A BAD BLUNDER.
Really, the governor of the city and his guests were bent on having a
merry time, if the noise they made could be taken as an evidence. I
hoped they might be so fully occupied in their feasting as to allow us
a clear field to escape from the house.
The stupendous surprise had given me much to think about, and my mind
was in a pretty whirl as I walked humbly behind the hooded and cloaked
“fellow-countrywoman in distress,” whose bag, once my bag, I carried.
Suppose we should run across some of the servants, who, grasping the
situation, would give the alarm--I could easily imagine the excitement
that must speedily follow. Could we reach the garden in safety? Well,
Robbins was a man of remarkable resolution, and I believed there was
another in a savage enough frame of mind to back him up should the
occasion arise, so that we could make it extremely interesting for the
alcalde.
Carmencita did her part well.
She seemed to be constantly alert for signs of danger. But we were
making progress all the while, and the garden drew nearer; once under
the shelter of that tropical growth, we might believe ourselves in a
fair way toward safety.
When we reached the _calle_ beyond the walls, what then? I felt almost
certain Hildegarde would utterly refuse to accept a refuge on board my
yacht, so great had been the antipathy she had shown at mention of such
a thing, as though it might be freighted with horrors and dissipated
_roués_, instead of being the sedate bachelor quarters of a very
lonely fellow who endeavored to forget that he had once been happy,
by surrounding himself with books and curios from many lands; perhaps
a poor nest in which to install a lady, but with a pure atmosphere,
please Heaven.
Then I reflected that it was time enough to cross a bridge when we came
to it--we were not yet out of the house and she might change her mind
with regard to the yacht; indeed, out of curiosity, be as eager to go
on board as she had at first seemed averse to it.
Now we were on the lower floor, and as yet all seemed well.
Five minutes, perhaps less, would tell the story.
It was a serious thing, this braving the anger of the alcalde, who
as judge and mayor might yet have the chance to condemn us to the
execrable miseries of the Black Hole.
Would she consider that I had undertaken any risk in the endeavor
to serve a woman in trouble?--would she dream that had I known the
identity of the one who sent out that appeal, memories of the past
might have spurred me on to prove that her one-time estimate of my
nature was false?
What a fool I was to bother myself whether she cared or not.
It was too late--much too late to matter now.
Then came a sudden hitch--things did not continue to move along as
smoothly.
Some one came upon us--I heard a voice questioning little Carmencita,
and then roundly abusing her, though much that was said was Greek to my
ears, I being but an indifferent Spanish scholar.
Then Robbins took a hand in the matter, fearing that the child would be
struck, such was the anger in which the man addressed her.
I saw her try to hold the mate back, as she uttered a terrified little
cry, but the big fellow’s indignation was too keen, and with Carmencita
clinging to his coat he rushed at the bully.
The passage was but meagerly lighted, but I could see him let fly with
all the vigor of his indignant soul.
You have probably many a time watched a noble ten-pin, the last of the
half score, go floundering into the ditch under the assault of a well
delivered ball--so this fellow of generous proportions was bowled over
when Robbins struck home.
I would that it had been my arm that sent him sprawling, for Hildegarde
gave Robbins such a look of undisguised admiration as to arouse my
deepest envy.
Perhaps my turn would come next.
The bully, who would have laid a hand on the child, scrambled to his
feet.
He made off in so hasty a manner that it struck me as ludicrous, nor
did it occur to us that we should have prevented his flight until it
was too late.
That was a bad blunder, which was apt to cost us dear.
He no sooner found himself clear of us than he began to whoop it up at
a lively rate, calling “Murder! thieves! fire!” in a manner that was
bound to attract attention, for though the music was on, the boom of
his great voice echoed far above all else.
“That was well done, sir,” said Hildegarde, “but we must surely run for
it now, for you have knocked down the alcalde himself!”
That was certainly a wretched piece of luck all around, but having done
so stupendous a wrong we were dolts not to have tied him neck and crop
and thrust him into some corner to cool his heels while we made off.
Robbins did not seem to care an iota; I believe he would just as soon
have given the same medicine to the president of the republic, should
an occasion arise that called for heroic treatment of this character.
Carmencita no longer tugged at his coat to hold him back--indeed,
it was just the opposite; for, horrified at what he had done to the
doughty mayor, who in her young eyes was a very august individual, to
be greatly feared, she was bent on urging him to make all haste to
leave the _hacienda_.
All of us were of one mind--we did not seem to have the remotest desire
to linger there; any natural curiosity we might be supposed to feel
concerning what our worthy alcalde might do on his return, backed by a
troop of guests, was wholly swallowed up by the thought of reaching the
garden, and eventually the _calle_.
In our forward movement we had the bad fortune to run upon certain
of the servants engaged in carrying various hot foods to the dining
chamber where the guests were soon expected to assemble.
Here Robbins--confound his luck!--was right in the swim again, while
I, being only a rear guard, as it were, had to jog along carrying that
miserable bag, and cheated out of my due.
He seemed to have his hand in, and assailed those terrified _peons_
hip and thigh with a lusty vigor that would have done credit to any
knight-errant or swashbuckler.
They did some remarkable acrobatic feats under the influence he brought
to bear, and it was a miracle that Robbins escaped the deluge of flying
viands that strewed the passage after the encounter.
But our end was attained, we had a free and unobstructed way to the
exit, and the gardens lay beyond.
The music had abruptly stopped; I could easily imagine how the
demoralized alcalde had hurled the players over each other in his
fierce desire to make himself heard.
His booming voice sounded like a broadside from the old frigate
_Constitution_, and what he said brought out a tremendous ovation from
the male part of his hearers.
We were not lingering just then to discover what his idea of the whole
matter might be--in fact, we had not the slightest curiosity in that
direction, and but one aim in life--to reach a harbor of refuge.
I was well pleased to see the rear door again--here we had gained
entrance to the grand _casa_, and it was necessary that it serve us
again as an exit.
Doubtless, already the numerous visitors of the noble _hidalgo_ were
scouring every room and corridor of the great pile of masonry, eager to
discover the bold rascals who had dared set upon his excellency and use
him as though he were an ox in the shambles.
Let them hunt--the garden lay before us, and after that the street and
safety.
Just as my foot crossed the threshold there arose a strange sound; it
was the wild clang of a bell, harsh and discordant, and there seemed to
be concentrated alarm and terror in its brazen throat, just as the peal
of the fire bell at dead of night awakens the liveliest anticipations
of dread.
To me it seemed to go with the rest--I was so thoroughly aroused that
a thousand bells could not have added another thrill; but Carmencita
uttered a wail of anguish as she cried aloud half in Spanish:
“It is the alarm bell! Oh, dear lady, the holy mother protect us
now--they will have fastened the door in the wall by the time we reach
it. We are lost!--he will kill us all!”