TWO MEN MADE TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER.
As several interesting events of our narrative will take place at
Guaymas, we will describe that town in a few words.
Mexico possesses several roadsteads in the Pacific; but in reality has
only two ports worthy that name, Guaymas and Acapulco. For the present,
we will confine ourselves to the former.
Owing to a large quantity of islands which surround the port like a
hill, and the lofty coasts, the roads are in all weathers as sure and
calm as a lake. The sea breaks gently on shores adorned with mango
trees, whose pale green forms a strange contrast to the earthy red of
the beach, and gives the port a wild and desolate aspect, further
increased by the continual silence of the roads, where a few ships seek
shelter at rare intervals under the isle Del Venado, but, where usually
only a few coasters are visible, or wretched canoes, hollowed out of
trunks of trees, and belonging to the Hiaqui Indians.
The town stretches carelessly along the beach, with its white, low, and
flat-roofed houses, defended by a fort built of red clay, armed with a
few rusty and unserviceable guns. Guaymas, like all the pueblos of the
republic, is dirty, ill built, and the streets are unpaved; in short, at
each step you acquire proofs of that carelessness and egotistic
incapacity which characterises the Mexicans. Behind the town, rise lofty
and denuded mountains, which protect it from the cold winds of the
Cordilleras.
Still, Guaymas, founded only a few years back, and whose population is
but 6,000 at the utmost, is destined ere long, owing to the security of
its port, and its magnificent position, to acquire a great commercial
importance.
The day on which we resume our story, about an hour after the _oración_,
or at seven in the evening, a man, wrapped in a thick cloak, and with
the brim of his sombrero pulled down over his eyes, stopped at the door
of a rather handsome house, and after casting a furtive glance around,
to see that he was not watched, gave discreetly three separate knocks.
This manner of rapping was evidently a signal; and the man we allude to
must have been expected, for the door opened at once. The stranger
entered, and the door was noiselessly closed after him.
The stranger then found himself in one of those inner patios found in
all the houses of Guaymas; but he probably was perfectly acquainted with
the place; for, without a second's hesitation, he turned to the left,
mounted a few steps, and rapped at a second door, which was before him,
in the same way as he had done at the first.
"Come in," a voice shouted from within.
The stranger pushed the door, which yielded to the pressure, and entered
a large room, which might be considered to be furnished with a certain
degree of luxury for Mexico, and especially for a province so remote as
Sonora. But this luxury was in bad taste, and smelled of the _parvenu_.
The furniture and pictures that decorated the room had been probably
purchased or exchanged with the captain of the vessels that at times put
into Guaymas, and presented the strangest possible discordance of style.
A man was seated in a butaca, almost in the centre of the room, and
carelessly smoking a pajillo. When the stranger entered, he nodded to
him, pointed to a chair, and said laconically,--
"Shut the door, and sit down."
The stranger took off his cloak and hat, which he threw on a sideboard;
and, after closing the door as he had been recommended, he fell into a
butaca with a sigh of satisfaction. We will describe these two new
characters in a few words.
The first--that is to say, the master of the house--was a plump little
fellow, as broad as he was long, with ordinary features, while his
little sharp eyes gave his face an expression of soothing falseness and
cowardly villainy. He was about fifty years of age, though he did not
appear so, owing to the freshness of his apoplectic complexion, and
long, flat, and greasy masses of black hair, which fell below his red
and coarse ears. This worthy personage was dressed in the European
fashion, with a profusion of jewellery, and rings on his fingers; and,
through his costume and manners, which were made up of effrontery and
timidity, he bore a considerable likeness to a butcher or a cattle
dealer in his Sunday clothes.
His visitor, whom we have met before by the way, formed a perfect
contrast with him. He was a half-breed, of Indian and Mexican descent,
tall, dry, and thin as a lath; his face, like a knife blade, was adorned
with an enormous beaked nose, which overshadowed a mouth stretching from
ear to ear, and full of teeth white as almonds; round eyes with
blood-shot eyelids, constantly agitated by a convulsive movement,
completed the strangest and most sinister face that could be conceived.
A cruel mocking smile continually moved his thin lips, and added to the
feeling of discomfort his entire person inspired. In a word, his
approach produced that clammy coldness felt in touching a viper or any
other reptile. Beneath his cloak he wore the gold embroidered uniform of
the higher Mexican officers. His name was Don Francisco Florés, and he
wore the badge of a colonel in the Mexican service. We shall soon learn
who was the hideous person, concealed under this borrowed name.
