Besides his military chapeau, the lieutenant of cavalry held in his hand
a piece of folded paper; and although he had already stated his errand,
his countenance exhibited considerable embarrassment.
"What, leave of absence?" said the General, smiling benignantly upon his
aide-de-camp. "You, friend Lantejas--you think of quitting us? and at
such a time, too, when all is going well!"
"It is necessity, General, that drives me to make the application.
There are family affairs that require me at home, and--" Lantejas here
paused, as if inwardly ashamed of the deceit he was practising.
"Besides, General, to say the truth, this soldier's life is not suited
to me, nor I to it. I was born to be a priest, and would greatly desire
to complete my theological studies, and enter upon that career to which
my inclinations lead me. Now that success has crowned your army, you
will no longer require me?"
"_Vita Cristo_!" exclaimed Morelos, "not require you! Ah, friend
Lantejas, you are too valiant a soldier of the Church militant to be
spared so easily as that. Like that faithful adherent of some French
king, whose name I do not now remember, you would be the very man to
wish yourself hanged if Acapulco were taken without you. I must refuse
your application, then, although I see it vexes you. I refuse it,
because I am too well satisfied with your services to let you go. You
were my first follower; and do you know what people say, that the three
bravest men in our little army are Don Hermenegildo Galeana, Manuel
Costal, and yourself? And what at this moment still more endears you to
me is, that you propose leaving me just as fortune is showering her
favours upon me; whereas, with most other friends, the reverse is
usually what may be expected. I have just heard that the Captain Don
Francisco Gonzales has been killed in the affair of Tonaltepec. You
will replace him in the command of his company--Now? _Captain_
Lantejas?"
The new captain bowed his thanks in silence, and was about to retire.
"Do not go yet!" commanded the General; "I have something more to say to
you. You have, I believe, some relative or relatives living near
Tehuantepec. Well, I have a commission for some one to that part of the
country, and I require a man of courage and prudence to execute it. I
have thought of sending _you_, as soon as we have taken Acapulco--which
I trust will be in a very short time."
Lantejas was about to open his mouth, and inquire the nature of this
confidential mission, when he was interrupted by the entrance of two men
into the tent. One of these was Costal the Indian; the other was a
stranger both to Morelos and the captain. The latter was again about to
retire, when Morelos signed him to stay.
"There's the General," said Costal, pointing out the commander-in-chief
to the man who accompanied him, and who was in the costume of a Spanish
officer.
The latter regarded for an instant, and not without surprise, the
simply-clad individual whose name at that moment had become so widely
renowned. Although evidently a person of imperturbable coolness, the
stranger said nothing, leaving it to the General to open the
conversation.
"Who are you, my friend, and what do you want?" inquired Morelos.
"To speak a word in confidence with you," replied the man. "This
individual," continued he, pointing to Costal, "whom I encountered
philosophising upon the sea-beach, has promised me that his word would
enable me to obtain an interview with your Excellency, and safe conduct
through your camp. On this promise I have followed him."
"Costal," said the General, "was my first bugler, and with his great
conch sounded the signals to less than twenty horsemen, who at that time
composed my whole army. I confirm the parole he has given you. Speak
freely."
"With your Excellency's permission, then, my name is Pepe Gago. I am a
Gallician, an officer of artillery, and command a battery in the castle
of Acapulco--which your Excellency, if I am not mistaken, desires to
capture."
"It is a pleasure which I intend affording myself one of these days."
"Perhaps your Excellency is confounding the castle with the town? The
latter you can take whenever it pleases you."
"I know that."
"But you would not be able to hold it, so long as we are masters of the
citadel."
"I know that also."
"Ah, then, your Excellency, we are likely to understand one another."
"It is just for that reason that I decline taking the town till I have
first captured the castle."
"Now I think we are still nearer comprehending each other: since it is
just that which you wish to have, that I come to offer you. I will not
say to _sell_: for my price will be so moderate that it will deserve
rather to be called a gift I am making you. _Apropos_, however, of the
price--is your Excellency in funds?"
"Well, you have heard, no doubt, that I have just captured from the
Spanish general, Paris, eleven hundred fusils, five pieces of cannon--to
say nothing of the eight hundred prisoners we have made--and ten
thousand dollars in specie. That is about ten times the price of a
fortress, which in a short time I may have for nothing."
"Be not so sure of that, your Excellency. We have no scarcity of
provisions. The Isle of Roqueta--"
"I shall capture that also."
"Serves us," continued the Spaniard, without noticing the interruption,
"as a port of supply, by which the ships can always throw provisions
into the castle. But not to dispute the point, am I to understand that
your Excellency fixes the price at a thousand dollars? I agree to that
sum. You say you have captured ten thousand. Unfortunately for me, I
have the opportunity of selling the fortress only once."
"A thousand dollars down, do you mean?" inquired the General.
"Oh, no," replied the artilleryman; "what security would you have of my
keeping my word? Five hundred, cash down, and the balance when the
castle is delivered up to you."
"Agreed! And now, Senor Pepe Gago, what are your means for bringing
about the surrender?"
"I shall have the command of the portcullis guard from two till five
to-morrow morning. A lantern hung up on the bridge of Hornos to advise
me of your approach--a password between us--and your presence. I
presume your Excellency will not yield to any one the taking of the
place?"
"I shall be there in person," replied Morelos. "With regard to the
password, here it is."
The General handed to the Gallician a scrap of paper, on which he had
written two words, which neither Costal nor Lantejas were near enough to
read.
A somewhat prolonged conversation was now commenced between Morelos and
Pepe Gago, but carried on in a tone so low that the others did not
understand it import. At length the Spaniard was about to take his
departure, when Costal, advancing towards him, laid his hand firmly on
his shoulder.
"Listen to me, Pepe Gago!" said he to the Gallician in a serious voice.
"It is I who am responsible for you here; but I swear by the bones of
the Caciques of Tehuantepec--from whom I have the undoubted honour of
being descended--if you play traitor in this affair, look out for
Costal, the Zapoteque. Though you may dive like the sharks to the
bottom of the ocean, or like the jaguars hide yourself in the thickest
jungles of the forest, you shall not escape, any more than shark or
jaguar, from my carbine or my knife. I have said it."
The Spaniard again repeated his declarations of good faith, and retired
from the tent under the safe conduct of Costal.
"By-and-by," said the General to Lantejas when the others had gone, "I
shall speak to you of the mission I intend sending you upon. Meanwhile,
go and get some rest, as I shall want you at an early hour in the
morning. At four o'clock I shall myself take a party of men up to the
castle. As it is best that no one should know our intention, you and
Costal must hang a lantern on the bridge of Hornos. That is to be the
signal for our approach to the gate."
Saying this, the commander-in-chief dismissed his captain--who strode
forth out of the marquee, with no very sanguine anticipations of
obtaining a tranquil night's rest.