The Spanish dancer : being a translation from the original French by Henry L. Williams of Don Caesar de Bazan (20 page)

"This is a work of art!" said C^sar, "the name of you rats i-.-. legion!"

"Yes, I had the help of other starvelings! They pushed me in to collect the material for a meal, since I am the thinnest of the brotherhood."

"Where are we now ?"

"Under our chapel, lord! To our right, beyond that grating, black on the faint gray, is the old great hall. It is now our main stillhouse. There is no danger for we ere laying on our oars, that is, awaiting the distillation to arrive at the point to run it off. We have an order for export, to Barcelona "

"For the bishop in the infidel parts?" queried the ex-prisoner, maliciously.

He pushed the guide before him up to the high iron frame, where he saw, on the other side, by the glow of a

furnace and a cobbler's candle, that is, with a double wick, an enormous vaulted room, scarcely passable from the complications of spiral pipes, vats, butts, tanks and distillery apparatus ; from all exuded a smell of fermentation and vinous flavors, with delightful whiffs of aromatic herbs.

"That is it—that is what I smelt!" cried Cassar, "this is a breath of Araby the Blessed! Nevertheless, I beg to know how we get out into the ordinary mountain air?"

"Nothing more simple! Going through the hall, for nothing is locked up, where nothing is to steal! we step out into the gardens. We cross and climb up over the wall, where a good sprawling fig tree offers a ladder which Omfrio can mount. Jumping down, we enter the first cottage or the first cabin of the charcoal-burners, and hire a mule or two. Thus, in the dav.n, we may be knocking at the door of his majesty's commissioners of excise!^'

"You may—but I—I must knock at my own door!"

"Your m.ansion-door! Oh, my lord, that you had a mansion!"

"Well, my wife's—the countess must dwell somewhere!"

"I should think she does. She is now, as far as I know, under the roof of the Marquis of CastellfC^-Rotondo!"

"The—'that old beau! Why, what the mischief does she there?"

"Where would it be more proper for a wife, bereaved of her husband on the wedding night, than to be har-bored 'by her own father?"

"Her fath—Marit—her father—the old marquis!"

"My lord, along the road all news drifts, and the landlords repeat it. I heard from good authority that the Duke of Egypt had at last restored to the Marquis of Castello-Rotondo, from whom he has derived many

years' income with his lies, his missing daughter who, I believe, was known as 'Maritana!' "

"Husband and parents found for her, all in one night! This is too much, too much!"

"If the joyful news commends poor Anselmo to your lordship, I shall not be too proud to remind you when you are again able to recompense the bearer properly!"

*'Maritana, a Castello-Rotondo ! my head is spinning!"

They were on the other side of the iron barrier by this.

"That is not joy—that is the fumes ! To a novice, it is as good as a week's debosh to inhale the reek here!"

Caesar followed him as in a dream. All was hushed. There was certainly a sonorous murmur somewhere in the hall, but perhaps a gurgling from a fissure in a pipe. They came to a door which gave, through a barred peephole, a glimpse of the gardens, and cold, blue sky. Suddenly, the sonorous sobbing ceased with a snort of surprise, and a dark mass, which had been taken for a heap of such tow as is wrapped about tubes to keep in the heat, revolved itself into a human form.

It was a burly man who bade them stand, in a voice broken by his being not half awake.

He did not look at the gowned man, but at Don Caesar, who was in his conspicuous white wedding-suit, and certainly did not resemble the usual inhabitants of this monastic distillery.

He carried an Arabian matchlock, but the barrel had been cut down so that it resembled an escopeta, that is, a blunderbuss for firing stone balls. It was capable of pouring a half peck of slugs into a hippopotamus at thirty; paces which would s'.agger him.

To the consternation of the escaping captive, who was going to employ his guide as a bulwark, this treacherous fellow dropped and at the same time yelled:

"Fire, Nunez ! it is a spy!"

But once gun-shy, ever gun-shy! Don Cassar hs-d so recently learned that to stand to be shot at is worse than a crime—it is a fault! He accordingly imitated the falling of the lay-brother so accurately and rapidly that the s'hower of slugs whizzed over his head witliout any hurt, and he thumped the deceiver, on whom he landed with irresistible force.

