Page:Once a Week Volume 8.djvu/151

. 31, 1863.] we were close to the house I wanted to go to, that the firing sounded clear and sharp. On inquiring for my uncle, I was told by the man who had charge of the office that he was at his country-house, and not likely to come into the city till the revolution was over. I had a good deal of difficulty in persuading this man to leave the office to become my guide, he being doubtful whether my uncle would approve of his leaving his post for that purpose; but he consented at last, and I went straight to bed, with the understanding that he would call me at daybreak.

By the time I had breakfasted the next morning, the sun had well risen. There was no firing in the streets, though every now and again we came upon a group of armed men, who barred the road till they had had a short dialogue with Mindanho, after which we were suffered to go on our way. I shall not soon forget this exciting walk. The novel scenery, the houses, so different in appearance to those to which I had been accustomed, the character of the vegetation, and the pleasure of being able to step out freely on firm land, made me enjoy it greatly, in spite of the drawback to its full enjoyment in the shape of bands of brigands who, having been driven out of the city, were scattered in all directions in search of plunder. To do these but justice, I must say, that I don’t think they often murdered anybody. I passed several houses of the better class which had been ransacked, but I saw no signs of personal violence. Men were occasionally seen working in the fields, as though they had nothing to fear, and the women who came to their doors as we passed appeared to be under no apprehension on this score, though a band of these ruffians was camped under some trees within two hundred yards of the largest group of cottages I saw in the course of my walk. On asking Mindanho how this was, he told me they were too much accustomed to these things to be frightened by them. The explanation was conveyed in rather an equivocal form, but if I had had any desire to get more precise information, I could not have done so just then, for a number of the robbers surrounded us, and wanted to know who we were, where we were going, and what money we had about us. Mindanho replied to these queries, but we were now among a different set of men to those who had stopped us in the streets,—men who made no pretence of fighting in the cause of order, and to whom all fish were welcome that fell into their net.

The end of our discussion was, that I agreed to give up all the money I had about me, provided they would go so far on our way with us as to insure that I should not be again molested before reaching my uncle’s house. The consent they gave to this proposition did not cost them much, for they halted at the top of the next rising ground, and, pointing out my uncle’s house, told me they would remain where they were till they saw me enter it. On reaching the house I found that so far as external appearances went, there was nothing to induce one to suppose that any violence had been perpetrated there: quite the contrary; there was an air of peculiar peacefulness about the place, which struck me the more forcibly after what I had seen within the last two hours, so that I felt completely relieved from the apprehensions on the score of my uncle’s safety, which, in spite of all my efforts, had forced themselves upon my imagination. The sound of our footsteps brought out no servant to see who was approaching; but I had heard of my uncle’s habits, and as Mindanho paid no regard to this, I saw nothing in it which, under the circumstances, was not quite natural; but when we entered the house, and there was still no sign of life, an indefinable dread of something wrong made me push forward with a quicker and firmer step. Mindanho, who knew the house well, went direct to the room in which my uncle invariably sat, took his meals, and slept. At the door we met my uncle’s attendant, a man of about forty-five years of age apparently, but who might have been some years older, being one of those thin, dark-visaged men whose age it is difficult to determine from appearance. I looked keenly at him as I waited eagerly for his answer to Mindanho’s question respecting my uncle, and I could not avoid noticing that he was greatly confused and agitated, and instead of replying at once, he looked uneasily about the room, and retreated, as it seemed to me unconsciously, towards the fireplace. There was an immense fire burning, and it certainly could not have been on account of the coldness of the weather; but Mindanho, who saw that I was surprised at the circumstance, told me that this was one of my uncle’s whims, and that he never saw the grate—which was a large one, of English make—without a fire in it. I repeated the inquiry respecting my uncle, and the answer which José now gave was:

“Indeed I know not, Señor. The brigands have been here and carried him away with them.”

“When did that happen?”

“The night before last, Señor. They came at midnight, the doors were unfastened as usual, and your uncle was sleeping in this room. I heard them come in, and came down here to assist my master, but he was talking to them quite tranquilly, and did not look as if he were at all frightened.”

Here he paused, and if at that time I had had any reason to suppose that he was implicated in my uncle’s disappearance, I should have suspected him of being at a loss what further to say; but having no suspicion, I only suggested to him that I was waiting for further explanation by ejaculating “Well!”

“Well, Señor, they asked him for money, and he told them he had not got any here except what was in his purse, which he gave to their leader. The man opened it, and seemed very dissatisfied, and began to curse and swear at my master; but he would give them no more. They searched the house, and after they had eaten and drank all they could, they ordered him to come away with them, and I have never seen him since.”

At this moment my attention was distracted from what he was saying by a low and rather ringing sound, as of the collision of metals, in some place at a little distance. José heard it, too, and became so violently agitated that I believe he