Carmen Ariza Part 45

"I have told you, a few weeks at the most," replied Diego with a show of petulance. "But, just the same, as agent of your friend Wenceslas, I have been a mite too active along the river, especially in the town of Banco, to find safety anywhere within the pale of civilization until this little fracas blows over. This one being an abortion, the next revolution can come only after several years of most painstaking preparation. But, mark me, _amigo_, that one will not miscarry, nor will it be less than a scourge of the Lord!"

Despite the sordidness of the man, Jose was profoundly grateful to him for this information. And there could be no doubt of its authenticity, coming as it did from a tool of Wenceslas himself. Jose became cheerful, even animated.

"Good, then! Now when do you expect to set out for San Lucas?" he asked. "Rosendo may return any day."

"_Diablo!_ Then I must be off at once!"

"To-morrow?" suggested Jose eagerly.

"_Caramba, hermano!_ Why so desirous of my departure? To be sure, to-morrow, if possible. But I must have a chat with our good friend, the Alcalde. So do me the inexpressible favor to accompany me to his door, and there leave me. My _peones_ are down at the boat, and I would rather not face the people of Simiti alone."

"Gladly," a.s.sented Jose.

The man rose to depart. At that moment Dona Maria appeared at the door bearing a tray with Jose's supper. She stopped short as she recognized Diego.

"Ah, _Senora Dona Maria_!" exclaimed Diego, bowing low. "I kiss your hand."

The woman looked inquiringly from Diego to Jose. Without a word she set the tray on the table and quickly departed.

"H'm, _amigo_, I think it well to visit the Alcalde at once," murmured Diego. "I regret that I bring the amiable senora no greeting from her charming daughter. _Ay de mi!_" he sighed, picking up his hat. "The conventions of this world are so narrow!"

Don Mario exclaimed loudly when he beheld the familiar figure of Padre Diego. Recovering from his astonishment he broke into a loud guffaw and clapped the grinning priest heartily upon the back.

"_Caramba_, man! But I admire you at last! I can forgive all your wickedness at sight of such nerve! Ramona!" calling to his daughter in the _patio_. "That last _garrafon_ and some gla.s.ses! But enter, enter, senores! Why stand you there? My poor hovel is yours!" stepping aside and ceremoniously waving them in.

"Our friend finds that his supper awaits him," said Diego, laying a hand patronizingly upon Jose's arm. "But I will eat with you, my good Don Mario, and occupy a _petate_ on your floor to-night. _Conque_, until later, Don Jose," waving a polite dismissal to the latter. "If not to-night, then in the morning _temprano_."

The audacity of the man nettled Jose. He would have liked to be present during the interview between the Alcalde and this cunning religio-political agent, for he knew that the weak-kneed Don Mario would be putty in his oily hands. However, Diego had shown him that he was not wanted. And there was nothing to do but nurse his temper and await events.

But, whatever deplorable results the visit of Diego might entail, he had at least brought present comfort to Jose in his report of the militant uprising now in progress, and the latter would sleep this night without the torment of dread apprehension.

The next morning Diego entered the parish house just as master and pupil were beginning their day's work.

"Ha!" he exclaimed, "our parochial school is quite discriminating! No?

One pupil! _Bien_, are there not enough children in the town to warrant a larger school, and with a Sister in charge? I will report the matter to the good Bishop."

Jose's wrath leaped into flame. "There is a school here, as you know, _amigo_, with a competent master," he replied with what calmness he could muster.

It was perhaps a hasty and unfortunate remark, for Jose knew he had been jealously selfish with Carmen.

"_Caramba_, yes!" retorted Diego. "A private school, to which the stubborn beasts that live in this sink will not send their brats!

There must be a parochial school in Simiti, supported by the people!

Oh, don't worry; there is gold enough here, buried in _patios_ and under these innocent-looking mud walls, to support the Pope for a decade--and that," he chuckled, "is no small sum!"

His eyes roved over Carmen and he began a mental apprais.e.m.e.nt of the girl. "_Caramba!_" muttering half to himself, after he had feasted his sight upon her for some moments, "but she is large for her age--and, _Dios y diablo!_ a ravishing beauty!"

