TREACHERY.
An hour later, when the Governor came out of the council-chamber and was
entering his own private room, he looked ten years older. At this
moment Carlo rushed into the room and threw himself at his father's
feet.
Don Estevan looked much surprised, and the papers he held in his hand
shook visibly.
'Father, you cannot mean it!' cried the Governor's only son, 'say it is
not true! There is yet time: the messengers have not yet started. I
beseech you think better of it. I heard everything.'
'You heard everything? What do you mean, you insolent boy!' cried the
Marquis, angrily; 'you were not in the council-chamber. Get up, Carlo;
what is done is done for the best.'
'No, no, it cannot be for the best to betray this island. The stratagem
you have suggested is unworthy of you; it cannot be true that Don
Estevan del Campo will allow those villains to take this fortress
without so much as a blow!'
Poor Carlo was beside himself with grief; he had indeed heard only too
much from his hiding-place. The Governor had entirely lost his head,
and was unable to make up his mind to fight the dreaded buccaneers; and
now that he had found out their real number, and the number of their
ships, he could think of nothing but temporising with them. He had
forced the council to agree to send two messengers to Henry Morgan with
these terms: They were to say that, feeling himself quite unable to hold
the island against such a body of desperate men as Captain Morgan had
with him, the Marquis begged the Captain to use a certain stratagem of
war in order to make it appear to the people that the place was taken in
honest fight. Captain Morgan was, according to this plan, to come at
night to the bridge which divided the two islands, and here he was to
attack Fort St. Jerome. In the meanwhile the pirate ships were to
approach as near as possible to Santa Teresa and attack it from the sea;
also at the same time to land a body of men at a place hard by, called
St. Matthew. Here the Governor was to be intercepted on his way to Fort
Jerome, taken prisoner, and forced to give up the keys of the castles of
Santa Teresa and St. Jerome, and the possession of these two strong
places would virtually mean that of the whole island. There was to be a
feint, much firing on both sides, but no bullets were to be used;
moreover, they were to fire in the air, to make sure of no one being
killed on either side.
This was the shameful plan of surrender that Carlo had heard his father
propose, and not only propose but enforce on the majority of the men
composing the council; though Don Francisco de Paratta and a few others
had firmly refused to give their consent to such a base affair.
The Marquis also knew that Carlo, young as he was, was too bold and
fearless ever to give in his obedience to this idea, and for this reason
he had had him shut out from the deliberations. He was therefore all
the more indignant and angry when Carlo declared he had heard
everything, and his burst of indignation was terrible to witness.
'You forget your position and mine,' said the unhappy Marquis in a
passion. 'What can you know, Carlo, of the defences of the island? How
can I consent to a general massacre of my garrisons, when by this simple
means we shall avoid all loss? And in a few days these wild robbers will
leave the island for other more profitable fields, and--but why should I
explain my reasons to you? What business had you to be eavesdropping?
Is that the conduct to be expected from my son?'
Carlo did not seem to hear his father's personal abuse; his mind was
bent on averting the terrible blot which, if this plan were carried out,
must come on his father's name. However secret these negotiations might
now be kept, sooner or later they would become known, and the name Carlo
was so proud to bear would be for ever dishonoured.
'Let me go and stop the canoe; or if it is gone, Andreas can easily
overtake the messengers. Father, be angry with me, do anything; but do
not let us sell our honour!'
The Marquis was now in a worse passion than ever with his son who dared
to speak the truth to him.
'Carlo, you shall not speak so! you forget yourself. Go from my
presence at once, sir, and consider yourself a prisoner on parole. Do
not leave your sister's dwelling-room till I give you leave; and
remember, if you disobey I shall have to show my son that he cannot
break my rules with impunity.'
Carlo turned away, convinced now that his father could only be obstinate
and firm in the wrong place. Covering his face with his hands, the brave
boy sobbed as if his heart would break. He had dreamt of honour and
glorious deeds, and these dreams had only ended in a story of shame.
Going to his own room, he gazed down on the glorious tropical gardens
and woods of his beloved home, and caught sight of the Governor's canoe
starting off with two men in her carrying the fatal message. The clock
struck; the two hours allowed by the pirates were sped, and the Island
of St. Catherine was as good as taken by Henry Morgan and his thousand
men.
How long Carlo remained sunk in deep despondency, with now and then
interludes of sudden impotent rage, he did not heed. He knew that the
sham attack would not take place till night, for evil deeds hate
daylight, and there was a long time yet before sundown. But, alas! all
the need for exertion was gone, all the motive for brave resistance was
taken away.
'I will not be included in the treaty, however,' he thought suddenly.
