Page:Gaston Leroux--The bride of the sun.djvu/177

Rh shelter in the crowd. Even the infantrymen lining the square broke their ranks, while the cavalrymen dismounted, took off their saddles and loaded them on their heads in guise of umbrellas. As to those soldierly ladies, the rabonas, they calmly threw their bell-shaped petticoats over their heads.

Garcia alone did not move. Furious at this spoiling of his triumph, he threatened his officers with immediate death if they dared leave his side. He did not even fall back into his saddle, but stood erect there, his crown-charged arm menacing the heavens.

Then the Chief of Staff approached the Dictator, saluted thrice, and said:

"Excellency, it is not the fault of the sky. The sky would not have dared! The roar of your guns compelled the clouds, Excellency."

"You are right," replied Garcia. "And since the guns did the harm, let them repair it."

With which, a battery was rolled out into the square, and opened fire on the clouds. They thundered on until the short tropical storm had passed. Then Garcia, triumphant, shouted: "I have had the last word with the heavens!"

The review was over.