Really, the governor of the city and his guests were bent on having a merry time, if the noise they made could be taken as an evidence. I hoped they might be so fully occupied in their feasting as to allow us a clear field to escape from the house.
The stupendous surprise had given me much to think about, and my mind was in a pretty whirl as I walked humbly behind the hooded and cloaked “fellow-countrywoman in distress,” whose bag, once my bag, I carried.
Suppose we should run across some of the servants, who, grasping the situation, would give the alarm—I could easily imagine the excitement that must speedily follow. Could we reach the garden in safety? Well, Robbins was a man of remarkable resolution, and I believed there was another in a savage enough frame of mind to back him up should the occasion arise, so that we could make it extremely interesting for the alcalde.
Carmencita did her part well.
She seemed to be constantly alert for signs of danger. But we were making progress all the while, and the garden drew nearer; once under the shelter of that tropical growth, we might believe ourselves in a fair way toward safety.
When we reached the calle beyond the walls, what then? I felt almost certain Hildegarde would utterly refuse to accept a refuge on board my yacht, so great had been the antipathy she had shown at mention of such a thing, as though it might be freighted with horrors and dissipated roués, instead of being the sedate bachelor quarters of a very lonely fellow who endeavored to forget that he had once been happy, by surrounding himself with books and curios from many lands; perhaps a poor nest in which to install a lady, but with a pure atmosphere, please Heaven.
Then I reflected that it was time enough to cross a bridge when we came to it—we were not yet out of the house and she might change her mind with regard to the yacht; indeed, out of curiosity, be as eager to go on board as she had at first seemed averse to it.
Now we were on the lower floor, and as yet all seemed well.
Five minutes, perhaps less, would tell the story.
It was a serious thing, this braving the anger of the alcalde, who as judge and mayor might yet have the chance to condemn us to the execrable miseries of the Black Hole.