which we are all so proud. Thanks, count, thanks; and now, by heavens, ask of me anything you please, and I shall not know how to repay the pleasure you have caused me.
"Good heavens!" the count replied; "for the present I will only ask you a very simple matter. You will soon be visited, if he has not already arrived, by an aide-de-camp of General Guerrero."
"Colonel Suarez?"
"Yes."
"He is here."
"Already?"
"He has only been here an hour."
"He has told you nothing?"
"Not yet: we have not spoken together."
"All the better. Would you mind placing us where it would be possible for us to overhear your conversation, and not be seen?"
"That is very simple. Adjoining the room where he is waiting for me is a recess, only covered by a curtain; but we can manage it better still."
"How?"
"Does he know you?"
"Me?"
"Yes. Does he know you by sight?"
"No."
"You are sure of that?"
"Quite."
"Nor this gentleman either?"
"Not the least in the world."
"Very good: let me manage it. I will arrange it all; and now to talk of yourself."
"It is unnecessary."
"Why so?"
"Because it is probable the colonel will tell you more than I could."
"Ah, ah! then you fancy he has come on your account?"
"I am certain of it."
"Very good. Now, do not trouble yourself about anything, but let me arrange it all."
"Agreed."
"I will be with you again directly."
And he left the room.
The colonel was still in the same position as when we left him. He had lighted a considerable number of husk cigarettes, and the nicotine was beginning to act gently on his brain; his eyelids were drooping; in short, he was just on the point of going to sleep. The sudden entrance of the captain aroused him from this state of torpor, and he raised his head.
"Pray pardon my having left you alone so long," the young man said; "but an unforeseen event——"
"You are quite excused," the colonel answered politely. "Still I should have been charmed had you thought of advising the Count de Lhorailles of my arrival, for the affair that brought me here admits of no delay."
The captain regarded the Mexican with surprise.
"How!" he said, "the Count de Lhorailles?"
"Certainly: it is to him alone that I must communicate the dispatches of which I am bearer."
"But the Count de Lhorailles has been dead for nearly a year. Were you not aware of the fact?"
"My word, no, sir, I confess."
"That is extraordinary; yet I remember having sent a courier express to the Governor of Sonora to inform him of this death, and announce to him at the same time that the choice of my countrymen had fallen on me to take his place."
"It is probable, then, either that your courier did not obey his orders, or was assassinated on the road."
"I fear it."
"So that you, sir, are now captain of the colony of Guetzalli?"
"Yes, sir."
"You are very young to occupy so difficult a post."
"Colonel," de Laville answered with a slight hauteur, "we Frenchmen do not measure men by age or height."
"It is frequently wrong; but no matter, that does not concern me. With whom have I the honour of speaking?"
"With Don Carlos de Laville."
The colonel bowed.
"I will, then, with your permission, caballero, communicate my dispatches to you."
"A moment, sir," the captain said quickly. "I cannot listen to you unless I have by my side two of the principal men in the colony."
"For what object?"
"That is the law."
"Do so, then."
The captain struck a bell, and a peon entered.
"Ask the two gentlemen waiting in the green room to come here," he said.
The peon went out.
"What! the two persons who are waiting?" the colonel said suspiciously.
"Yes. As I presumed, colonel, that you were the bearer of dispatches, I warned these two persons in order to detain you as short a time as possible."
"In that case permit me to return you my thanks, for I am really terribly pressed for time."
At this moment the door opened, and the count and Valentine came in. The colonel bent a piercing glance upon them, to try to discover with what sort of men he would have to deal; but it was impossible to read anything in their cold and rigid countenances, which seemed hewn out of marble.
"Gentlemen," the captain said, "Colonel Don Suarez, aide-de-camp to General Don Sebastian Guerrero, military governor of the State of Sonora. Colonel Suarez, two of my countrymen."
The three men bowed stiffly.
"Now, gentlemen," the captain continued, "pray be seated. The colonel is the bearer of dispatches he wishes to communicate to us, and they are probably important, as the colonel has not stopped even between Pitic and this place. We are ready to listen to you, colonel."
Like all men accustomed to double dealing and underhand schemes, the colonel possessed an infallible instinct for scenting treachery. In the present case, although all was being done ostensibly with the greatest frankness, and he was a thousand leagues from suspecting the truth, he guessed that he was being cheated, although it was impossible to perceive the secret object they had in view. Still he had no subterfuges he could employ: he must obey his instructions, and he decided on doing so, much against the grain, after bending on the two strangers a second glance, by which he sought to read their very hearts' thoughts, but which had no better result than the first.
