A MIRACULOUS CURE.
Tcharanguii had returned to Garakouaïti, with orders to fetch
reinforcements for the Molucho army, which, under Tahi-Mari's orders,
had seized by surprise Valdivia and Concepción, and was advancing on
Talca. The young chief had been delighted at this mission, which gave
him an opportunity for seeing again his two captives, with whom he was
so struck. Hence, after explaining to the council the motive of his
presence in the city, he hastened to seek the Sayotkatta to whom he had
entrusted them. But the latter, on learning the return of the young
Indian chief, proceeded to Mahiaa to warn her and recommend her silence
about the active part which she had taken in the attempted conversion
of the young ladies. Mahiaa promised to remain dumb, and informed the
old man of the arrival of Cari-Lemon the Jagouas, whose knowledge might
be useful in re-establishing the health of the prisoners.
The Sayotkatta thanked the Indian squaw for her devotion, and begged
her to send the Jagouas of the Huiliches to him. Meli-Antou himself
promised to bring him to the palace as soon as he came in again.
After this the Sayotkatta, henceforth at rest, awaited the visit of
Tcharanguii, for which he had nerved himself.
At the first words which the chief uttered as to the lively desire he
felt to see his prisoners, the old man replied that, for the sake of
guarding them more effectually, he had removed them to the Palace of
the Vestals until they were restored to their legitimate owner.
"My father will promptly deliver them into my hands, then," Tcharanguii
said, "for they belong to me alone."
"My son," the high priest continued, "my heart is filled with
affliction, but I cannot satisfy my son's just demand, for the maidens
whom he confided to my charge have been sorely tried by Chemiin, who
has sent on them the scourge of illness."
"Is their life menaced?" the young chief exclaimed.
"Gualichu alone holds in his hand the existence of his creatures;
but still I believe that the danger may be avoided. I am awaiting an
illustrious Jagouas, belonging to the Huiliche tribe, who, by the help
of his knowledge, may restore strength and health to the slaves whom my
son won from the barbarous Spaniards."
Tcharanguii, on hearing this bad news, had not been able to repress a
movement of annoyance, which seemed to show that he was not entirely
the Sayotkatta's dupe, and suspected what had really happened. Still,
either through respect or a fear of being mistaken in his suppositions,
he constrained himself, and contented himself with begging the old man
to neglect nothing to save his captives, adding that he would know how
to display his gratitude to him for the attention which he might pay
them.
At this very moment Leon entered, accompanied by Meli-Antou. The
Sayotkatta looked at him with close scrutiny, and made him undergo a
cross-examination precisely like Meli-Antou's. His answers satisfied
the high priest, for a few minutes after he led him away to the
Jouimion Faré, to examine into the illness of the señoras, while
Meli-Antou and Tcharanguii followed them.
Leon's heart was beating with the most violent emotion, and heavy drops
of perspiration stood on his forehead. The critical position in which
he found himself was, indeed, of a nature to cause him lively anxiety.
He was not at all afraid about retaining his own coolness and stoicism
in the presence of the young ladies, for he had too great an interest
in not betraying himself to lack the strength of remaining his own
master; whatever might happen.
But what he feared above all was the effect which his presence might
produce on the señoras if they recognised him at the first glance, or
when he made himself known, for it was indispensable for the success of
the stratagem which he wished to employ that the young ladies should
know with whom they had to deal.
In the meanwhile they had arrived; the four men saw the palace gates
open before them; but so soon as they had entered a large room, which,
through the absence of all furniture, might be compared to a vestibule,
Tcharanguii received orders to remain there with Meli-Antou, while the
Sayotkatta and Leon proceeded to visit the captives. As we said, all
the Indians, except the Sayotkatta, were interdicted from entering the
residence of the Virgins of the Sun; still one person--the medicine
man--was of course an exception to the rule.
Following the Sayotkatta, then, Leon crossed a long courtyard, entirely
paved with brick, and going up a few steps, found himself in a small
building entirely separate from the main building in which were the
Virgins of the Sun.
