Carmen Ariza Part 79

"_Bien, compadre_," purred Diego, "would it not be well for you to loosen this bit of thread, that we may make our way back to the village? _Caramba!_ but it cuts sore--and I am soft, my friend, for I have been ill."

Rosendo's wrath flared up anew. "What made you ill, _cayman_?" he shouted, drawing nearer to the shrinking Diego and shaking a great fist in his face. "What made you ill, buzzard? _Caramba!_ I would that your illness had carried you off and saved me the task of sending you down to purgatory!"

Diego became thoroughly alarmed again. "But--Rosendo--_caro amigo_, let us reason together! Ah, _compadre_--loosen but a little this rope which cuts into my tender skin as your bitter words do into my soul!"

"_Na_, vulture, but you will drown more quickly thus!" retorted Rosendo, his huge frame trembling with agitation.

Diego's heart stopped. Then he sought to collect himself. He was in a desperate plight. But the man before him was an ignorant _peon_.

It was not the first time that he had set his own wit against another's brute strength. The ever-present memory of the girl became more vivid. It glowed before him. What was it she had said?

"You see only your thoughts of me--and they are very bad!" Was he seeing now only his own bad thoughts? But she had said they were unreal. And this episode--_Hombre!_ he would not be afraid. His thought was vastly more powerful than that of a simple _peon_! He smiled again at his fear.

"But, _amigo_," he resumed gently, "if you had wished to drown me, why did you bring me here? But--ah, well, I have long been prepared to go.

I have been sadly misunderstood--disbelieved--persecuted! Ah, friend Rosendo, if you could know what I do--but--_Bien_, it is of no consequence now. Come, then, good fellow, despatch me quickly! I have made my peace with G.o.d." Diego ceased talking and began to murmur prayers.

Rosendo stared at him in amazement. The wind was being taken from his sails. Diego noted the effect, and resumed his speech. His voice was low and soft, and at times great tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Rosendo, friend, I wish to go. I weary of life. There is no stain upon my soul. And yet, I grieve that you must tarnish yours with my blood. But," his eyes brightening and his tone becoming more animated, "Rosendo, I will pray the blessed Virgin for you. When I am with her in paradise I will ask her to beg the gentle Saviour to forgive you. _Bien_, good friend, we shall all be together in heaven some day." He started his orisons again, and soon was praying like a locomotive: "_Ora pro n.o.bis! Santa Maria, ora pro n.o.bis!_"

He stopped and sighed gently. Rosendo stood stupidly before him.

"Rosendo--I must say this before I die--I came to Simiti to see you. I was approaching the boat to hold converse with you. But, you struck me--there, _que importa_! And yet--it was about the gentle Ana, your beautiful daughter--But, wait, Rosendo--G.o.d above! hear me through--"

Rosendo had started again toward him.

"Good friend, hear me first, then kill me quickly, for I much desire to go to my home above!" Diego spoke rapidly. The impression must be made upon Rosendo at once, or all was lost. The wily priest knew the _peon_ mind.

"_Bien_, good friend, you have misunderstood me. But I forgive you.

I--Rosendo--I--you will keep my secret, will you not? Bien, I have left the Church. I am no longer a priest. It was for good reasons that G.o.d took me from the priesthood for other work in His field. _Bien_, the bonds of celibacy removed, behold! my first thought is for my beautiful Ana. I came to ask you for her hand. I would render legitimate her unborn child. I would return to her the peace which she lost when we became so deeply enamored of each other. Rosendo, I have come to Simiti to lay my life before you--to yield it to the mother of my child--to offer it in future service as a recompense for the unhappiness which, the Virgin knows, I did not willingly bring upon her, or you!"

Rosendo's head was now in a whirl. His eyes protruded, and his mouth was agape. "But--the little Carmen--" he muttered.

"Alas! friend," said Diego sadly, shaking his head, while he quickly grasped the cue, "I have ceased my endeavors to make you believe that she is my child. _Caramba!_ I can only leave it to the blessed Virgin to restore her to me when we have both pa.s.sed the portals of death."

"You still claim to be her father? You--!"

"_Caro amigo_," returned Diego gently, "in these last moments I see in her the beautiful image of her blessed mother, who was taken from me long before I met and loved your Ana. But I despair of enforcing my claim. I await now the reunion which death alone can effect. And so, friend, be quick! But do not make me suffer. Drown me not, I pray you, but rather open an artery and let me fall gently asleep here beneath this n.o.ble tree."