The colonel, after seating himself, took out some tobacco, made a
cigarette, and began smoking with the most superb nonchalance. For some
minutes the two men remained silent, examining each other with the
corner of the eye. At last, the former, doubtlessly fatigued by this
obstinate inquisition, which weighed upon him, and from which he could
not escape, resolved to take the word.
"Caballero," he said, "you see that the instructions conveyed in the
letter you did me the honour of writing to me, have been followed out
point for point."
The colonel made a sign of assent, while emitting an enormous puff of
smoke. The other continued,--
"Now I will take the liberty of observing that I do not at all
understand your singular missive, and that I see no reason why you
should surround yourself with so great a mystery."
"Ah!" the colonel said, with a laugh peculiar to himself, and which bore
a strong likeness to a pile of plates breaking.
"Yes," the first speaker continued, annoyed by this irreverence; "and I
should not be sorry, I confess, to have a clear and categorical
explanation."
And, saying this, he drew himself up haughtily in his butaca; and
regarded his visitor fixedly. The latter did not appear at all affected
by this hostile manifestation; on the contrary, he stretched out his
legs, and said, as he threw himself back in his chair,--
"Don Antonio, are you fond of money?"
"Eh?" the other remarked.
"I beg your pardon. I should have said gold: I will therefore modify my
question. Are you fond of gold?"
"Really, sir----"
"Answer clearly, without any hesitation, as a caballero should do. I
suppose that I am not talking Hebrew; so reply, yes or no."
"But----"
"_Capa de Dios!_ if you go on in that way we shall never finish, master,
_caray_. You are too sharp a greyhound, not to have recognised at the
first glance with whom you have to deal. Answer clearly, then, without
further tergiversation."
"Well, then, yes," Antonio answered, subjugated involuntarily by the
man's accent.
"Very good. Do you love it much?"
"Well, tolerably."
"That is not enough."
"Very much, then, if you absolutely insist."
"I beg your pardon. It is a matter of indifference to me. It is not I
who am in question, but only yourself."
"Well, well, I understand you."
"That is lucky; but you took your time to do so."
"Come, what is the business?"
"Ah, ah! You are coming to the point."
Don Antonio smiled.
"Well, I am only doing what you wish."
"That is true; so we shall not dispute about that."
"Go on; I am listening."
"You received my letter, as you allowed. Now, do you know why I arranged
this meeting?"
"I am waiting to hear it from your lips."
"I will tell you at once. You are aware that a society has been formed
at Mexico, called the Atravida?"
"I have heard it mentioned."
"Of course, as you are a partner in it."
"That is possible; but the question is not about that, I presume?"
"Perhaps it is. Well, this company, established under the auspices of
the first Mexican capitalists, supported by the government, is intended
to work the rich mines of the _Plancha de Plata_, situated in the heart
of Apacheria."
"I am aware of it."
"Very good. You see we shall soon understand each other."
"I doubt it."
"I hope so. This company, composed of Frenchmen, all resolute men,
organised as soldiers, and under the command of a skilful chief----"
"Count Don Louis de Prébois----"
"I know him. Spare your praise of him. This company, supported by high
influences, must not, however, reach the mines."
"Ah, ah! And what will prevent it, if you please?"
"Yourself first of all."
"Oh, oh! I do not believe it."
"Nonsense! You shall see. Let me finish first."
"Go on."
"How much do you think this affair will bring you in?"
"I cannot tell you."
"What, not even approximatively?"
"It is very difficult to calculate, for the mines are rich."
"Yes, but they are remote. Come, mention a figure."
"It is impossible."
"Nonsense! Even supposing I were to help you----?"
"Ah! If you help me----"
"I thought so."
"But stay," Don Antonio remarked sharply. "What great interest have you,
then, in spoiling this affair?"
"I, none; it is you."
"I!" Don Antonio exclaimed in amazement; "that is a little too much."
"You shall see."
"I am most eager to do so."
"So soon as the Atravida company was established, another, under the
name of the _Conciliadora_, was at once set on foot, as always happens,
and naturally for the same object."
"Come, the name is a capital one."
"It is. Now you know that competition is the backbone of trade."
Don Antonio bowed in assent; and the colonel continued, with his dry and
harsh smile.
"The Conciliadora, although powerfully protected at Mexico, required an
active, intelligent, and upright agent in Sonora; and it immediately
turned its eyes on you. Indeed, Don Antonio Mendez Pavo, performing the
duties of French consul at Guaymas, was the only man capable of serving
it efficaciously. As the result of this reasoning, you were put down for
200 paid up shares of 500 piastres each; the coupons of which were
intrusted to me to deliver to you. That makes, if I am not mistaken, a
very nice little sum, which I shall have the honour of handing to you."