The detonation was terrific in that somewhat encum^ bered, if not confined, space. The recoil of the ponderous firearm, m.eant to be fired from a rest, broke the w^retch's shoulder and sent him against the edge of a tank, which, 'losing its cover, allowed him to topple over and back into the scalding contents.

Nunez added his screams to the cries arising throughout the convent, as he appeared with his head dripping "with syrup and his hands glued to the tank sides.

Caesar spurned Anselmo and sprang toward the dooc in the wall.

Simultaneously, the dark interior became alternaliveljii; so-mber and bright, like the old masters' "Resurrectiont-day," w'here the fl?jmes and the shadows chase each othe« till finally the former prevail.

The slugs had split and perforated the pipes—spirit sh'ot forth and caught fire in long crescents in the air. The receptacles began to explode and boil over—^the sparks fell from, the woodwork and the tongues of fire wound around the worms. Those monks who bad rushed to the scene recoiled at the several doors, for the draf* turned toward them and scorched their frightened visages.

The hall was full of thin smoke and thick flame ; on th'« floor writhed Anselmo, half-stunned, trying to rise frona the warm bath of alcohol.

Caesar (had, without intending it, been entangled in his robe, with which he reached the opening; instinctively, on feeling the frigid night air, he dragged this envelope up to his shoulders and covered his compromising attire as he fled.

The starlight showed the wall cornice, with the fig twisting its boughs on the ledge.

With the agility which he could not have suspected in one so tried and long fasting, he clambered up, and, without pausing on the top, where he afforded too good a mark for a gunshot, he dropped over.

The ground was soft where he landed, and he had just sense enough to leap over the ditch.

Then, seized with a panic, as an immense chorus in alarm and horror of the false monks rent the air, for the (hall was consuming like a bonfire drenched with turpentine, he fled at all speed.

He had been seen, for he heard as the last intelligible cry:

"There goes the Evil Spirit—he has fled with the souls of Nunez and Anselmo!"'

There must have been two or three guards on the outside, for without looking back, he was conscious that he was followed.

He had the presence of mind to cry out:

"Look to the house! The preventive servants are upon 3'ou!"

The desire to save himself was supplemented by that to regain his beloved, and thwart the villainy which he conceived to be rife.

His cramps arjd palsies vanished. His head was as tlear as his limbs were supple.

A deafening explosion sounded like an earthquake in the mountains. It was sparsely populated, yet seemed

fairly alive from every dweller having been brought to his door.

He saw something speeding toward him, and stood to sell his repurchased freedom dearly, knife in hand. But it was only a horse, broken loose in the stable at the flash of fire and the explosion. He was too accomplished a cavalier not to know how to catch it by the trailing halter. He mounted agilely, and was immediately galloping toward the Madrid road.

Thus it was that may be read: Report of Don Senor Agapetto, Alcalde of Valsierra, confirmed by sworn depositions of worthy witnesses: It is established that the apparition which enkindled the serious conflagration in the Good Works Monastery, and bore away the souls of two of its lay-brothers, was the same unearthly horseman which carried off the body of the Count of Garofa, awaiting in pious hands interment, at the expense of his friends, at the said convent.

Don Cassar foundered the borrowed steed, and was left ccvhausted under the wall of hunting-grounds, wliere he might have perished with cold and faintness but for a carriage coming up, drawn by four fine mules.

This carriage, with a good deal of recrecy, was placed by a postern in the wall, while the servants opened the same and stood on the wait.

The fugitive mustered the courage to ask alms, and, the domestics being good fellows, shared with the supposed runaway monk their flask of wine and bread and s'ausages. Thus refreshed, he listened while lolling witih his appetite gratified, to their chat of the Madrid news.

Suddenly he started. He was galvanized.

This carriage was newly decorated, and on the panels glitrered the arms of Garofa and Bazan.

This house within the walls was t!he Marquis of Castel-lo-Rotondo's, a 'hunting-box presented to his dear master

of the pheasantry by the king, and the carnage was to transport his daughter, lately made Countess of Garofa, on a little trip.

It was thus that, under the hood, tihe resuscitated Don C^sar begged charity of his startled cousin.

CHAPTER XV.

C^SAR AT AUCTION.

'j'ose was stupefied at confronting "Don Csesar in search of his wife," as he plumply announced himself.

