Hernandez

“ A plain man could carry on his little business now in the country, and even think of enlarging it—with safety. Was it not so? He seemed to beg Charles Gould for a confirmatory word, a grunt of assent, a simple nod even.
He could get nothing. His alarm increased, and in the pauses he would dart his eyes here and there; then, loth to give up, he would branch off into feeling allusion to the dangers of his journey. The audacious Hernandez, leaving his usual haunts, had crossed the Campo of Sulaco, and was known to be lurking in the ravines of the coast range. ”

“ The emissary from Hernandez’s camp pushed his horse close to Charles Gould.
“Caballero,” he said in an interested voice, “you are he whom they call the King of Sulaco, the master of the mine? Is it not so?”
“Yes, I am the master of the mine,” answered Charles Gould.
The man cantered for a time in silence, then said, “I have a brother, a sereno in your service in the San Tome valley. You have proved yourself a just man. There has been no wrong done to any one since you called upon the people to work in the mountains. ”

“ Hernandez arose.
"Send a delegation to the English representative in Monterey, and tell him of our desires. A British fleet is near. Let it take possession of the province. Then, if Mexico objects, she will have Great Britain to deal with."
Most of the men nodded affirmatively.
Hernandez took his seat with a satisfied air.
"Friends," said Mendoza, "I am not of the mind that it is wise to take action in this matter to-night. Too great haste in acting is like a too hot fire in cooking."
Higuera, Zelaya, and a few others signified they were in agreement with this. ”

“ Barrios has started, let him go on then; he will hold Cayta, which is the door of the sea route to Sulaco. They cannot send a sufficient force over the mountains. No; not even to cope with the band of Hernandez. Meantime we shall organize our resistance here. And for that, this very Hernandez will be useful. He has defeated troops as a bandit; he will no doubt accomplish the same thing if he is made a colonel or even a general. You know the country well enough not to be shocked by what I say, Mrs. Gould. ”

“ Carmelita appeared at the entrance of the ballroom. Serving maids and Indian messenger boys were around her in numbers. She dispatched them, one by one, to bring in all the guests.
They came from everywhere. The older men were in small groups, talking earnestly, and often gesticulating vehemently. The young men were mostly with their sweethearts and the dueñas. With Señora Valentino were Valencia, Hernandez, Abelardo Peralta, Patricio Martinez, and a half dozen others, including Morando.
"We have laid before the Captain our point of view," Hernandez was saying. ”

“ Hernandez, ex-bandit and the last general of Ribierist creation, was confident of being able to hold the tract of country between the woods of Los Hatos and the coast range till that devoted patriot, Don Martin Decoud, could bring General Barrios back to Sulaco for the reconquest of the town.
“Heaven itself wills it. Providence is on our side,” wrote Father Corbelan ”

“ Then suppose we speak of the Misses Hernandez, with whom you scarcely exchanged a word at dinner, and whom I invited for you and your fluent Spanish. They are charming girls, even if they are a little stupid. But what can I do? If I am to live here, I must have a few young people around me, if only to make the place cheerful for others. ”

“ I wish I had been in that postilion's place myself; then there would have been a different story to tell."
"A horse can display but the swiftness his limbs possess," rebutted Mendoza.
"Riding is not what I knew in my youth," commented Hernandez, who was giving ample appreciation to the pleasures of the table.
"Captain Morando, were you not at a ball given in Madrid last year by the officers of General Guerrero's division in their quarters?" said Señora Valentino. ”

“ He might have been Hernandez himself; though my servant, who has been many times to Sulaco by sea, assured me that he had recognized him very well for the capataz of the steamship company's cargadores. Later on, that same evening, I saw that very man at the corner of the Plaza talking to a girl, a morenita, who stood by the stirrup with her hand on the gray horse's mane." I assure you, Señor Hirsch," murmured Charles
Gould, "that you ran no risk on this occasion."
"That may be, señor, though I tremble yet. A most fierce man to look at. ”

