The Rebel Chief

apes than Mexico; among them all, that of Las Cumbres or the peak, is, without

d to which we allude, made by the Spaniards, runs along the side of the mountains with curves of extraordinary boldness, and is bordered on either side by an unbroken line of abrupt peaks, bathed in a bluish vapour at each turn of this road, which is, as it were, su

odía, and when the rising breeze was beginning to refresh the parching atmosphere, two horsemen, well mounted, emerged from a thick clump of yuccas, bananas, and purpled flowered

gazing for some minutes admiringly at the picturesque arrangement of the mountains, they dismounted, took off their horses' bridles, and sat down on the ba

appeared to come from Orizaba, and to be going to Puebla de l

e. Both were armed in a formidable manner, and carried with them a complete arsenal. In addition to the six-shot revolvers in their holsters, others were thrust through their belts. They carried in their hand a first-rate double barrel, turned out by Devismes, the celebrated Parisian gunsmith;

e number of enemies. However, they did not seem to trouble themselves at all about the wild and solitary aspect of the spot whe

tted brilliant flashes, when they were animated, and they then gave his face a harsh and savage expression impossible to describe; he had a lofty and spacious forehead, and sensual lips; a beard black and tufted like that of an Ethiopian, and mixed with silvery threads-fell on his chest; a luxuriant head of hair, thrown back, covered his shoulders, and his bronzed compl

ure, and extremely small feet and hands, denoted high birth; his features were fine, his countenance pleasing and intelligent, and stamped with a great expression of gentleness; his

they employed was French; the turn of their phrases, and the want of accent, l

dvice, and instead of being jolted over execrable roads, undertaki

"I have travelled through Switzerland, Italy, and the banks of the Rhine, like everybody else, and must confess

rkably diversified," he added, with a sardonic expression which escaped his com

ching out his arm, and describing a semicircl

that it could hold such surprises in reserve for you; your enthusiasm has been suddenly raised to a diapason, which intoxicates you through the strangeness of the contrasts which are incessantly offered you; but if, like myself, you had wandered over the savannahs of the i

I am not acquainted with the savannahs and prairies t

u attempting an excursion into the great American desert? You are in a capital position at this moment to carry out such an expedition; it

tinge of melancholy; "unluckily that is imposs

Oliver repeat

and am now obeying the influence of stranger's will

u, my lord?" Oliver exc

ubtless feels no more love for me than I do for her: we are related-we were betrothed in the cradle

ase the young

panish, and I believe

are a F

Touraine to boot," he

ow me to ask, sir,

afterwards derived its name. I do not tell you of this origin through any absurd feeling of pride. Though of noble birth, I have been educated, thank Heaven, in ideas of progress sufficiently wide for me to know the value of a title in the present age, and to recognize that true nobility dwells entirely in elevated sentiments. Still, I was obliged to tell you these details concerning my family in order that you might thoroughly understand how my ancestors-who always held high offices under th

e contrary, they greatly i

man bowed

families with them. In short, the younger son of my ancestor fell in love with one of the Spanish general's nieces, asked her in marriage, and obtained her hand; while his sister consented, by the persuasion of the Duchess of Montpensier, to give hers to one of the general's aides-de-camp. The artificial and politic duchess, thought by these alliances to keep the French nobility aloof from him whom she called, the Béarnais and the Huguenot, and retard his triumph if she did not render it impossible. As usually happens in such cases, her calculations proved to be false. The king re-conquered his kingdom, and those gentlemen most compromised in the troubles of the league, found themselves com

t as it were, to marry a person you have

ot hesitate to obey. Perhaps, had my will been free, I should not have contracted this union; unfortunately it did not depend on me, and I was obliged to conform to my father's wishes. However, I must confess to you that having

bility and fortune if they impose such obligations-better a life of adventur

r all that, I must bow my head. Now, wi

st readily-two

ench hotel in Veracruz, just after I had landed-

e. I offered you my services; you accepted them, and we started together for Mexico. That is the whole

aken; that, on the contrary, we shall meet frequently, and

ok his head s

t; there is between us a line of demarcation too distinctly traced for us ever to stand on a footing of suitable equality toward each other. So soon as we have re-entered civilisation, I feel-for I am older than you, and have a greater experience of the world-that I should so

g to reply; but Oliver

" he said

young man remarked a

he silence of the desert; a carriage is rapidly coming up from the direction of Orizaba, and is following the sam

in which my servants and luggage are, and

not. I should be surprised if

matter to us?"

the other replied after a moment's reflection; "a

" the young man as

m a look of si

co, the first law of existence is always to put yourself on guard against

g to conceal

aid, with a shrug

into the saddle with a lightness and dexterity denoting great practice, and then st

contrived to obtain over him through his strange mode of dealing since the

they found themselves completely shelt

nutes e

hand in the direction of the little wood from whic

e ten irregular horsemen, armed with sabres and long lances, entered the valley

ident," the young man muttered

e adventur

tinct, and a berlin appeared, dragged at

xclaimed with an angry gestur

the latter was pale as a corpse, and a

r?" the count aske

e answered d

came up at a gallop, following it at a slight dis

in entered the defile, wh

se are prudent travellers, at any rate; they will no

asm. "Well, you are mistaken, for they will be attacked withi

that is im

u like to

he rarity o

care though, for possib

pe so

olved to defend t

if they ar

at they will

case we w

o: are you a

rself about me; wh

o get there; and mind and keep an eye on your horse, for on

the bridle, while at the same time digging in the spurs, t