In a hammock of cocoa fibre, suspended from two golden rings at about
eighteen inches from the ground, a maiden was lying, whose excessively
pale face bore the stamp of great sorrow. It was Doña Inez de
Soto-Mayor. By her side stood her sister Maria, with her arms folded on
her chest, and her eyes, full of her state of despondency, proved that
she had for a long time abandoned all hopes of emerging from the prison
in which she was confined, and that the illness had also assailed her.
This room, which received no light from without, was merely illumined
by a torch fixed in a bracket in the wall, and whose vacillating flame
cast a sickly reflection over the persons present. At the sight of the
two men, Maria gave a start of terror. Leon turned to his guide.
"Chemiin alone is powerful, for his skill supports the world," he said.
"Ghialichu inspires me; but I must be alone in order to read on the
face of the sufferers the nature of their malady."
The Sayotkatta hesitated for a moment, and then left the room. Leon
rushed to the door, fastened it on the inside, and returned to Maria,
who, more and more terrified, was crouching in a corner.
"Maria! it is I--I, Leon, who has come to save you--"
A cry escaped from the maiden's breast.
"Silence," said the smuggler; "perhaps he is listening."
Inez was awake, and looking at this scene, whose meaning escaped her.
"You, Leon?" Maria at length said, as she cast her arms round the young
man's neck. "Oh, thank heaven! thanks!"
"For mercy's sake, listen to me! The moments are precious."
"Oh! take me away, if you love me! Take me away at once!"
"Soon."
"Oh, sir," Inez said, in her turn, "save me, and my father will reward
you."
Leon smiled, and looked at Maria, who raised to him her lovely eyes,
radiant with joy and love.
"My father--where is he?" she asked him. "My sister reminds me that we
left him in the midst of the contest."
"He is in safety, so calm yourself."
Footsteps were heard approaching the room in which the young people
were assembled.
"Someone is coming," said Leon; "take care."
"But what must we do?" Maria asked.
"Wait, and have confidence."
"What! you are going away?"
"I shall return. Once again, hope and patience."
"Leon, if you do not save us, we shall die."
"Oh yes, Señor Captain, have pity on us," Inez added.
Maria's curls grazed Leon's lips, who felt his soul pass away in the
kiss which he gave them.
"Whatever happens, whatever you may hear, trust in me, for I am
watching."
"Thanks."
The footsteps had stopped after drawing nearer still; Leon opened the
door, and without uttering a syllable, passed before the Sayotkatta,
displaying marks of the greatest agitation, and ran toward the
vestibule, making incomprehensible gestures. The maidens asked
themselves whether they were not the sport of a dream, while the
Sayotkatta was dumb with surprise.
Closing the door again, he followed Leon, but as if he did not
dare approach him. At the moment when he entered the room in which
Meli-Antou and Tcharanguii were waiting, Leon had rejoined the latter,
and still seemed possessed by thought which absorbed him.
"Well, brother?" the two Indians said. "Speak," the Sayotkatta added;
"what is the matter with you?"
"The sons of Chemiin must arm themselves with courage," Leon slowly
answered.
"What does my son mean?" the old man resumed.
"Mayoba has seized on these women, and from this night the evil spirit
will smite all those who approach them; for the learning which Gualichu
has given me has enabled me to assure myself of the malign influences
which they can exert."
The three Indians, credulous like all of their race, fell back a step;
and Leon still continued apparently to wrestle against the influence of
Mayoba.
"What must be done to deliver them?" Tcharanguii asked.
"All strength and wisdom come from Gualichu," said Leon. "I ask my
father, the Sayotkatta, to let me pass this night in prayer in the
Chemiin sona."
The Indians exchanged a glance of admiration.
"Be it as my son desires," the Sayotkatta answered.
"Until tomorrow, let no one approach the Spanish women, and Gualichu
will grant my prayer by indicating to me the remedy to be applied."
The men bowed their assent, and left the palace with Leon. On arriving
in front of the Temple of the Sun, Tcharanguii and Meli-Antou parted,
and the Sayotkatta led Leon into the interior.
"Tomorrow, after morning prayer, I will let my father know the will of
Gualichu."
"I will wait, my son," the old man said; and, leaving Leon alone, he
retired.