He stood for a while wrapped in thought. Then an idea seemed to filter through his cunning brain. His coa.r.s.e, unmoral face brightened, and his thick lips parted in an evil smile.

"Come here, little one," he said patronizingly, extending his arms to the child. "Come, give your good _Padre_ his morning kiss."

The girl shrank back in her chair and looked appealingly at Jose.

"No? Then I must come and steal it; and when you confess to good Padre Jose you may tell him it was all my fault."

He started toward her. A look of horror came into the child's face and she sprang from her seat. Jose swiftly rose. He seized Diego by the shoulder and whirled him quickly about. His face was menacing and his frame trembled.

"One moment, friend!" The voice was low, tense, and deliberate. "If you lay a hand on that child I will strike you dead at my feet!"

Diego recoiled. _Cielo!_ was this the timid sheep that had stopped for a moment in Banco on its way to the slaughter? But there was no mistaking the spirit manifested now in that voice and att.i.tude.

"Why, _amigo_!" he exclaimed, a foolish grin splitting his ugly features. "Your little joke startled me!"

Jose motioned Carmen to leave.

"Be seated, Don Diego. It would be well to understand each other more thoroughly."

Had Jose gone too far? He wondered. Heaven knew, he could not afford to make enemies, especially at this juncture! But he had not misread the thought coursing through the foul mind of Diego. And yet, violence now might ruin both the child and himself. He must be wiser.

"I--I was perhaps a little hasty, _amigo_," he began in gentler tones.

"But, as you see, I have been quite wrought up of late--the news of the revolution, and--in these past months there have been many things to cause me worry. I--"

"Say no more, good friend," interrupted the oily Diego, his beady eyes twinkling. "But you will not wonder it struck me odd that a father should not be permitted to embrace his own daughter."

Dead silence, heavy and stifling, fell upon Jose. Slowly his throat filled, and his ears began to throb. Diego sat before him, smiling and twirling his fat thumbs. He looked like the images of Chinese G.o.ds Jose had seen in foreign lands.

Then the tortured man forced a laugh. Of course, the strain of yesterday had been too much for him! His overwrought mind had read into words and events meanings which they had not been meant to convey.

"True, _amigo_," he managed to say, striving to steady his voice. "But we spiritual Fathers should not forget--"

Diego laughed egregiously. "_Caramba_, man! Let us get to the meat in the nut. Why do you think I am in Simiti, braving the wrath of Rosendo and others? Why have I left my comfortable quarters in Banco, to undertake a journey, long and hazardous, to this G.o.dless hole?"

He paused, apparently enjoying the suffering he saw depicted upon Jose's countenance.

"I will tell you," he resumed. "But you will keep my confidence, no?

We are brother priests, and must hold together. You protect me in this, and I return the favor in a like indiscretion. _Bien_, I explain: I am here partly because of the revolution, as I told you yesterday, and partly, as I did not tell you, to see my little girl, my daughter, Carmen--

"_Caramba_, man!" he cried, bounding to his feet, as he saw Jose slowly rise before him. "Listen! It is G.o.d's truth! Sit down! Sit down!"

Jose dropped back into his chair like a withered leaf in the lull of a winter's wind.

"_Dios y diablo_, but it rends me to make this confession, _amigo_!

And yet, I look to you for support! The girl, Carmen--_I am her father!_"

Diego paced dramatically up and down before the scarce hearing Jose and unfolded his story in a quick, jerky voice, with many a gesture and much rolling of his bright eyes.

"Her mother was a Spanish woman of high degree. We met in Bogota. My vows prevented me from marrying her, else I should have done so.

_Caramba_, but I loved her! _Bien_, I was called to Cartagena. She feared, in her delicate state, that I was deserting her. She tried to follow me, and at Badillo was put off the boat. There, poor child, she pa.s.sed away in grief, leaving her babe. May she rest forever on the bosom of the blessed Virgin!" Diego bowed reverently and crossed himself.

"Then I lost all trace of her. My diligent inquiries revealed nothing.