The Insurgent Chief

odour which is profusely exhaled from the old cloisters of its convents, and from the thick and gloomy walls of its churches. The grass in the low quarters of the town freely grows in the nearly always deserted streets; and here

d sombre houses-which at one end abuts on the river, and at the other on the street de

f the Callejón de las Cruces was occupied by a high and large house, of a cold and sombre aspect, w

ng possessed by the Spaniards, and which served for a retreat for women of all classes of society, who, without having positively taken vows, wi

ouse was thoroughly appropriated to its uses, and there continually reigned around it a peacefulness an

of joy, as well as cries of anger-the uproars of fêtes, as well as the rumblings on insur

ver the Spaniards[1]-towards midnight, a troop of armed men, whose measured tread sounded heavily in the darkness, had left the street de las Mercader

ad knocked three times with the pommel of his

ng veils, which did not allow any part of their person to be perceived, entered the house silently, and in a line. Some few words further had been exchanged between the chief of the troop a

ity. The greater part were assisting at the fête in the streets or in the squares of the high quarters of the town; the remain

account of what had passed at midnight in their street, at the gate of the Black House as among themselves they called

ful appearance, only the troops had not raised their camp-on the contrary, the

rise to the belief that the revolutionists were

ountry, and particularly in dreamily stretching himself on the grass-had finished by making up his mind to these continual quarrels in which he could do nothing. He had, till better times arrived, resigned himself to his fate with that philosophic carelessness which formed the foundation of his character; and this

w one another rarely, and, ordinarily, did not meet but at meals, when the same tab

he executive power. He had been charged with a very difficult work on the election of the deputies to the general congress, which was about to be h

complained; on the contrary, profiting conscientiously by the agreeable leisure which politics gave to him, he gave himself up with delight to the co

t little spoiled or marred by the unintelligent hand of man, possessed that seal of majesty and of grandeur which God alon

y degrees, familiarised with him; and, notwithstanding that he was a European, and especially a Frenchman-that is to say, a gringo or heretic-had at last come to

regret for yesterday or care for tomorrow, that this man justly passed for a kind of phenomenon. Everyone envied him, and felt constrained to love him, by reason even of his placid indifference. He alone, perhaps, did not perceive the effect produced by his presence, when he rambled about the square or the most populous streets of the town; and

he birds in their flight, listening for hours together to the mysterious murmur of a cascade, or in rapture with a splend

are absurd, they are asses! They would be so happy if they would only consent to live carelessly, without seeking to free themselves

y, without worrying himself about a mode of life so ag

wide street, furnished with shops, which led out of the square. This street was the Calle de las Mercaderes. Now, the painter had been in the habit of going straight on, of following the Calle Mercaderes, at the end of which was the Callejón de las Cru

street, where he could freely give himself up to his thoughts without fear of being interrupted, rather than to take the streets of the higher quarters, where it was impossible to take a step

allejón de las Cruces, at the moment when he was passing the house of which we have spoken, he felt a slight

ent was to raise his head, but he saw nothing; the old h

at mean? This flower, at all even

d it up delicately, an

cely half opened, and sti

an instant wrap

been thrown? Nay," added he, looking around him, "it would be very difficult to have thrown it to another,

vainly explored, with an anxious look,

sufficient to trouble the artist du

he had heard related in relation to Spain; and, putting this and that together, he soon arrived at this conclusion, excessively flattering to his self-love-that a beautiful Se?ora, held pr

ut it immensely pleased the painter, whos

ection came to his aid, and he came to the conclusion that too much haste would compromise the success of his adventu

e was deceived-"if she expects me, she will throw me another flower; then I will buy a guitar, a mantle the colo

out, he was much more concerned in the matter than he was ready to confess, and ev

he did not know: nevertheless the unknown-the unforeseen, if you will-has an indefinable charm, and exerts a powerful attraction on certain excitable organisations, which induces them in a moment to bu

ttle too visibly-if anyone had had an interest in watching his movements and gestures-the manners of

his heart beat rapidly, and he had a buzzing in his ears

felt a pretty smar

y raised

see nothing; only he heard a slight noise

, recollecting the ridiculousness of his position in the middle of a street, and under the eyes of people who were, perhaps, watching him from behind

d it two or thre

irst he could not be certain of it-was enveloped in paper, and tied

n the pocket of the waistcoat which he wore under his poncho; "This complicates the matter.

ccustomed proceeding would astonish people who were in the habit of seeing him, l

his pocket, to feel the object which

n-for she is beautiful, I doubt not-I will forget the torments of exile. But," said he, suddenly stopping right in the middle of the square, and throwing up his arms with a desperate air, "if she is ugly! Ugly women have often extraordin

deduction from which was so pleasan

he people among whom he found himself, and not having near him any friend to whom he could confide his joys and his troubles, he was to some extent obliged to make a confidant of himself; so true is it that man is an eminently social animal, and t

oung man arrived at the house which,

s soon as he perceived the painter, he quickly appro

e has several times asked for you today. He has left orders that

swered, "I will go

use which he occupied, he went towards the great staircase situated at

this nuisance of a man, of whom I never know how to speak, sho

n which he was pacing up and down, his head lowered and his arms cr

the young man, he adva

or two hours I have been waiting

ing. What would you have

e!" pursued the

re not to change; I a

e have to ta

e young man, seating

is excl

dium appears to me

u who are

conquerable fear of politics, and it is proba

ssed it at th

f it," said he, wit

the matte

ut off this grave conver

ould I

t would be so muc

Dubois, laughing; "You mu

so," said he, with a sig

e serious, and that the Spaniards, who, it was hoped, were conquered, have resumed

thing at all,

you pass you

of God-which, between ourselves, I find mu

a philo

not

, with reason, at the progress of the Spaniards, wish to put an end to

soned; but what ca

shall

nothing

ave already been dispatched in all directions to inform the generals; but while we attack the en

on strategically

eneral is San Martin, who is now in Chili, at the head of an army of 10,000 men. Unhappily, it is excessively

full of

igner; they will not distrust you; you will pass in safety, and you w

be arrested

is not p

ell, my dear sir, your

it n

bsolutely refuse it. The devil! I do not care to be hanged as a spy fo

to the last degree, for I inte

hat you should leave me in my obscu

olutely necessary that you char

e difficult for you to

friend; on the contrary, i

ot beli

whose trial is proceeding at this moment, have charged you in their depositions, asserting that

young man, star

tion of arresting you; the order was already signed when,

k you f

destruction was resolved upon-I found no other expedient to make your innocence apparent to all, than to propose you as an

r!" cried the young man, wi

s, if they take you-but they will not take you-or shot by the

terly cast down; "never did an honest man

h do you

I the

look-r

a strong wish as to the fate of

is not so great as you suppose. Your

merica to study art, and to escape p

ould not he

er you will relat

will be considerably varied. It is necess

have all the time necessary to make your prepar

an I have to get

t days-ten at most. W

ce more I

uddenly brightened, and it was wit

shall be free to dispo

olut

the hand of M. Dubois, "I do not know

ist, surprised at the sudden cha

ill finish better tha

aluted the old man, he left the

wed him a momen

e, shaking his head several times. "I

e Guide of