In order to make our readers properly understand the confidence with
which the Indians accepted Leon's statements, it is necessary to add
that, in these countries, soothsayers are regarded as the favourites
of the Deity, and enjoying an unlimited supernatural power. And it
must not be supposed that the lower classes are alone imbued with this
opinion: the chief of the warriors, and the priests themselves, though
they do not grant them such an absolute power, recognise a marked
superiority over themselves.
Leon passed the whole night in arranging in his mind the details of the
plan which he had formed to rescue the two maidens. The next morning
he paid a visit in the company of the Sayotkatta to them, in which
he acquired the certainty that Inez could without danger support the
fatigue of being removed from the Palace of the Vestals. In fact, the
Niña, who had suddenly recovered the hope which had abandoned her,
found the illness which was undermining her health dissipated as if by
enchantment. As for Maria, the captain's presence had given her more
than hope, in the unlimited confidence resulting from reciprocated love.
As on the previous day, Leon was careful to remain alone with the young
ladies, and begged them to hold themselves in readiness to quit the
Jouimion Faré. As on the previous day, too, Tcharanguii and Meli-Antou
anxiously awaited in the first room the result of the visit, where Leon
found them, and the young chief questioned him as to the state of the
patients. He pretended to reflect for a moment, and then replied--
"My brother Tcharanguii is a great chief, and the palefaces tremble at
his appearance; his heart can rejoice, for his captives will soon be
delivered from the wicked spirit."
"Is my son speaking the truth?" the Sayotkatta asked, as he tried
to read in the countenance of the false medicine man the degree of
confidence that he could place in his words.
"I am a simple man, whose strength resides in the protection which
Gualichu grants me, and it is he who has revealed to me the means of
restoring health to those who are suffering."
The Sayotkatta bowed submissively, and invited Leon to let him know
what he ought to do.
"Matai!" Leon answered; "on the coming of the third day following the
present one, so soon as Iskarre spreads abroad his beneficent light, my
brother, the young chief of the Jaos, will take the skin of a llama,
which my father, the venerated Sayotkatta of the Moluchos, will kill
in the interval, and bless in the name of Chemiin. He will spread out
this skin on a mound which I will show him, and which must exist in the
vicinity of the city, so that Mayoba, on leaving the maidens, cannot
enter any person belonging to Garakouaïti; after which he will lead the
two captives to the spot where the skin is stretched out."
"But," the Sayotkatta interrupted, "one of them is unable to leave the
hammock in which her body reposes."
"The wisdom of my father dwells in each of his words; but Gualichu has
given the strength to her whom he wishes to save to leave her bed."
For a second time the Sayotkatta yielded to the subtlety of these
unanswerable arguments.
"That done," Leon continued, "he will select four of his bravest
warriors to help him to guard the captives through the night; and then,
after I have given my brother, as well as the men who accompany him, a
drink to protect them against all evil influences, I will expel Mayoba,
who is torturing the paleface squaws."
Meli-Antou and Tcharanguii listened in silence, while the Sayotkatta
seemed to reflect; Leon noticed this, and hastened to add--
"Although Gualichu assists me, and allows me to triumph over the wicked
spirit, it is necessary that my brother and the four warriors whom he
selects should pass the night preceding the cure in the Chemiin sona,
and deliver to the wise Sayotkatta twenty brood mares which have not
yet foaled, that they may be sacrificed to Gualichu. Will my brother do
this?"
"If I do it, will my prisoners be restored to me?" Tcharanguii
objected, with a certain hesitation.
"The Spanish girls will not only be restored to my brother, but they
will also feel the most lively gratitude to him. If he refuse, they
will die."
"I will do it," Tcharanguii said, quickly.
"My son is a wise man," remarked the Sayotkatta, whose forehead grew
clearer when Leon mentioned the gift of the mares; "Gualichu protects
him."
"My father is too kind," Leon contented himself with answering with a
feigned humility, while rejoicing in his heart at seeing the plan he
had conceived so facilely accepted by the Indian.
Nothing could be more simple than this plan, which consisted in
carrying off the maidens when they were on the hillock whence, a few
days previously, he and Wilhelm had seen for the first time the walls
of Garakouaïti. It was the sole chance of success possible, for he
could not dream of carrying them off from the Jouimion Faré, and even
admitting that Tahi-Mari had been willing to use his authority over the
chief of the Jaos, by forcing him to restore his prisoners to liberty,
Leon could not have recourse to him, as he was fighting far away from
the holy city.