And he felt in the pocket of his uniform; but Don Antonio disdainfully
checked him.
"You are strangely mistaken about me, caballero," he said; "when a man
has the honour of representing France, he cannot be bribed in so
miserable a way."
"Nonsense!" the colonel said, laughing.
"My duty orders me to protect the French company; and whatever may
happen, I will do so."
"Magnificently spoken."
"So now," Don Antonio continued with fire, "return to the persons who
sent you, and tell them that Don Antonio Pavo is not one of those men
who can be induced to forget his duty so easily."
"That is charming, and you really spoke it with proper emphasis."
Don Antonio rose, and with a majestic smile shewed the colonel the door.
"Begone, sir," he said coldly; "or I shall not answer for the
consequences of my anger."
The colonel did not stir; he made no change in the carelessly insolent
position he had adopted from the outset. Still, when Don Antonio ceased,
he threw away his cigarette, and giving the last speaker a glance of
most peculiar significance,--
"Have you done?" he answered quietly.
"Caballero!" Don Antonio exclaimed, drawing himself up majestically.
"Permit me, Don Antonio, I have no wish to remain any longer here and
waste your precious time. Still, you will allow with me, that every man
intrusted with a mission must accomplish it in its entirety; and you are
too conversant with business to deny this fact."
"I allow it, sir," Don Antonio answered, suddenly calmed by these words.
"Very good; then, be kind enough to sit down again and listen to me a
few moments longer."
"Be brief, sir."
"I only ask for five minutes."
"I grant them."
"You are generous, sir; I will, therefore, profit by your permission. I
go on, then. You are inscribed for 200 shares, representing, if I am not
mistaken, 100,000 piastres, which I consider a very respectable sum."
"Not a word more on that subject, sir."
"I know," the colonel continued imperturbably, "what you would object; a
bird in the hand is worth a vulture in the air."
Don Antonio, troubled by the meaning attached to his words, could find
no reply. The colonel continued;
"The chiefs of the company employed the same line of reasoning as
yourself, sir. They understood that they must act fairly and above board
with a man holding so high as yourself, and so worthy in every respect
of their confidence; consequently, they commissioned me to hand you, in
addition to the shares----"
"Sir," Señor Pavo essayed again.
"Fifty thousand piastres," the colonel said distinctly.
Don Antonio made a bound of surprise.
"What!" he exclaimed. "What did you say, señor?"
"I mentioned 50,000 piastres."
"Ah, ah!"
"In good bills, payable at sight."
"On what house?"
"Torribio de la Porta and Co."
"An excellent house, sir."
"Is it not?"
"Most assuredly."
"But," the colonel said as he rose, "since you refuse our offers, and my
mission is now accomplished, I need only withdraw, after begging to
pardon the loss of time I have occasioned you; for you _do_ refuse, I
think?"
Don Antonio had turned green; his small grey eyes, obstinately fixed on
the papers the colonel toyed with, sparkled like live coals.
"Permit me," he said stammering.
"Eh? Can I be mistaken, señor?"
"I--I--I fancy you are."
"This time, bear in mind, we must understand each other thoroughly, in
order to avoid any future misunderstanding, which might entail regret."
"Be at your ease. I believe there will no longer be any misapprehension
between us. An affair, as you know, does not always strike a man at the
first glance."
"That is true; but now you fully understand it?"
"Perfectly."
"All the better. Now we can have a frank explanation."
"Yes," Don Antonio said, with a mocking accent; "and, to begin, Señor
Garrucholo, doff for a moment your borrowed character, for I like to
know with whom I am dealing."
El Garrucholo, for the ex-bandit was really hidden under Colonel
Francisco Florés, shuddered involuntarily at finding himself thus
detected. He cast a viper's glance at the man who had unmasked him, and
seized him fiercely by the arm.
"Take care, Don Antonio, there are secrets which kill those who hold
them."
"That is possible, my master," the other answered, triumphing in his
heart at the effect his revelation had produced. "But as, if I am not
mistaken, we are about to complete together a very dirty transaction, I
wished to prove to you that, if you held my secret, I had yours; and
that it is to your interest to deal fairly by me."
"Threatened persons live a long time," the bandit said with a shrug of
his shoulders.
"I do not threaten; I merely take my precautions--that is all. Now, let
us converse."
The two men drew their chairs together and commenced a conversation, ear
to ear, in so low a voice that no one could have overheard them.