The Pearl of Lima: A Story of True Love

! She leaned over the perfumed balcony of her chamber, which overlooked the interior gardens. Through the green jalousies, her ear listened t

naments, and she might have been taken for one of those bea

magnolia; she recognized him; it was Liberta, her servant. He seemed to be watching so

became pale, paler still! Before her was transpiring a terrible scene. Liberta was in the grasp of a man of ta

about to cry out, when she saw the two men rise

en! it is you!

d time to utter a cry, Martin Paz appeared to her, like a phantom from another world; and, like the negro when overthr

u, then!

ed on her his motion

tenance! Is it then a victim, prepared for the sacrifice, who is about to present herself to their impatient eyes? Is it with these

athizing sadness, and Sarah listened vaguely

resumed with in

he suffers and weeps; beyond the mountains, the palm-trees lift up their heads in freedom, the birds strike the air wi

p to his full height, and with his arm extended toward the summits of t

ubtedly about to enter; perhaps her lover would accompany him! The Indian suddenly extinguished the lamp suspended above his head. A whistling, si

a entered. The darkness was profound; some ser

ry!" exclaime

she?" as

ble for her," sai

ew felt a cold sweat

lp!" he e

s domestics, he spr

The negro Liberta followed him; but did not appear disp

ew, Paz found some Indians of his companions, w

ain ranchos!"

rquis Don Vegal!" said

d; the Spaniard

this young girl to m

ad, and said in a low

ng of the Marq

eir steps in t

the friends of André hastened to follow him. The faubourg of San Lazaro was explored, hastily searched; but nothin

" exclaimed André Cert

active agents bestirred themselves; the Indians were closely watched, and if the retreat of the young girl was not

hile, the gate-keepers declared that they had seen no person lea

n interrogated; but no person seemed more ast

s the Sambo. He was wandering in the streets of Lima, when the cry uttered by the Indian fixed his attention; it was a signal of rally

d the key; so that his domestics suspected nothing. Martin

amber where Sarah was reposing, he found Martin Paz kneeling beside her. The marqu

ow yourself in my way? We should have been already free in o

t was seized with a powerful emotion. He f

estored to her father and her betrothed," sighed the Ind

d with his tears the hand of Don Vegal. T

he was sacred! He could not help admiring Sarah, still in a swoon; he was prepared to love her, of whose conver

her eyes, Sarah found herself

d she, with a sen

d me to call him my father," replied

an to a consciousness of her position, covered he

aid Don Vegal to the

hout having pressed the hand of the Span

girl comprehended what danger she had escaped; and she confided her future happiness to the care of the Spaniard. But amid phrases interrupted by sighs and mingled with tears, Don Vega

red of him, and, in spite of perils and dangers, wo

d was burning, his blood was b

standing his obstinate defense, succeeded in binding him. Martin Paz uttered a cry of despair, which was lo

covered his eyes was taken off. He looked around him, and saw himself in the lo

him. A gleam of indignation flashed from hi

aid the Sambo, "since he suffered me for

hat Martin Paz, our chief, should b

neither to his fath

interests have been s

Martin Paz; a poignard was gleaming in hi

f the Jew Samuel is not so well concealed that she can escape our hatred. My son will reflect. Struck with a mortal condemnation, proscribed, wandering among our masters, he will not have a stone on

proud nature to vibrate; placed between a life of fatigues, of dangers, of despair, and an existence happy, honored, illustrious,

d at his father, "they will k

ly to us?" imperiousl

the Indians of the city; that he leads them at his will, and, at a sign, could have them dra

re detached by order of the Sambo; Mar

n avalanche on the unarmed Limanians. There is the road to the Cordilleras, there is the road to the city; you will go wherever your goo

exclaimed Martin Paz

me an Indian amid the hat

repeated he, "and wo

arliest rays the council of the Indian

summoned Father Joachim; and the worthy man had there met his beloved penitent. What happiness was

he was a prey to extreme anxiety. What had become of Martin Paz? He had fled the house. Was he in the power of his enemies? Oh! how the Spaniard re

he young girl is in safety near you; do

seeks her-her betro

to that of this child. One day-one single day! at least until

oung girl; Don Vegal went out an

d its provisions, and was preceded by a player on the guitar, who chanted, accompanying himself, the most popular yaravis and llantos. These joyous promenaders advanced with cries, sports, endless jests, through the fields of maize and of alfalfa, through the groves of banana, whose fruits hung to the ground; they traversed those beautiful alamedas, planted with willows, and forests of citron, and orange-trees, whose intoxicating perfumes were mingled with the wild fragrance from the mountains. All along the road, traveling cabarets offered to the promenaders the brandy of pisco and the chica, whose copious

nsport and freedom; and yet no private brawl mingled among the cries of public rejoicing; a few lancers o

Pretty tapadas laughingly elbow beautiful girls, who bravely come, with uncovered faces, to meet joyous cavaliers; and when at

rays of the sun. San Domingo, the rich church, the Madonna of which is never clad in the same garments two days in succession, raises above her neighbors her tapering spire; on the right, the vast plains of the Pacific Ocean are undulating to the breath of t

able prospects, and their noisy approbation deafens e

e giving themselves up to an irresistible delight, a gloomy bloody