Don Andrés, however, overcame his emotion, and addressed the guerillero once more.
"Take care of what you are doing, señor Coronel," he said; "I am not a nobody, and will not let myself be thus despoiled without complaining; there is at Mexico a Spanish ambassador, who will be able to procure me justice."
"I do not know what you mean," don Felipe answered imperturbably; "If you are alluding to señor Pacheco, I do not think that his protection will be very profitable to you; for this gentleman, who entitles himself ambassador extraordinary of H.M. the Queen of Spain, has thought proper to recognize the government of the traitor Miramón. Hence we of the other party have nothing to do with him, and his influence with the national President is completely null. However, I have no occasion to discuss the point with you; whatever may happen, I arrest you. Will you surrender, or do you intend to offer a useless resistance? Answer."
Don Andrés surveyed the persons who surrounded him; he saw that he had no hope or support to expect from anyone but his own servants, hence he let his revolvers fall at his feet, and folded his arms on his chest.
"I surrender to force," he said in a firm voice; "but I protest before all those who surround me against the violence which is done me."
"Pray protest, my dear sir, you are quite at liberty to do so, and it is not of the slightest consequence to me. Don Jesús Domínguez," he added, addressing the officer who had calmly and carelessly witnessed this scene, "we will at once proceed to a minute inspection of the baggage, and, above all, the papers of the prisoner."
The old gentleman shrugged his shoulders contemptuously.
"Well played," he said; "unluckily you are a little too late, caballero."
"What do you mean?"
"Only this, that the money and securities you expect to find in my baggage are no longer there. I know you too well, señor, not to have taken my precautions in the provision of what is happening at this moment."