"Gentlemen," he said, "you have doubtlessly not forgotten the numberless acts of kindness with which the Mexican Government has overwhelmed you."
"Overwhelmed is the word," de Laville interrupted him with a smile. "Go on, colonel."
"The Government is ready to make still greater sacrifices for you, if necessary."
"Caspita!" the young man again interrupted him, "we will spare it the trouble. The kindnesses of the Mexican Government generally cost us very dearly."
A discussion commenced in this tone of raillery had not the slightest chance of resulting in an amicable arrangement. Still the colonel did not break down, his mind was made up. He cared little for the result, for he knew perfectly well that those who sent him would not hesitate to disavow him according to circumstances.
"Hum!" he said, "the following proposal is made you."
"I beg your pardon, colonel, but before telling us the proposals, perhaps it would be better to explain to us the reasons that induce the Government to offer them," de Laville observed.
"Good heavens, sir! you must know the reasons as well as I do."
"Pardon me, but we are completely ignorant of them, and would feel greatly obliged by your telling them to us."
The count and Valentine were as motionless as statues, and these two gloomy faces disturbed the colonel in an extraordinary manner.
"The reasons are very simple," he stammered.
"I do not doubt it, but be good enough to mention them."
"This letter," he said, handing a sealed paper to the captain, "will explain the matter fully."
De Laville took the paper, read it through hurriedly, and then crumpled it up passionately in his hand.
"Colonel," he then said in a firm voice, "the Government of Sonora forgets that the colony of Guetzalli only contains Frenchmen; that is to say, no traitors. We have retained our nationality, although established in this country; and if the Mexican laws will not protect us we will appeal to our minister at Mexico, and, if necessary, contrive to protect ourselves."
"These threats, sir——" the colonel interrupted.
"They are not threats," the young man continued energetically. "General Guerrero insults us by inviting us not merely to abandon one of our countrymen, who is in every respect worthy of our support, through his loyalty, courage, and nobility of character, but also by proposing to us to hunt him down like a wild beast, and deliver him over. The general menaces us with outlawry if we assist the count, whom he brands as a pirate and a rebel. Let him do so if he please. This letter you have handed me will be carried by a sure man to Mexico, and handed to our minister, with a detail of all the annoyances we have suffered from the Mexican authorities ever since our settlement here."
"You are wrong, sir," the colonel answered, "to take the proposal made you in this way. The general is very well disposed toward you. I doubt not that he will consent to grant you great advantages if you will only obey him. What do you peaceful colonists care for this rebellious count, whom I dare say you never heard of? Your own interests demand that you should turn against him. This man is a villain, to whom nothing is sacred. Since his arrival in our country he has committed the most odious crimes. Take my advice, sir; do not obstinately choose a wrong path, but prove to the Government all your gratitude for the favours you have received by abandoning this villain."
The captain had listened calmly and coldly to the Mexican's long diatribe, holding in check by a glance the count and his companion, who found it very difficult not to burst out and treat this man in the way he deserved. When the colonel at length ceased, the captain looked at him with sovereign contempt.
"Have you finished?" he said dryly.
"Yes," the other answered in confusion.
"Very good. Now, thanks to Heaven, we have nothing more in common. Be good enough to mount your horse and leave the colony immediately. As for General Guerrero, tell him that I will give him an answer myself."
"I will retire, sir. Do you intend to give this answer soon?"
"Within twenty-four hours. Begone!"
"I will report our conversation word for word to the general."
"I shall be glad of it. Good-by till we meet again, sir."
"What! do you intend to take your answer personally?"
"Perhaps so," de Laville answered mockingly.
The colonel went out all abashed by his reception, and followed by the three men, who did not let him out of sight, and walked by his side, so as to prevent him communicating with anyone. His horse was waiting in the courtyard, held by one of the orderlies. The colonel mounted and rode off rapidly, for he was anxious to leave the colony. On reaching the isthmus gate he, however, turned round, and looked back for some time.
"Who can those two men be?" he muttered.
And he dug his spurs in his horse's sides. When he had disappeared in the windings of the road the captain seized Don Louis' hand, and pressed it affectionately.
"And now, my dear count," he said to him, "speak. What can I do for you?"