The Insurgent Chief

unded from the clock of the Cabildo of San Miguel de Tucuman, a man kno

grey hairs escaped from under his straw hat, he wore large spectacles with iron frame, and supported himself on a stick. His appearance

e moved in a groove, and the head

at do you want here,

heard that a professor of music is required in this establishment. If I am deceived

tural tone, and with the most careless manner, the wo

ed she, after

was agai

ssor, in a low voice, "Th

g chains was heard, and the gate was hal

had at first shown herself at the grating, and who a

lowly, his hat in his

and there a few hairs of reddish grey, app

peevish tone, "and replace your hat

stick, he followed the nun with that somewhat trembling step which

into a rather spacious cloister, the centre of which was occupied by a mass of rose bushes and orange trees,

e chambers, were garnished with a number of pictures of a mediocre character, r

time and weather, and continued to follow the nun, who trotted on before him, cau

hole like the first, only the pictures represented diff

after having fetched her breath for a minute or two, she cautious

l voice pronounced from the interior o

ela

sappeared, after having with a sign

then the inner door opene

e, making a sign f

least," grumbled the old man to himsel

e, and he entered the little room, whither s

the walls of which were covered, in the Spanish fashion, with thin Cordova le

time, in the room, sitting

e persons

arge silk ribbon from her neck, and falling on her breast, at once pointed her out as the superior of the house, w

ed pretty close to the abb

de Castelmelhor, and the o

ade a slight sign of welcome with her head, while the two other ladies, as t

that harmonious voice which had already agreeably struck the ear

he stranger seated hi

ime addressing herself to the old

a," answere

of our

a, I am a

ou are not a heret

I am an Itali

you lived long in

ears,

that you wer

I have for a long time resided at Valparaíso

end to rema

a; unhappily, the times are not fa

ith interest. "Well, we will t

so much goodness, Se?or

you, this young lady will be pleased, for my sake, to take this

y, as I am at yours, Se?ora," answer

e of the room, "My dear sister," added she, with a gracious smile, "be so good, I beg you, as to bring i

, suddenly turned round, and left the

dvanced on tiptoe towards the door, and opened it so suddenly, that the portress, whose eye was p

the old portress; "I am glad of it. I had forgotten to beg you to bring me, when you return to reconduct

her teeth some incomprehensible excuse

sed the door, over which she had let fall a heavy curtain in tapestry, and tu

"cover up the locks of your fair hair, which are i

ting his two hands to his head, and at the same time letting his

ilst the disconcerted professor looked at them with fright, not understanding anything whic

ing a delicate finger on her

were

ely the door opened, after a slight tap h

rought sweets and refreshment

a table, and then withd

immediately drop

," said the superior, "that I was right

wicked, and I dread for you the consequences of the r

ted from the black ey

us care for that," said she, resuming her cheerful countenance; "time presses, let us take our places at the table;

ion and the piteous air of the stranger, quickly

"it is I, Se?or, who have written to you; speak, then, without f

er breath

did not know what countenance to assume in seeing myself recognised so unawares. God be prais

t at all come out from under your peruke; I only wished to tease you a litt

ch other. The abbess especially, young and merry, was charmed at this trick she was playing on the revolutionary aut

he repast was finished,

painter; "apropos of that, I shall permit myself to recal

ich is almost a convent onto whom has been confided the care of two prisoners o

nter, bowing; "that does a

Spaniard, and have no sympathy with the revolution made by the inhabitants of this country,

s to me logi

placed out of the region of politics, and be left free to act in their own fashion. In fact, to sum up, the Marchioness de Castelmelhor is

into the arms of the abbess, loa

ar creatures. It would be marvellous, indeed," added she, smiling, "if three women, aided by a Frenchman, could not be clever enough to decei

r the consequences of it for you; I tremble, for these

the superior; "Have we n

the last gasp!" cried he,

letely subjugated the artist. He had forgotten everything, and only experienced one desire-

ed the abbess, holding out to him her hand, whi

assure your flight, I will attempt; but, doubtless you have not addressed yourselves to me

s, "This plan is very simple, one such a

attentio

ngers, and where, without our knowing why, it appears we

osition also," said the y

" said she,

, Madame; but c

thing for us, but that is immense-it is

s much,

te her power ceases completely, and she

," said th

d the painter,

position, wandering alone at hazard in a

u though

" she simp

inter, with animation. "I am, perhaps, the only m

Sir," gently said the young girl, who

nd plaintive accents of that harmonious

sumed; "I am alone, a foreigner, suspected-more than suspected e

their hands in their gr

abbess, "We have place

rate as we suppose. As for me, I am preparing a

ried they

re my f

the young girl, clapp

ughtless movement, she lowered her eyes, and concealed in th

for herself and for me, Sir,"

thy, Madame; only I want a few days to prepare everything. I have only wit

; but what do you m

e least-four

an you explain to us what i

known to me, and in which I naturally want the commonest experience. I must trus

ir? Pardon me for saying this, but

ished me with the means of appearing before you without awakening suspicion. I rely not onl

d, a foreigner,

he is simply an Indian Guaraní, to whom I have been fortunate enough

ted, it is to the death. Pardon me all these questions, which, without doubt, must appear very extraordinary on

Be thoroughly persuaded that when I shall positively know what must be done, I will hasten to inform you of it, in order tha

you permit me to ask y

g here, I place myself e

you r

ushed; his eye

ioness pe

hought of offering you a reward. The service that you consent to render us is

-" he m

are of the common expenses. A project like ours must be conducted with skill and celerity; a miserable question of money might mar

ppiness in the ever-fresh surprises that the art which I cultivate procures me, and which I madly love. But at this moment, in the perilous position in which you and I find ourselves-when it is necessa

cried the marchioness,

o regret those riches for which I have always so little cared, for they would have

this affair you bring courage and devotion; le

g you, to a ridiculous susceptibility perfectly out of place, since it is your interests that are at stake in this matter. I acce

offer to make you; it is my part in th

spend your money, will it not be nece

e, of which she opened a drawer, from whence she took a rather long purs

ed the drawer, she presente

"I hope that that sum will suffice; but if it is insufficient, let m

give you back a part of this sum," answered he, respectfully taking the purse,

me,

off the ring that he had placed

e letter," eagerly exclaimed the you

n bowed, qui

archioness, smiling, "my daughter wou

s house. When, in the evening, on my return towards home, you shall see me holding a súchil flower or a white rose in my hand, that will be a sign that our business proceeds well; if; on the contrary, I remove my hat and wipe my forehead, then pray to God, ladies, because

bering them," said the marchioness;

your music lesson," said the abbess, opening an i

ies, and began to explain to them as well as he could the

nder her half closed eyelids, perceived three persons apparently very seriously occupied

a horseman, saying that he is sent by the governor of

ted this gentleman, you will introduce this c

the ladies, and followed the portress.

te of the convent, before which several horsemen, enveloped in long mantles, had stopped, to the general astonishment

ough, and his trembling walk, passed in the midst of them without at

f the horsemen, that she was read

had gone some little distance, turne

right on recognising the hor

d he. "What does this

50 ste