He then rose, and stepping across the hall, stood full in front of the General.
"Now," he said in a solemn threatening voice, "answer me, Don Pancho Bustamente. As you, of your own free will, take a false oath before a hundred persons, do you think we should commit a crime in condemning you, since you have had the audacity to place yourself in our power?"
In spite of his assurance, the General could not repress a start of terror.
"Remove the mask which covers this man's face, so that everyone may know that it is he! Ah! General; you have entered the lion's den, and you will be devoured."
The noise of a distant commotion was heard.
"Your soldiers are coming to your rescue," the president resumed, "but they will come too late, General; prepare to die!"
These words fell like the blow of a mace upon the brow of him who found himself thus outwitted; he, nevertheless, did not yet lose heart; the noise evidently approached; and there could be no doubt but that his troops, who surrounded the Quinta Verde on all sides, would soon gain possession of it; all he wanted was time.
"By what right," he said haughtily, "do you constitute yourselves judges and executioners of your own sentence?"
"You are one of us, and are bound by our sentence," the president replied, with an ironical smile.
"Beware of what you are about to do, gentlemen," the General added in a haughty tone; "remember I am minister-at-war!"