“ England allows her dependencies to flourish in their own way," they declared.
"Huzza! Huzza!" again shouted Hernandez. "Viva England!"
Morando arose.
"I make no preference save this," he said. "We must preserve here Spanish ideals, Spanish manhood and womanhood."
"Excellent!" commended the host. "Splendid!"
"Splendid!" echoed Señora Valentino, clapping her hands.
The women followed her example. "Yes, yes, Spanish manhood and womanhood!" they exclaimed.
The Señorita Carmelita came to her father's chair.
"Papacito, the time soon comes for El Son. We await you in the ballroom." ”

“ He must leave Adamsville. He confided this to Jensen, and the Hernandezes. "I might organize for the National Socialist Office, or do something for the New York Philanthropy Bureau."
"That's bourgeois, comrade," objected Mrs. Hernandez.
"I must make a living."
The morning's mail, a few days later, contained a curt note from Jane; his fingers tore it open with awkward haste.
"I hear that you are planning to leave Adamsville," it ran. "Even if we can't live together, I can not see you waste your possibilities, here or elsewhere. Come by and see me, before doing anything definite. ”

“ Probably neither the priest nor the bandit saw the irony of it. Father Corbelàn must have found messengers to send into the town, for early on the second day of the disturbances there were rumors of Hernandez being on the road to Los Hatos ready to receive those who would put themselves under his protection. A strange-looking horseman, elderly and audacious, had appeared in the town, riding slowly while his eyes examined the fronts of the houses as though he had never seen such high buildings before. ”

“ The basins of water were well stocked with fish of various kinds, and the aviaries with birds glowing in all the gaudy plumage of the tropics. Many birds and animals which could not be obtained alive were represented in gold and silver so skilfully as to have furnished the great naturalist Hernandez with models for his work. [297]
Accommodations on a princely scale were provided for the sovereigns of Mexico and Tlacopan{194} when they visited the court. The whole of this lordly pile contained three hundred apartments, some of them fifty yards square. ”

“ Barcelo insisted that Moraga should at once accompany him to the card room; whereupon rather reluctantly Moraga left his old friends.
Marcel Hernandez arose to his feet.
"Fellow rancheros, and your ladies," bowing gallantly, "Señor Mendoza, occupied with the young people, is temporarily absent from the room—he is quite a boy, is the señor—and I take occasion to say a word to you. The old government here is worn out, ready to fall to pieces like a used-up carreta. We, the leaders of the people, must find another government—find another ”

“ Hernando turned his eyes away from this loathsome sight. "That spot," continued the savage, still pointing toward it—"that spot was to have been my white brother's grave."
"What!" exclaimed Hernando, recoiling; "what you say can not be true—who could make that spot my grave? Is this a time for trifling with me, chief?"
"It is not, my white brother! I did not bring you here to play with your feelings, but to save your life; you look at me,—you would inquire what interest I have in saving your life. ”

“ But ‘twas vain that he tried to turn, for the bold black charger refused; but, as if he had been spurred, with his might he dashed right into the Pagan midst. The lance sprang in Hernando’s hand and pierced through the Moorish king. Then the host, dismayed, exclaimed, “This one rider alone in his strength, no mortal man is he: it is one of their Christian saints come down to scatter the Prophet’s band.” So they turned and fled apace, and on the black charger rode behind; and Hernando’s lance and Hernando’s sword laid low the straggling host. ”

“ But Hernando said, “Good king! pray leave me my father’s armour and my father’s charger bold, for I am but a stripling, and my hand and my arm are weak, but my father’s arms and my father’s steed alone put the foe to flight.”
So the king let him have his will; and as he [297] found him so brave and successful against the Moors, he sent him to carry a message of encouragement to Don Diaz, to whom the Moors had laid siege. Now, as he came back from the errand, he was crossing the lonely plain, when anon it was covered with horsemen—Moorish horsemen, arrayed in their might. ”

“ Sever'd from thee I will not live, sweet love,
Nor shalt thou be the mate of one disgraced,
And by the good disowned. Here I'll remain,
And Heaven will work for me a fair deliv'rance.
MENCIA.
No, no! the present means for thy escape
Are sent to thee by Heaven. Be not so stubborn!
With or without me fly, even as thou wilt,
But do not linger here.
(Looking to the door, on hearing it move.)
The door—O misery! we are surprised.
It is Henriquez; Heaven have pity on us!
Enter Henriquez, while Mencia shrinks behind Antonio.
HENRIQUEZ (advancing) .
Ha! not alone! Who is it? ”

