The Rifle Rangers (4 page)

Here the voice of Don Cosme was heard calling out-

"Pepe! Ramon! Francisco! bring dinner.Anda! anda !" (Be quick!)

"Who on earth is the old fellow calling?" asked the major, with some concern in his manner. "I see no one."

Nor could we; so we all rose up together, and approached that side of the building that looked rearward.

The house, to all appearance, had but one apartment-the room in which we then were. The only point of this screened from observation was the little veranda into which Don Cosme had entered; but this was not large enough to contain the number of persons who might be represented by the names he had called out.

Two smaller buildings stood under the olive-trees in the rear; but these, like the house, weretransparent , and not a human figure appeared within them. We could see through the trunks of the olives a clear distance of a hundred yards. Beyond this, the mezquite and the scarlet leaves of the wild maguey marked the boundary of the forest.

It was equally puzzling to us whither the girls had gone, or whence "Pepe, Ramon, and Francisco" were to come.

The tinkling of a little bell startled us from our conjectures, and the voice of Don Cosme was heard inquiring:

"Have you any favourite dish, gentlemen?"

Someone answered, "No."

"Curse me!" exclaimed the major, "I believe he can get anything we may call for-raise it out of the ground by stamping his foot or ringing a bell. Didn't I tell you?"

This exclamation was uttered in consequence of the appearance of a train of well-dressed servants, five or six in number, bringing waiters with dishes and decanters. They entered from the porch; but how did they get into it? Certainly not from the woods without, else we should have seen them as they approached the cage.

The major uttered a terrible invocation, adding in a hoarse whisper, "This must be the Mexican Aladdin!"

I confess I was not less puzzled than he. Meantime the servants came and went, going empty, and returning loaded. In less than half an hour the table fairly creaked under the weight of a sumptuous dinner. This is no figure of speech. There were dishes of massive silver, with huge flagons of the same metal, and even cups of gold!

"Senores, vamos a comer" (Come, let us eat, gentlemen), said Don Cosme, politely motioning us to be seated. "I fear that you will not be pleased with mycuisine -it is purely Mexican-estilo del pais."

To say that the dinner was not a good one would be to utter a falsehood, and contradict the statement of Major George Blossom, of the U.S. quarter-master's department, who afterwards declared that it was the best dinner he had ever eaten in his life.

Turtle-soup first.

"Perhaps you would preferjulienne or vermicelli , gentlemen?" inquired the Don.

"Thank you; your turtle is very fine," replied I, necessarily the interpreter of the party.

"Try some of theaguacate -it will improve the flavour of your soup."

One of the waiters handed round a dark, olive-coloured fruit of an oblong shape, about the size of a large pear.

"Ask him how it is used, Captain," said the major to me.

"Oh, I beg your pardon, gentlemen. I had forgotten that some of our edibles may be strange to you. Simply pare off the rind, and slice it thus."

We tried the experiment, but could not discover any peculiar improvement in the flavour of the soup. The pulp of the aguacate seemed singularly insipid to our northern palates.

Fish, as with us, and of the finest quality, formed the second course.

A variety of dishes were now brought upon the table; most of them new to us, but all piquant, pleasant to the taste, and peculiar.

The major tried them all, determined to find out which he might like best-a piece of knowledge that he said would serve him upon some future occasion.

The Don seemed to take a pleasure in helping the major, whom he honoured by the title of "Senor Coronel."

"Puchero, Senor Coronel?"

"Thank you, sir," grunted the major, and tried the puchero.

"Allow me to help you to a spoonful ofmole ."

"With pleasure, Don Cosme."

Themole suddenly disappeared down the major's capacious throat.

"Try some of thischile relleno ."

"By all means," answered the major. "Ah, by Jove! hot as fire!-whew!"

"Pica! Pica!" answered Don Cosme, pointing to his thorax, and smiling at the wry faces the major was making. "Wash it down, Senor, with a glass of this claret-or here, Pepe! Is the Johannisberg cool yet? Bring it in, then. Perhaps you prefer champagne, Senores?"

"Thank you; do not trouble yourself, Don Cosme."

"No trouble, Capitan-bring champagne. Here, Senor Coronel, try theguisado de pato ."

"Thank you," stammered the major; "you are very kind. Curse the thing! how it burns!"

"Do you think he understands English?" inquired Clayey of me in a whisper.

"I should think not," I replied.

"Well, then, I wish to say aloud that this old chap's a superb old gent. What say you, Major? Don't you wish we had him on the lines?"

