"Be good enough to explain, Señor Don Anastasio," the hunter replied. "I do not understand the words you have done me the honour to address to me."
"You said, sir, that the count had done us the honour of coming to hear the propositions we had to make to him."
"Well, sir?"
"That is just where the mistake lies, Don Valentine."
"How so, Señor Anastasio?"
"It appears to me that we have no propositions to make to the count, but that we, on the contrary, should listen to his."
A murmur of assent ran through the audience. Don Louis saw it was time to interfere.
"Gentlemen," he said, bowing gracefully to the hacenderos, "will you allow me to have a frank explanation with you? I am convinced that when I have done so any misunderstanding will be removed, and we shall comprehend each other perfectly."
"Speak, speak, señor!" they said.
"Gentlemen," he went on, "will not here enter into any personal details. I will not tell you how or why I arrived at Guaymas—in what way the Government of Mexico, after breaking all the promises it made me, ended by declaring me an enemy of the country, placed me without the pale of society, and carried its impudence so far as to treat me as a pirate, and set a price on my head, as if I were a bandit or wretched assassin; for that would cause the loss of precious moments, and be a gratuitous abuse of your patience, as you all know thoroughly what has occurred."