“ His eye was indeed fixed on Don Hernan, but yet fixed as on vacancy; and the lip, fallen in a ghastly contortion, the rigid features, the abstracted stare, the right hand pressed upon his knee, while the left lay powerless and dead over the cushions of his chair, as he bent a little forward, as if wholly unconscious of the presence of his people and his foes, made it manifest to all, that his thoughts were absorbed in the contemplation of his own abasement. ”

“ BLAS (shaking his head) .
No, no!
CARLOS.
I fear he tells us true.
HENRIQUEZ.
He wrote to me, not many days ago,
A letter, dated from his northern seat,
Which made no mention of his visit here:
If what you say be true, it is most strange.
I'll be assured if it, indeed, be so. (Going hastily) .
CARLOS (preventing him) .
Retire, and I will see it ascertain'd:
You shall not look upon so sad a sight.
KING (to Henriquez) .
Retire, my Lord: it were not fit you went,
Your noble guests beseech you to retire.
HENRIQUEZ.
I will obey your Grace. I thank ye all. ”

“ HENRIQUEZ.
Come, friends, till I am summon'd to my trial:
The time is short, and we must husband it. (Going and stopping again.) I shun not now thy friendly aid, good Carlos;
My heart is lighten'd of its heavy load,
And I can take a good man by the hand,
And feel we are akin.
CARLOS.
To all that is most great and admirable
Thou art akin. I have no words to speak
The thoughts I have of thee, thou noble man!
HENRIQUEZ (to Antonio) . ”

“ The scene begins with a speech of bitter irony from Hernani. His friends have been defeated and dispersed. He is alone in the world; a price is on his head; his lot is more black and hopeless than before. ”

“ But one moment, stay, my liege: There was another charge, young Carlos brought. Tell us, Hernando, if in any way, thou wert accessary to Julio's death? Hernando
I take the dead to witness--- ( Enter Julio, who starts at seeing Hernando in fetters. )
Ah! he comes here to confound me with a miracle! I do confess. Away! ”

“ But the king, who had seen him come in bearing along such goodly spoils, took him for a practised warrior, and gave him a work to do which needed a valiant heart. “Now keep this pass,” he said, “for the rocks are narrow and high, and one at a time, as the enemy comes, with your sword you will strike them down.” [296]
Young Hernando durst not say ‘Nay;’ for his spirit within him was bold, though his young tender flesh was weak. And as he watched there alone, with only the moon for guide, “Oh, had I my old black charger, and my father’s armour!” he cried. ”

“ Don Hernan took the hand of the cavalier, and eyeing him steadfastly and sternly, while his old companions gathered around, said with a most pointed asperity,—
"My friend Alvarado! thou hast done me, as well as these noble cavaliers, thy friends, and also thy lord the king, a most grievous wrong; for, by the indulgence of thy hot wrath and indiscretion, thou hast, as I may say, dashed the possession of this empire out of our hands: and much blood shall be shed, and many Christian lives sacrificed in a war that might have been spared us, before we can remedy the consequences of thy rashness!" ”

“ Doña Teresa, his wife, had never ceased every day to look out for her Hernando’s return. And when she saw his black charger, bearing his empty armour, she knew at once all that had come to pass; and like a noble Christian spouse, she had the strength to thank God that her Hernando had spent his life in the service of his religion and his country. Then she took his precious armour and laid it safely by, and she caressed the gallant [293] black charger, and led him away to his fresh-littered stall. ”

“ The five-and-twenty years, which had changed the prime of manhood into advancing age, and blanched the hair of each, had had no power to decrease the strong ties of kindred, so powerful in their secret race. The agitation and excitement of Henriquez was so excessive, not only then, but during the few days intervening before the celebration of the bridal, that Marie, in spite of the near approach of the dreaded day, could only think of him. ”