"I wish his kitchen were a little nearer the lines," replied the other, with a wink.

"Senor Coronel, permit me-"

"What is it, my dear Don?" inquired the major.

"Pasteles de Moctezuma."

"Oh, certainly. I say, lads, I don't know what the plague I'm eating- it's not bad to take, though."

"Senor Coronel, allow me to help you to aguana steak."

"A guana steak!" echoed the major, in some surprise.

"Si, Senor," replied Don Cosme, holding the steak on his fork.

"A guana steak! Do you think, lads, he means the ugly things we saw at Lobos."

"To be sure-why not?"

"Then, by Jove, I'm through! I can't go lizards. Thank you, my dear Don Cosme; I believe I have dined."

"Try this; it is very tender, I assure you," insisted Don Cosme.

"Come, try it, Major, and report," cried Clayey.

"Good-you're like the apothecary that poisoned his dog to try the effect of his nostrums. Well,"-with an oath-"here goes! It can't be very bad, seeing how our friend gets it down. Delicious, by Jupiter! tender as chicken-good, good!"-and amidst sundry similar ejaculations the major ate his first guana steak.

"Gentlemen, here is an ortolan pie. I can recommend it-the birds are in season."

"Reed-birds, by Jove!" said the major, recognising his favourite dish.

An incredible number of these creatures disappeared in an incredibly short time.

The dinner dishes were at length removed, and dessert followed: cakes and creams, and jellies of various kinds, and blancmange, and a profusion of the most luxurious fruits. The golden orange, the ripe pine, the pale-green lime, the juicy grape, the custard-like cherimolla, the zapote, the granadilla, the pitahaya, the tuna, the mamay; with dates, figs, almonds, plantains, bananas, and a dozen other species of fruits, piled upon salvers of silver, were set before us: in fact, every product of the tropical clime that could excite a new nerve of the sense of taste. We were fairly astonished at the profusion of luxuries that came from no one knew where.

"Come, gentlemen, try a glass of curacoa. Senor Coronel, allow me the pleasure."

"Sir, your very good health."

"Senor Coronel, would you prefer a glass of Majorca?"

"Thank you."

"Or perhaps you would choosePedro Ximenes . I have some very oldPedro Ximenes ."

"Either, my dear Don Cosme-either."

"Bring both, Ramon; and bring a couple of bottles of the Madeira-sello verde ," (green seal).

"As I am a Christian, the old gentleman's a conjuror!" muttered the major, now in the best humour possible.

"I wish he would conjure up something else than his infernal wine bottles," thought I, becoming impatient at the non-appearance of the ladies.

"Cafe, Senores?" A servant entered.

Coffee was handed round in cups of Sevres china.

"You smoke, gentlemen? Would you prefer a Havanna? Here are some sent me from Cuba by a friend. I believe they are good; or, if you would amuse yourself with a cigaritto, here are Campeacheanos. These are the country cigars-puros, as we call them. I would not recommend them."

"A Havanna for me," said the major, helping himself at the same time to a fine-looking "regalia."

I had fallen into a somewhat painful reverie.

I began to fear that, with all his hospitality, the Mexican would allow us to depart without an introduction to his family; and I had conceived a strong desire to speak with the two lovely beings whom I had already seen, but more particularly with the brunette, whose looks and actions had deeply impressed me. So strange is the mystery of love! My heart had already made its choice.

I was suddenly aroused by the voice of Don Cosme, who had risen, and was inviting myself and comrades to join the ladies in the drawing-room.

I started up so suddenly as almost to overturn one of the tables.

"Why, Captain, what's the matter!" said Clayley. "Don Cosme is about to introduce us to the ladies. You're not going to back out?"

"Certainly not," stammered I, somewhat ashamed at mygaucherie .

"He says they're in the drawing-room," whispered the major, in a voice that betokened a degree of suspicion; "but where the plague that is, Heaven only knows! Stand by, my boys!-are your pistols all right?"

"Pshaw, Major! for shame!"

* * *

We hurried after Don Cosme towards theante-sala , both myself and my companions ignorant of this new object of dread.

When we emerged from the stairway the scene that hailed us was one of terrific sublimity. Earth and heaven had undergone a sudden and convulsive change. The face of nature, but a moment since gay with summer smiles, was now hideously distorted. The sky had changed suddenly from its blue and sunny brightness to an aspect dark and portentous.

