Caesar or Nothing Part 48

"The three women gazed sadly at one another. What can the poor child have? I remember nothing about her, except her hair parted in the middle, and the pallid colour of her bloodless skin, and nevertheless it makes me sad to think that she is sick.

"I should like to offer myself to these women at this crisis; I should like to say to them: 'I am a humble person, without money; but if I could be useful to you in any way, I would do it with all my heart; and that is more than I would do for this gang covered with brilliants.'

"The German who eats at the next table to the family understands what is happening, and he leaves off eating to look at them, and then looks at me with his blue eyes. At last he shrugs his shoulders, lowers his head, and empties a gla.s.s of wine at one gulp.

"The three women rise and go to their rooms. One hears them coming and going in the corridor; then a waiter takes their dinner upstairs.

"And while the family are desolate up there, down here in the 'hall' the 'misses' keep on looking at one another contemptuously, exhibiting rings that sparkle on their fingers, and which would keep hundreds of people alive; and while they are weeping upstairs, down here a blond Yankee woman, with a large blue hat, a friend of Susanna's, who flirts with a youth from Chicago, is laughing heartily, showing a set of white teeth in which there shines a chip of gold."

_SUSANNA DOES NOT UNDERSTAND_

"I have spoken to Susanna about the poor English girl, who, they say, is dying; and she has bidden me not to tell her sad things. She cannot bear other people's suffering. She says she is more sensitive than others.

How very comical!

"This fine lady, who thinks herself so witty and so sensitive, has an inner skin like a hippopotamus; she is covered with a magnificent egoism, which must be at least of galvanized steel. Her armour protects her against the action of other people's miseries and pains.

"This woman, so beautiful, is of a grotesque egotism; one understands her husband's despising her.

"I am leaving her with her millions and going away to Spain."

PART TWO. CASTRO DURO

I. ARRIVAL. _CaeSAR IN ACTION_

During the night Caesar Moncada and Alzugaray chatted in the train.

Alzugaray was praising this first Quixotic sally of his friend's.

"We are going to cross the Rubicon, Caesar," he said, as he got into the train.

"We shall see."

Many times Alzugaray had heard Caesar explain his plans, but he had no great confidence in their realization. Nor did this particular moment seem to him opportune for beginning the campaign. Everybody believed that the Liberal Ministry was stronger than ever; people were still away for the summer; nothing was doing.

Nevertheless, Caesar insisted that the crisis was imminent, and that it was the precise moment for him to enter politics. With this object he was taking a letter from Alarcos, the leader of the Conservatives, to Don Calixto Garcia Guerrero.

"Your Don Calixto will be at San Sebastian or at some water-cure," said Alzugaray, taking his seat in the train.

"It's all the same to me. I intend to follow him until I find him,"

answered Caesar.

"And you are decided to run as a Conservative?"

"Of course."

"I hope you won't be sorry later."

"Pshaw! Later one jumps into the position that suits one. On these first rungs of political life, either you have to have great luck, or you have to go like a gra.s.shopper, first here, then there. That is the take-off, and when you are there all the ambitious mediocrities unite against you if you have any talent. Naturally, I do not intend to do anything to exhibit mine. Spanish politics are like a pond; a strong, healthy stick of wood goes to the bottom; a piece of bark or cork or a sheaf of straw stays on the surface. One has to disguise oneself as a cork."

"And later you will go on and make yourself known."

"Naturally. Since I find myself in the vein for making comparisons, I will say that in Spanish politics we have a case like those in the old comedies of intrigue, where the lackeys pretend to be gentlemen. When I am once among the gentlemen, I shall know how to prove that I am more a master than the people surrounding me."

"How conceited you are."

"The confidence one feels in oneself," said Caesar ironically.

"But have you really got it, or do you only pretend to have?"

"What matter whether I have it or haven't it, if I behave as if I had it?"

"It matters a lot. It matters whether you are calm or not in the moment of danger."

"Calmness is the muse that inspires me. I haven't it in my thoughts, but in active life you shall see me!"

The two friends stretched themselves out in their first-cla.s.s compartment, and lay half asleep until dawn, when they got up again.

The train was running rapidly across the flat country; the yellow sunlight shone into the car; through the newly sowed fields rode men on horseback.

"These are not my dominions yet," said Caesar.

"We have two more stations till Castro Duro," responded Alzugaray, consulting the time-table. They took off their caps, put them into the bag, Caesar put on a fresh collar, and they sat down by the window.

"It is ugly enough, eh?" said Alzugaray.

"Naturally," replied Caesar. "What do you want; that there should be some of those green landscapes like in your country, which for my part irritate me?"

THE CLa.s.sIC STAGECOACH

They arrived at Castro Duro. In the station they saw groups of peasants.

The travellers with their baggage went out of the station. There were two shabby coaches at the door.

"Are you going to the Comercio?" asked one driver.

"No, they are going to the Espana," said the other.

"Then you two know more than we do," answered Alzugaray, "because we don't know where to go."

"To the Comercio!"