A light came into Rosendo's troubled eyes. A cunning smile lurked about his mouth.

"_Bien pues_, it shall be as you wish, vulture," he replied in a tone which again struck terror to Diego's heart. He drew his knife and approached the horrified priest.

"_Caramba!_" shrieked Diego, shrinking back against the tree.

"_Hombre!_ you do not intend--"

"Why not, vampire?" returned Rosendo, the sardonic smile spreading across his grim features. "Did you not ask it?"

"But--_Hombre_! Back!--_Caramba_! Back!--Rosendo--G.o.d above! But would you go down to h.e.l.l with murder on your soul?"

"_Cierto_, carrion! I kill the body. But you go down with a load of murdered souls!"

"Rosendo--G.o.d!--it means h.e.l.l for eternity to you!"

"To be sure, dog-meat," calmly replied Rosendo. "But h.e.l.l will be heaven to me as I sit forever and hourly remind you of the suffering Ana and the beautiful Carmen, whom you tried to ruin! Is it not so?"

"Ah, G.o.d!" Diego saw that he had lost. Wild thoughts flashed through his mind with lightning speed. Desperation lent them wings. A last expedient came to him. He fixed his beady eyes upon Rosendo and muttered: "Coward! coward! you bind a sick man and stick him like a pig!"

Rosendo hesitated. Diego quickly followed up his slight advantage.

"We give a deer, a tapir, a jaguar, a chance for its life. We fear them not. But you--coward, you are afraid of a sick man! And a priest!"

Rosendo could bear the taunt no longer. "_Caramba!_" he cried, "what would you?" He leaped to the sitting man and at a stroke severed his bonds. Diego got slowly to his feet.

"_Bien_, spew of the vampire! you have now a chance!"

Diego extended his empty hands, palms up. He smiled significantly.

Rosendo caught the insinuation.

"_Caramba!_ take the knife! _Hombre!_ but I will kill you with my bare hands!" He threw the long knife to Diego, who stooped and picked it up.

Stepping quickly back, holding the weapon firmly clenched before him, the priest slowly circled Rosendo, as if looking for an opening. An evil smile played constantly over his heavy face, and his little eyes glittered like diamonds. Rosendo stood like a rock, his long arms hanging at his side.

Then, with a shrill, taunting laugh, Diego turned suddenly and plunged into the newly-cut trail toward the lake. In an instant he was lost in the fog.

For a moment Rosendo stood dumb with amazement. Then he sprang after the priest. But it was too late. Diego had reached the canoe, leaped quickly in, and pushed off. Rosendo saw the mist swallow him. He was left a prisoner, without a boat, and with two miles of shrouded water stretching between him and the town!

A low moan burst from him. He had been tricked, outwitted; and the evil genius which for years had menaced his happiness was heading straight toward the town, where his accomplice, Ricardo, awaited. What would they do, now that he was out of the way? The thought seared his brain. Great beads of water, distilled from his agony, burst through his pores. The Juncal river lay off to the west, and at a much less distance than Simiti. He might swim to it and secure a canoe at the village. But--the lake was alive with crocodiles!

Chagrin and apprehension overwhelmed him, and he burst into a flood of bitter tears. He threw himself upon the ground, and tossed and moaned in despair. The fog thickened. A twilight darkness settled over the waters. Nature--G.o.d himself--seemed to conspire with Diego.

Rosendo suddenly rose to his feet. He drew the new medal scapulary around in front of him and kissed it, reverently crossing himself.

"_Santa Virgen_," he prayed, "help me--it is for the child!" Then, taking between his teeth the knife which Diego had dropped, he rushed into the water and struck out for the distant village of Juncal.

Late that afternoon, while the tropical rain was descending in torrents, Rosendo staggered into the parish house, where Carmen and Jose were absorbed in their work. "Padre!" he gasped, "_Loado sea Dios!_" as his eyes fell upon the girl. Then he sank to the floor in utter exhaustion.

"Rosendo! what is it?" cried Jose, bending over him in apprehension, while Carmen stood lost in wonder.

"Padre Diego--!" cried Rosendo, raising himself up on his elbow. "Has he been here?"

"Padre Diego!" cried both Jose and the girl in astonishment.

Instinctively Jose's arm went about the child. Rosendo dragged himself to a chair and sank limply into it.

"Then, Padre, he will come. He is in Simiti. He is no longer a priest!"

Slowly the story came out, bit by bit. Jose listened in horror.

Carmen's face was deeply serious.