Along the north-west a vast volume of black vapour rolled up over the Sierra Madre, and rested upon the peaks of the mountains. From this, ragged masses, parting in fantastic forms and groupings, floated off against the concavity of the sky as though the demons of the storm were breaking up from an angry council. Each of these, as it careered across the heavens, seemed bent upon some spiteful purpose.

An isolated fragment hung lowering above the snowy cone of Orizava, like a huge vampire suspended over his sleeping victim.

From the great "parent cloud" that rested upon the Sierra Madre, lightning-bolts shot out and forked hither and thither or sank into the detached masses-the messengers of the storm-king bearing his fiery mandates across the sky.

Away along the horizon of the east moved the yellow pillars of sand, whirled upward by the wind, like vast columnar towers leading to heaven.

The storm had not yet reached the rancho. The leaves lay motionless under a dark and ominous calm; but the wild screams of many birds-the shrieks of the swans, the discordant notes of the frightened pea-fowl, the chattering of parrots as they sought the shelter of the thick olives in terrified flight-all betokened the speedy advent of some fearful convulsion.

The rain in large drops fell upon the broad leaves with a soft, plashing sound; and now and then a quick, short puff came snorting along, and, seizing the feathery frondage of the palms, shook them with a spiteful and ruffian energy.

The long green stripes, after oscillating a moment, would settle down again in graceful and motionless curves.

A low sound like the "sough" of the sea or the distant falling of water came from the north; while at intervals the hoarse bark of thecoyote and the yelling of terrified monkeys could be heard afar off in the woods.

"Tapa la casa! tapa la casa!" (Cover the house!) cried Don Cosme as soon as he had fairly got his head above ground. "Anda!-anda con los macates!" (Quick with the cords!) With lightning quickness a roll of palmetto mats came down on all sides of the house, completely covering the bamboo walls, and forming a screen impervious to both wind and rain. This was speedily fastened at all corners, and strong stays were carried out and warped around the trunks of trees. In five minutes the change was complete. The cage-looking structure had disappeared, and a house with walls of yellowpetate stood in its place.

"Now, Senores, all is secured," said Don Cosme. "Let us return to the drawing-room."

"I should like to see the first burst of this tornado," I remarked, not wishing to intrude upon the scene of sorrow we had left.

"So be it, Captain. Stand here under the shelter, then."

"Hot as thunder!" growled the major, wiping the perspiration from his broad, red cheeks.

"In five minutes, Senor Coronel, you will be chilled. At this point the heated atmosphere is now compressed. Patience! it will soon be scattered."

"How long will the storm continue?" I asked. "Por Dios! Senor, it is impossible to tell how long the `_norte' may rage: sometimes for days; perhaps only for a few hours. This appears to be a `_huracana'. If so, it will be short, but terrible while it lasts.Carrambo !"

A puff of cold, sharp wind came whistling past like an arrow. Another followed, and another, like the three seas that roll over the stormy ocean. Then, with a loud, rushing sound, the broad, full blast went sweeping-strong, dark, and dusty-bearing upon its mane the screaming and terrified birds, mingled with torn and flouted leaves.

The olives creaked and tossed about. The tall palms bowed and yielded, flinging out their long pinions like streamers. The broad leaves of the plantains flapped and whistled, and, bending gracefully, allowed the fierce blast to pass over.

Then a great cloud came rolling down; a thick vapour seemed to fill the space; and the air felt hot and dark and heavy. A choking, sulphureous smell rendered the breathing difficult, and for a moment day seemed changed to night.

Suddenly the whole atmosphere blazed forth in a sheet of flame, and the trees glistened as though they were on fire. An opaque darkness succeeded. Another flash, and along with it the crashing thunder-the artillery of heaven-deafening all other sounds.

Peal followed peal; the vast cloud was breached and burst by a hundred fiery bolts; and like an avalanche the heavy tropical rain was precipitated to the earth.

It fell in torrents, but the strength of the tempest had been spent on the first onslaught. The dark cloud passed on to the south, and a piercing cold wind swept after it.

"Vamos a bajar, senores!" (Let us descend, gentlemen), said Don Cosme with a shiver, and he conducted us back to the stairway.

Clayley and the major looked towards me with an expression that said, "Shall we go in?" There were several reasons why our return to the drawing-room was unpleasant to myself and my companions. A scene of domestic affliction is ever painful to a stranger. How much more painful to us, knowing, as we did, that our countrymen-thatwe -had been the partial agents of this calamity! We hesitated a moment on the threshold.

"Gentlemen, we must return for a moment: we have been the bearers of evil tidings-let us offer such consolation as we may think of. Come!"

* * *