These men were guerilleros: a sentry17 half asleep, leaning on his lance, and with his back against the wall, was supposed to be watching the arms of the cuadrilla, arranged in a file. Under the portello, a man seated in a hammock, was desperately18 strumming a jarana, while singing in a ropy voice the languishingly19 amorous20 words of a triste. A fat little man, with grey eyes full of motion, and a mocking countenance21, came out of the venta and approached the hammock.
"Se?or don Felipe," he said with a respectful bow to the improvised22 musician; "will you not dine?"
"Se?or ventero," the officer answered roughly "when you speak to me, you might, I think, be more respectful toward me, and give me the title to which I have a right—that is to say, call me Colonel."
"Excuse me, Excellency," the host replied with a deeper bow than the first; "I am a ventero, and very little acquainted with military ranks."
"That will do—you are excused! I will not dine yet, for I am expecting someone who has not yet arrived, but will be here shortly."
"That is certainly very unfortunate, se?or coronel don Felipe," the ventero remarked; "a dinner that I have prepared with so much care, will be entirely23 spoiled."
"That would be a misfortune; but what is to be done? Well, lay the table, I have waited long enough, and have too formidable an appetite to delay any longer."
The landlord bowed, and at once retired24. In the meanwhile the guerillero had made up his mind to leave his hammock, and lay aside his jarana for the present. After rolling and lighting25 a husk cigarette, he carelessly walked a few paces towards the end of the portello, and with his arms crossed on his back, and cigarette in his mouth, surveyed the country. A horseman, enfolded in a dense26 cloud of dust raised by his rapid pace, was coming toward him. Don Felipe uttered a cry of joy, for he was certain that the horseman coming toward him was the person he had so long been expecting.
"Ouf!" the traveller said, stopping his horse short before the portello and leaping off; "I could not stand it any longer, válgame Dios; what a horrible heat!"
At a sign from the colonel, a soldier took the horse and led it to the corral.
"Ah, se?or don Diego, you are welcome," said the colonel, as he offered his hand; "I have almost despaired of seeing you. Dinner is waiting for us: after such a ride, you must be almost dead of hunger."
The ventero introduced them into a retired cuarto. The two guests sat down to table and vigorously attacked the dishes placed before them. During the first part of the dinner, being fully27 occupied with satisfying the claims of an appetite sharpened by a long abstinence, they only interchanged a few words; but ere long their ardour was calmed, they threw themselves back on their butacas with an "ah" of satisfaction, lit their cigarettes and began smoking them, while sipping28 some excellent Catalu?a refino which the host had brought as the wind up of the dinner.
"There," don Diego said, "now that we have fed well—thanks be to Heaven and Saint Julian, the patron saint of travellers—suppose we talk a little, my dear Colonel."
"I am quite ready," the other answered with a crafty29 smile.
"Well," don Diego continued, "I will tell that I spoke30 yesterday to the general about an affair which I intended to propose to you, and what do you think his answer was? Do not do, my dear don Diego; in spite of his great talents, don Felipe is an ass31 imbued32 with the most absurd prejudices, he would not understand the great patriotic33 purpose of the affair you proposed to him, he would only see the money and refuse with a laugh in your face, although certainly twenty-five thousand piastres are a very handsome sum; and he added in conclusion—well, since you have made an appointment with him, go and see him; if only for the singularity of the fact, you had better see. Now, if you think proper to mention the affair to him, he will shut your mouth and send you and your twenty-five thousand piastres to the deuce."
"Hum!" said the colonel, to whom the amount caused serious reflection.
Don Diego examined him with a corner of his eye.
"Well," he continued, as he threw away his cigarette, "after due consideration, I am of the general's opinion, and will not talk to you about the matter."
"Ah!" the colonel said again.
"It annoys me, I confess, but I must make up my mind to it; I will go and find Cuéllar, perhaps he will not be so difficult to deal with."
"Cuéllar is a scoundrel," don Felipe exclaimed violently.
"I am well aware of it," don Diego replied gently; "but what do I care for that? By giving him ten thousand piastres beforehand, I am certain that he will accept my proposition, which has the additional advantage of being very honourable34."
The colonel filled the glasses: he seemed absorbed in thought. "Confound it," he said, "that is a tidy sum you offer."
"Well, you understand, my dear sir, that I am not the man to ask any friend of mine to undertake such a job gratuitously35."
"But Cuéllar is no friend of yours."
"It is true, and that is why I feel sorry about applying to him."
"But what is the matter to be done?"
"It is a secret."
"Am I not your friend? Be assured that I will be as dumb as the grave."
Don Diego appeared to reflect.
"You promise me silence?"
"I swear it on my honour."
