The chamber set apart for the Senor Don Estevan de Arechiza was
undoubtedly the best in the house; and, notwithstanding the little
progress that luxury has made in the state of Sonora, was furnished with
considerable elegance.
In this chamber Don Estevan found the Senator pacing to and fro, with an
air that bespoke him a prey to the most vivid emotions.
"Well, Senor Don Vicente!" began Arechiza, who appeared to make light of
the impatience of his _protege_, "what do you think of the daughter of
our host? have I exaggerated her beauty?"
"Oh, my friend!" exclaimed the Senator, with all that vivacity of
pantomimic gesture so characteristic of the South, "the reality far
exceeds the imagination. She is an angel! Even in our country, famous
for its beautiful women, Dona Rosarita is certainly loveliest of all."
"And richest too," added the Spaniard, with a smile.
"Who would have expected to find, in the middle of the desert, such an
accomplished beauty? such youthful freshness? Such charms were created
to shine in afar higher sphere?"
"At the court of a king, for instance," carelessly rejoined Arechiza.
"Oh! Senor Don Estevan!" again exclaimed the Senator in an earnest
voice, "do not keep me in suspense; the divine, the rich Dona Rosarita--
is it possible I am to have her for my wife?"
"One word from me, one promise from you, and the thing is done. I have
her father's word. Within fifteen days you may be the husband of his
daughter."
"Agreeable as easy."
"A little later you will be rich."
"No harm in that."
"Later still you will be a grand proprietor."
"Oh! it is magnificent. Carramba! Senor de Arechiza, it is a perfect
cataract of felicities to be lavished upon my head, it is a dream! it is
a dream!" shouted the Senator, as he strode to and fro across the floor.
"Lose no time then in making it a reality," replied Don Estevan.
"But is the time so pressing?" inquired the Senator, suddenly pausing in
his steps.
"Why this question? Is it possible to be too quick in obtaining
happiness?"
The Senator appeared thoughtful, and for a moment presented an aspect of
embarrassment, in strange contrast to his previous looks. He replied
after a pause--
"The fact is, Don Estevan, I am willing to marry an heiress whose
wealth, as is usually the case, would compensate for her ugliness. In
this case it is the very beauty of the lady that confuses me."
"Perhaps she does not please you!"
"On the contrary, so much happiness awes me. It appears to me, for a
reason which I cannot divine, that some sad disappointment lurks under
the seductive prospect."
"Ah! just as I expected," answered Don Estevan; "it is the human heart.
I knew you would make some objection of this kind, but I thought you
were more a man of the world than to trouble yourself about the past
with such a splendid fortune before you. Ah! my poor Despilfarro,"
added the Spaniard, with a laugh, "I thought you were more advanced."
"But why, Don Estevan?" inquired the Senator, intending to give a proof
of his high diplomatic capacity,--"why is it, _entre nous_, that you
desire to lavish this treasure of beauty--to say nothing of her grand
wealth--upon another, while you yourself--"
"While I myself might marry her," interrupted the Spaniard. "Is that
what you mean to say? Suppose I have no wish to get married. I had
that desire long ago, like the rest of the world. My history has been
like a great many others; that is, my sweetheart married another. It is
true I adopted the means to re--to console myself, and quickly too,"
added Arechiza, with a dark scowl. "But who do you think I am, Don
Vicente Tragaduros?"
"Who are you! why; Don Estevan de Arechiza, of course!"
"That does honour to your penetration," said the Spaniard, with a
disdainful smile. "Well, then, since I have already demanded the hand
of Dona Rosarita for the illustrious senator Tragaduros y Despilfarro,
of course I cannot now take his place."
"But why, senor, did you not make the demand on your own account?"
"Why, because, my dear friend, were this young lady three times as
beautiful, and three times as rich as she is, she would neither be
beautiful enough nor rich enough for me!"
Despilfarro started with astonishment.
"Eh! and who are you then, senor, may I ask in my turn?"
"Only, as you have said, Don Estevan Arechiza," coolly replied the
Spaniard.