'I have spoken against it, and I will use my bullets and my sword as a
good and honourable soldier should do.' Then, suddenly, the idea of
danger for his sister and Etta entered his head. Tales of captivity
endured by women and children when they fell into the pirates' hands
crowded into his head. How could he trust his father now? Certainly he
must be losing his mind: this was the only charitable way of looking at
his conduct. If this were the case, the welfare of Felipa was his duty,
and, slowly rising, he tried to wash away traces of tears which might
perhaps seem unmanly to those who did not know the reason.
When he entered the room to which he had been sent as a prisoner, the
girls at once noticed the expression of his face.
'Carlo, what is the matter?'
'Surely all will be well now,' added Etta. 'We saw the canoe start with
the answer. Ah, those robbers will understand we cannot be taken in
brave Santa Teresa, whatever they may do.'
'I should think not!' said Catalina. 'Those infidels don't understand
that the saints protect us. So you heard the deliberations, Senor
Carlo?'
'Yes, well enough; but look, Catalina: suppose these pirates should get
the better of us--for they are reported to be very strong--is there any
place where you and the girls might hide? My father is so busy giving
orders that he has not time to attend to all these matters.'
'No need to prepare for the impossible,' said Catalina; 'Jose told me
that if Santa Teresa were besieged for a year it would be of no use; we
have fleet Indians who can pass through the forest, and could bring in
food unseen by any horde of pirates. So, Senorito, do not disturb
yourself about us.'
'But impossible things, as we call them, do happen, Catalina, and it is
best to be prepared. Well, anyhow, I shall go out to fight to-night; for
it is then the attack is expected, and then I will win a right to my
knighthood.'
'There is the great cupboard in this chamber,' said Catalina, 'into
which opens the secret staircase. Few of the men know it, but the
Marquis told me of it. That is safe enough. If any steps are heard
without we can easily run down the stairs, and a door there leads to the
dungeons below. Never fear, Senor Carlo; old Catalina doesn't mean to be
taken by men who would think nothing of murdering me unless they wanted
a wife.'
'Dear Catalina, you must never marry,' said Felipa, kissing her old
nurse, 'at least not a pirate: I could not spare you. But do leave off
talking of danger, Carlo, when there is none. You frighten us for
nothing. Look how lovely the garden is after last night's rain: the
tamarind has spread out all its leaves to show us it is fine again. How
I long to go out and have a game this morning!'
'And did you hear that Andreas killed a fer-de-lance snake this
morning?' added Etta. 'He says it is bad luck and an evil sign, but I
told him it was a good thing to kill those wicked, poisonous creatures.'
Carlo hardly listened to these remarks; he was thinking only of the
coming calamity; and though the affection of two girls comforted him he
could not join in their laughter. They no longer feared the terrible
pirates, and were anxious now to be allowed to go out into the wood.
But as the only gate Santa Teresa possessed was closed, with strict
orders to let no one in or out, they had to content themselves with
sitting at the open window whilst the sounds of soldiers' clashing
armour and noisy drill, mingled with loud orders shouted hither and
thither, only increased their excitement.
Then the sun went down on the beautiful island and darkness fell on the
exquisite landscape. Carlo dared not leave the room till he knew his
father had gone forth with his band of men towards St. Matthew, which
was but a little further down the coast, and was not difficult of access
by the sea-shore.
As time went on the confusion increased, and no one seemed inclined to
go to bed. At last the Marquis collected his men; and though Carlo
could not see much from his position, yet as he looked down from the
window and saw the torch-light fall on his father's face he would hardly
have known him, so changed was he. Carlo knew now that there was no
help for it; he must only be thankful that he had heard of the treachery
and that he was not himself starting out on this mock expedition as he
might otherwise have been doing. This fact surprised the girls much.
'I cannot think why you are not going, Carlo,' said Felipa, very much
disappointed at all the fine words of her brother ending in his merely
gazing out of the window; 'and is it not strange father has not come to
wish us good-bye? Catalina says he told her it was not worth while, as
he would be home again so soon. But he might have let you go with him
if there is so little danger.'
Etta said nothing, but Carlo saw that she also was much disappointed.
Yet, for all this, he dared not betray his father: it was better to be
thought a coward himself than to bring blame and discredit on the famous
old name of Del Campo.
So the boy walked up and down the room, whilst the girls told each other
stories in order to keep awake--so anxious were they to hear the first
news of the defeat of the rebels. Then after a time the guns of St.
Jerome were heard booming through the night air, and all rushed to the
window--to see, however, nothing but the darkness. At the same moment
there was a whisper heard through the keyhole, and they recognised the
voice of Andreas.
'Senorito Carlo, are you here? Come quickly, in the name of Heaven and
Santa Teresa! Do not be afraid; it is I--Andreas. Open the door.'
Carlo rushed to the door and seized the faithful Indian's hand.
'What is it, Andreas? Speak quickly.'
'There must be some treachery, Senor, for a party of pirates are
climbing up towards the castle, and the guards below have disappeared
from the walls.'