The delay of three days fixed by Leon before attempting his plan was
necessary to give Wilhelm time to find Giacomo and return with him
and the band commanded by Harrison to the spot where the captain had
metamorphosed himself into an Indian.
These three days were employed in visits to the young ladies and
prayers in the Temple of the Sun.
Still the time seemed long to the captain and the daughters of General
Soto-Mayor, who continually trembled lest some fortuitous circumstances
might derange their plan. On the last day, Leon, as usual, was
conversing with Maria, recommending her passive obedience, when he
heard a peculiar rustling at the door of the room in which the young
ladies were. Immediately reassuming his borrowed face, he opened the
door, and found himself face to face with the Sayotkatta, who recoiled
with the promptness of a man caught in the act of spying. Had he heard
what they had been saying in Spanish? Leon did not think so, still he
considered it prudent to keep on his guard.
The night at length arrived. The young ladies, each carried in a
hammock borne on the shoulders of powerful Indians, were taken to
the hillock, which Leon had pointed out on the previous day to
Tcharanguii, and deposited on the llama skin stretched out upon it.
Leon made Tcharanguii a sign to post as sentries the four men who had
carried the maidens. Then, after uttering a few mysterious sentences,
and burning a handful of odoriferous herbs, he ordered the Indians and
their chief to kneel down and implore Agriskoui.
During this time he looked down into the city, striving to see if
anything extraordinary were happening in it. So soon as he was assured
that all was calm, and that the deepest silence prevailed in the city,
he rose to his feet.
"Let my brother listen to me," he said; "I am going to compel Mayoba to
retire from the bodies of the palefaced squaws."
At this moment Maria and Inez gave a start of terror, but Leon did not
appear to notice it.
"My brothers will come hither!" he commanded. The four sentries
advanced with a hesitation which threatened to degenerate into terror
at the slightest movement on the part of the smuggler.
"I am going to pray; but in order to prevent Mayoba from assailing you
when he quits the maidens, drink this firewater which Gualichu has
endowed with the virtue of causing those who drink it to resist the
assaults of the evil spirit, and then return each of you to your place."
At the words "firewater," the Indians quivered, and their eyes sparkled
with greed. Leon poured them out, as well as Tcharanguii, half a
calabash of spirits, amply doctored with opium, which they swallowed at
a draught.
"Now, on your knees, all of you!" said Leon.
The Indians obeyed. He alone remained on his feet, holding out his
right hand in the direction of the East, and with the other making
a gesture commanding Mayoba to obey his authority. A minute after he
changed his posture, and began turning round, while making an evocation.
Half an hour had passed, and during this time one of the Indians had
fallen with his face on the ground, as if prostrating himself through
humility. Another followed his example, and Tcharanguii imitated him.
In a word, the five men were soon all in the same position. Then Leon
slightly touched with his foot the man nearest to him, and rolled him
over on his side. The opium had thrown him into such a lethargy, that
he could have been stripped without waking him. He did the same with
the other four, who were equally stupefied by the opium. Then, suddenly
turning to the young ladies, who were awaiting the close of this scene
with ever-growing anxiety,
"Let us go," he said. "Collect all your strength and follow me, for it
is a matter of life or death."
Taking a pistol in either hand, he went down the hillock, preceding
Inez and Maria, and ran with them in the direction of the forest. On
reaching its skirt they stopped, for the young ladies, exhausted with
fatigue, felt that they could go no farther. Leon did not press them,
but making them a signal to listen, he imitated with rare perfection
the cry of an eagle of the Cordilleras, which he repeated twice. Within
a minute, which seemed an hour to the smuggler, the same cry answered
him. A quarter of an hour did not elapse ere sixty riders, having
Wilhelm and Harrison at their head, debouched from the forest and
surrounded the captain and the young ladies, whom they lifted on their
saddles.
"Saved! great Heavens!" Leon exclaimed; "they are saved!"
At the same moment a flash crossed the horizon, a whistling was heard,
and a bullet broke the branch of a tree a couple of feet from the
captain.
"The Indians!" Leon exclaimed; "we must gallop, my lads."