"Well, in that case, nothing prevents me from speaking. This is simply the matter: I shall tell you nothing new, Colonel, when I mention that numerous spies, seeing both causes at once, sell without scruple36 to Miramón the secrets of our military operations, just as they make us pay largely for the information they supply us about those of the enemy. Now, the government of his Excellency, don Benito Juárez, has, at this moment, his eyes open upon the machinations of two men, who are strongly suspected of playing a double part; but the individuals in question are gifted with such a remarkable37 talent, their measures are so well taken, that, in spite of the moral certainty existing against them, it has hitherto been impossible to obtain the slightest proof of the truth. These two men must be unmasked by seizing their papers, on the delivery of which fifteen thousand piastres will be immediately paid, in addition to the ten thousand advanced. Once that the general governor has these proofs in his hands, he will not hesitate to bring them before a court-martial. You see that this affair is honourable to the person who is willing to undertake it."
"Indeed, it is a meritorious38 act of patriotism39 to acquire this certainty: and who are the two men, pray?"
"Did I not mention their names?"
"That is the only thing you have forgotten."
"Oh! These are no ordinary persons—quite the contrary: the first has just been appointed private secretary to General Ortega, while the second, I believe, has very recently raised a cuadrilla at his own expense."
"But their names—their names?"
"You know them well, or, at least, I suppose so; the first is don Antonio Cacerbar, and the second—"
"Don Melchior de la Cruz!" don Felipe interrupted, eagerly.
"You know it!" don Diego exclaimed, with perfectly well-acted surprise.
"The sudden elevation40 of these two men, the almost unlimited41 credit which they enjoy with the President, has also caused me to reflect, for no one understands this so sudden favour."
"Hence, certain persons consider it necessary to elucidate42 the question by assuring themselves in a positive manner about what these two men are."
"Well," don Felipe exclaimed, "I will know it! I promise you, and will give you the proofs you require."
"You will do that?"
"Yes, I swear it! The more so because I consider it the duty of an honest man to take these rogues43 with their hand in the bag; and," he added, with a singular smile, "no one possesses the means to obtain the result better than I."
"I trust you may not be mistaken, Colonel, for, if this were to happen, I think I may assure you that the gratitude44 of the government toward you will not be limited to the sum of which I am going to hand you a portion."
Don Felipe smiled proudly at this transparent allusion45 to the new rank of which he was ambitious.
Don Diego, without appearing to remark the smile, took from a large pocketbook a sheet of paper, and handed it to the guerillero, who seized it with a gesture of delight, and an expression of satisfied rapacity46, which imparted something vile47 and contemptible48 to his features, which were generally handsome and rather regular. This paper was a draft for ten thousand piastres, payable49 at sight on a large English banking50 house in Veracruz. Don Diego rose.
"Are you going?" the colonel asked him.
"Yes; I am sorry to be compelled to leave you."
"We shall meet again soon, se?or don Diego."
The young man remounted his horse, and went off at a rapid pace.
"Ah!" he muttered, while galloping51, "I think that this time the mousetrap is well set, and that the villains52 will be caught in it."
The colonel had reseated himself in his hammock, and had begun to strum the jarana again, with more power than accuracy.
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1
burnished
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| adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光 | |
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2
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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3
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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4
pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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5
tortuous
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| adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的 | |
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arid
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| adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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cascade
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| n.小瀑布，喷流；层叠；vi.成瀑布落下 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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9
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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10
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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crudity
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| n.粗糙，生硬；adj.粗略的 | |
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12
ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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14
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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15
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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17
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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18
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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19
languishingly
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| 渐渐变弱地，脉脉含情地 | |
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20
amorous
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| adj.多情的；有关爱情的 | |
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21
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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22
improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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23
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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24
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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25
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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26
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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28
sipping
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
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29
crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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30
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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31
ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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32
imbued
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| v.使（某人/某事）充满或激起（感情等）( imbue的过去式和过去分词 )；使充满；灌输；激发（强烈感情或品质等） | |
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33
patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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34
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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35
gratuitously
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| 平白 | |
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36
scruple
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| n./v.顾忌，迟疑 | |
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37
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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38
meritorious
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| adj.值得赞赏的 | |
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39
patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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40
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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41
unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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42
elucidate
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| v.阐明，说明 | |
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43
rogues
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| n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 )；无赖；调皮捣蛋的人；离群的野兽 | |
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44
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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45
allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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46
rapacity
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| n.贪婪，贪心，劫掠的欲望 | |
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47
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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48
contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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49
payable
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| adj.可付的，应付的，有利益的 | |
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50
banking
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| n.银行业，银行学，金融业 | |
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51
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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52
villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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