The Senator made three or four turns across the room before he could
collect his thoughts; but in obedience to the distrust that had suddenly
sprung up within him, he resumed:
"There is something in all this I cannot explain, and when I can't
explain a thing I can't understand it."
"Good logic," exclaimed Don Estevan, in a tone of raillery, "but am I
really mistaken about you, my dear Senator? I did you the honour to
believe you above certain prejudices; and even if there was anything in
the past life of the beautiful Rosarita--for instance, any prejudice to
be trampled under foot--is a million of dowry, besides three millions of
expectation, nothing in your eyes?"
Don Estevan put this question for the purpose of sounding the morality
of the man, or rather to try the strength of a tool, which he meant to
make use of.
Despilfarro returned no reply.
"Now, then, I await your answer," said Don Estevan, after a pause,
appearing to take pleasure in the Senator's embarrassment.
"Upon my word, Don Estevan," replied Despilfarro, "you are cruel to
mystify one in this manner. I--I--Carramba! it is very embarrassing."
Don Estevan interrupted him. This hesitation on the part of Despilfarro
told the Spaniard what he wished to know. An ironical smile played upon
his lips, and laying aside his pleasantry, he resumed in a serious tone:
"Listen to me, Tragaduros! It would be unworthy of a gentleman to
continue longer this badinage where a lady's reputation is concerned. I
can assure you, then, that the past life of the Dona Rosarita is without
a stain."
The Senator breathed freely.
"And now," continued Don Estevan, "it is necessary that you give me your
full confidence, and I will set you an example by giving mine with a
perfect frankness: the success of the noble cause I have embraced
depends upon it. First, then, hear who I am. Arechiza is only a
borrowed appellation. As to my real name--which you shall soon know--I
made oath in my youth, that no woman, however rich or beautiful, should
share it with me; therefore, now that my hair is grey do you think that
I should be likely to break the oath I have so long kept? Although a
wife, such as I propose for you, may ofttimes be a stepping-stone to
ambition, she is oftener an obstacle."
As he said this, Don Estevan rose, and in his turn paced the floor with
an agitated air. Some traces of distrust were still perceptible upon
the countenance of the Senator--they were noticed by him.
"You wish for a more precise explanation?" said he; "you shall have it."
The Spaniard approached the window and closed the shutters--as if
fearful that their conversation might be heard outside. He then sat
down again, and requested the Senator to be seated near him.
Tragaduros watched him with a lively curiosity, at the same time
lowering his eyes whenever they met the fiery glances of the Spaniard.
The latter appeared suddenly to become transformed, as if looking
grander and nobler.
"Now, Senor Senator!" began he, "I am going to make known to you some
secrets sufficient to turn your head."
The Senator trembled.
"When the tempter carried the Son of Man to the top of a mountain, and
promised him all the kingdoms of the earth if he would fall down and
worship him, he scarce offered him more than I am offering to the
Senator of Arispe. As the tempter, then, I lay at your feet honours,
power, and riches, if you will subscribe to my conditions."
The solemnity of this exordium, and the imposing manner of Don Estevan,
following so closely upon the jocular mien he had hitherto exhibited,
made a painful impression upon the mind of the Senator. There was a
short moment in which he regretted being so _advanced_ in his opinions,
and during this time the great dowry of Rosarita and her rosy lips had
but slight prestige for him.
"It is now twenty years," continued the Spaniard, "since I took up my
real vocation in the world. Previous to that time, I believed myself
made for domestic life, and indulged in those absurd dreams of love
natural to young hearts. An illusion soon destroyed--an evil hour--an
accident showed me the deception; and I found out that I was made for
ambition--nothing more. I have therefore sought for glory and honour to
satisfy my desires, and I have won them. I have conquered the right to
stand uncovered in the presence of the king of Spain. Chevalier of the
Order of Saint James of the Sword, I have taken part in the royal
ceremonies of the _white cloak and red sword_; and I may say that for me
fame has been no idle illusion. Chevalier also of Carlos the Third, I
have shared with the royal princes the title of the Grand Cross. I have
won successively the Order of Saint Ferdinand, of Saint Hermengildo, and
the Golden Fleece of Calatrava. These honours, although coveted by all,
were for me but sterile consolations."