It was not until after a pause that he faltered, while his visitor contemplated himself in the tall Venetian mirrors :

"You; is it you—not dead?"

"I am bearing into your presence the vital part of myself."

"But how was your life saved?"

"A string of miracles."

"But who?"

"Oh, I owe all to you, for saving me from the gibbet."

"But you were still under the fire of the soldiers?"

"Yes, I was under their fire, which still smells in my nostrils—that is quite true."

"I saw you led out to execution."

"I was led out martially and deferentially eve/L.'*

"And I heard the guns go off."

"I heard them, too," added the other, conrplacentlji "and at still closer hearing than your lordship,''

He patted his body tenderly.

"I have the bullets somewhere."

"Extracted from your person by a skixlfui surgeon?"

"No, extracted by a—a person in my confidence "

"But you fell?"

"Like the dead, for I could not hurt the soldiers' feelings by showing that no one had hit the mark at cuch close range!"

"Have I been cheated?"

'The Old Harry has. I can imagine him blotting- oufc the too-hasty entry of Garofa, Count Caesar, and appending : 'A httle later!' The illusion was perfect—it took in several good judges, including a dandy of a doctor and two or three penitent friars. For a space, I was as good—that is, as bad as dead, and thought that it was all up with my creditors, unless you paid them out of my scraps of fortune!"

Don Jose frowned. He was reflecting on who could have betrayed him. It was clear, from his brow not lightening, that he did not fix his suspicions on any one in particular. Lazarillo was not in the least under the ban.

'Caesar, having scrutinized the noom, took an easy-chair and began to nurse one of his feet, like a gouty alderman.

"There seems to be a junketing here? Music, flowers, fireworks, though where I came through I had a surfeit of fireworks."

Don Jose shuddered and snifTed brimstone.

"There is a festival, at which you are out of place. Da you not know you are in danger?"

"I am inured to dangers. I believe it suits my constitution."

"Oh, why did you drop in here?" stamping in annoyance.

"Hang it! When a fellow is the sport of fortune, he must be dropped somewhere when she gets tired of him."

"Oh, if I knew!" growled Jose, wringing his hands.

"Patiemsa, as the good monks of the Good Works say," observed the uninvited guest, slowly, throwing up the other foot on the other knee, and chafing it leisurely. "I am- going to tell you, for it is a relief to be able to discourse without haste, after playing mum-chance many hours. I v/as strolling about the country—^pretty rugged

out this way—when I spied a newly-painted carriage come along. 'Oho/ said I, 'another of those upstarts setting up a coach and pair. I wonder whom the king has given letters patent to?' But, judge of the jump I gave on seeing my own arms on the panel "

"Your arms?"

"Quartered with the Round Tower of that old derelict, the NParquis of Castello-Rotondo. I reasoned that, as it was not mine, but still of my family, I ought to see its destination. It stopped out there, at a miserable, sneaking back entrance for so sumptuous a turnout. I learned from an obliging footboy, whom I certainly shall recommend to his master or mistress for promotion, that it was the Countess of Bazan's equipage! She has taste! Of course, when a man finds his wife's coach at a gate, he is privileged to enter where she abides. Hence, my dropping in. On account of my garments having lost their gloss and being torn with thorns and sullied with smoke, I hesitate, for I am really timid, dear coz, to circulate in this gay mansion, but I must wish good-morning to my wife, and explain why I abruptly quitted her. iWhere is the countess, my fond kinsman, for I am pressed to disappear again, unless you are so much of the king's-man that you have called in that cursed edict anent the duelists."

"It stands." He drew a free breath, for it was plain that the man, with every appearance of a hunted one, had not heard of the pardon. "Before I can do anything for you, I ought to hear your plans for the future."

"To see my own lady, and her papa and mama, who will, no doubt, be in the skies to welcome me. I suppose this is her house, given by her parents. In that case, I am at home "

"You dreadnaught, you are everywhere at home,** sighed his relative.

"I am taking possession. I wonder if it is free of mortgage—eh? For I think I know a Lombard, in the Jewelers lane, who would lend fairly upon this."

Jose quivered with rage, which he dared not evince at this obstacle arising to oppose all his schemes. But the king was near, and it would have been pretty bold to send this man again to death while the royal pardon was lying on his breast. He was knitting his brow and wrestling with his disappointment, when the old marquis ambled into the room.