This enumeration, made without the slightest show of ostentation, caused
the Senator to regard the speaker with an air of respectful
astonishment. Don Estevan continued:
"Wealth followed close upon these honours. Rich _appanages_, added to
the fortune I derived from my ancestors, soon left far behind me, the
time when, as a simple cadet of my family, I was worth nothing but my
sword. Now I was rich, opulent, and--will I tell you?--I was still far
from being content. My efforts continued; and I was made Comte de
Villamares, and afterwards Duke de Armada--"
"Oh! Senor Duke," interrupted Despilfarro, in a humble voice, "permit
me--but--I--"
"I have not yet finished," calmly continued the Spaniard; "when you have
heard all, you will no longer doubt my words. Notwithstanding your
mistrust, senor, I am still nothing more than the secret agent of a
prince, and I desire to remain in your eyes, as ever, the simple
gentleman Don Estevan de Arechiza--nothing more. It is necessary,
however, that this distrust of me should not manifest itself again; for
since you are presently to know the object which I am pursuing, you will
be privy to my most secret thoughts."
The Senator continued to listen in the most respectful silence.
"As I have said, then, I followed ambition for twenty years for its own
sake; or to speak more truly, I passed twenty years of my life to
destroy a painful souvenir, at the same time that I was pursuing the
path to fame. I fancied that in the middle of a turbulent life, this
souvenir would in time be effaced from my memory. The favourite of a
prince, the expectant heir to one of the first thrones in Christendom--
elevated to the highest places of power--wealth prodigally lavished upon
me--I hoped to be able to forget that terrible souvenir. Vain hope!"
added the speaker in a solemn voice: "Alas! Nothing can banish remorse.
The bloody sword of Saint James was no idle symbol in my hands; for
remorse lends to ambition a fearful activity--like a voice continually
crying, `On--on forever!'"
Don Estevan paused, and for a time remained silent, during which the
Senator regarded him with a timid look, at the same time admiring the
imposing and solemn dignity of his countenance.
"But where to go on?" continued the speaker; "what object to follow
next? Into what new course might I precipitate this torrent of ambition
that was boiling within me? At length a new incident offered itself,
and gave me a fresh opportunity for action--an opportunity to strive and
combat--for in my case, to struggle and fight is to forget.
"In all likelihood you have scarce heard of our political troubles, Don
Vicente? I am aware that all the kingdoms of Europe might be shaken to
their bases, without your knowing anything of the matter, in this out of
the way corner of the world. Well, then, I shall make known to you what
occurred.
"It is now about two years since the king of Spain--by a total violation
of the Salic law, hitherto observed by all his ancestors--violently cut
off the succession to the throne in the person of his brother Don
Carlos; and by this act kindled the fires of civil war throughout the
kingdom. The Infanta Isabella was declared heiress to the crown, to the
exclusion of her uncle, the legal heir. This prince it was of whom I
spoke, and who is my august patron and protector. I did everything in
my power to assuage the mortal grief that this unexpected event
naturally caused to the man, whom I above all others have reason to
esteem.
"Amidst the consolations which I offered him, and the plans which I
proposed, one design of a gigantic nature offered itself to my
imagination. True, it presented the prospect of countless dangers, and
obstacles almost insurmountable; but for this very reason I adopted it.
"My dream, then, is to conquer for my master a kingdom as vast as the
one of which he has been wrongfully deprived; to restore to him one of
the brightest jewels of that Transatlantic crown, which his ancestors
once so gloriously wore. I dream of conquering a kingdom--and that
kingdom once conquered, I, a simple gentleman, intend to present it to
the true heir of the Spanish monarchy--Don Carlos de Bourbon!
"Now, do you believe, Senor Senator, that Don Estevan de Arechiza has
the power to bestow upon others, and without regretting it, the beauty
and wealth of the daughter of a Mexican haciendado?"
The Spaniard pronounced these last words with an air of proud
tranquillity, and then remained silent, awaiting their effect upon his
listener.