In New Granada Part 16

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

AN INTERVIEW WITH MURILLO--WE GAIN NOTHING FOR OUR PAINS--I STILL ENDEAVOUR TO RESCUE THE PRISONERS--MEET ANTONIO, WHO BELONGS TO THE GUARD AT THE PRISON--MY CONVERSATION WITH HIM--HE PROMISES a.s.sISTANCE, BUT GIVES ME BAD NEWS--OUR PLAN ARRANGED--DON JOSE SUSPECTS US, AND REQUESTS US TO LEAVE HIS HOUSE--WE REMAIN TILL THE FOLLOWING DAY--DR.

CAZALLA AND SENOR MONTEVERDE, WITH MANY OTHERS, SHOT--DOMINGO BRINGS ME A DISGUISE, AND ADVISES ME TO ESCAPE WITHOUT DELAY--DON JOSE REQUESTS ME NOT TO SEE HIM AGAIN--MR. LAFFAN AND I SEPARATE--HE STARTS FOR HONDA; I GO TOWARDS THE PRISON, FOLLOWED BY LION--OUTSIDE THE PRISON WALLS-- JOINED BY UNCLE RICHARD--OUR ESCAPE FROM THE CITY--WE REACH THE MOUNTAINS--OUR ARRIVAL AT A RIVER--NO MEANS OF CROSSING--SPANISH SOLDIERS IN PURSUIT--A TARABITA OR ROPE-BRIDGE--DANGEROUS CROSSING--THE BRIDGE CUT--OUR ESCAPE--SOUNDS OF FIRING--WE FIND SHELTER IN THE HUT OF AN INDIAN, WHOSE SON UNDERTAKES TO GUIDE US.

By the aid of Don Jose and other friends to whom I had letters, I ascertained that Dr Cazalla and Mr Duffield had been brought into Bogota, and were confined, with several other persons whom I knew, in the chief prison of the city--although they had not yet undergone the mockery of a trial, which would precede their execution. Don Jose had made every exertion to obtain their liberation, but in vain. The savage Murillo, it was said, had resolved to shoot the whole of them. As there was no English Consul at that time in Bogota, and no one who dared openly to take Uncle Richard's part, I determined, according to the advice I had received, to beard the lion in his den, and threaten him with the vengeance of England should Mr Duffield be injured. I was also to point out to Murillo the disgrace of destroying a man of such high scientific attainments as Dr Cazalla, and to plead that he might be banished to England, where he could render service to the human race.

Mr Laffan was quite willing to accompany me as interpreter. "We may bamboozle the scoundrel, and succeed where others have failed," observed the dominie. "There is nothing like impudence,--or a bold bearing, as some would call it,--when one has to deal with a fellow of this sort."

We set out, accordingly, for the viceroy's palace. On our arrival we found numerous officers hurriedly coming and going, but most of them merely glanced at us and pa.s.sed on. In the ante-room there was a motley a.s.semblage of persons of all ranks. Some had come with pet.i.tions, others had been summoned to undergo examinations; and several-- informers, I have no doubt--were hoping to obtain a reward for their treachery. I sent in my card by an aide-de-camp, requesting an interview with his Excellency. To my surprise, we were almost immediately admitted. The general was seated at a table covered with papers--two or three officers standing near him. His countenance did not belie his character. Although the expression of his mouth was concealed by his huge moustache, the dark eyes which gleamed forth from under his s.h.a.ggy brows, and the frown which wrinkled his high forehead, betokened his savage disposition.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" he asked abruptly in Spanish.

I turned to Mr Laffan and begged him to interpret what the general said.

"Tell him that I am English, and how, hearing that a countryman of mine has been imprisoned unjustly, I have come to demand his release, and permission for him to accompany me back to England."

"Of what profession is he?" asked the general of Mr Laffan. "Is he a lawyer?"

"No," I replied; "he is a British naval officer who has resided for some time in this country, but is still under the protection of the English Government, to whom it would be my duty to give information should any harm happen to him."

"Had he been a lawyer, whether a British subject or not, he should be shot," answered Murillo. "As it is, I will consider the matter."

He turned to one of the officers, who handed him a paper.

"Ah! I see he is married to a lady belonging to a rebel family; and he himself was found inciting the peasantry to take up arms. I care not though he is under British protection. He shall die."

"My countrymen will avenge him," I answered through Mr Laffan, who a.s.sumed an authoritative tone and manner, which I thought would produce some effect. "You know not whether the accusation is true or false."

Judging that it was best to leave what I had said to produce its effect, I stopped for a minute, and then continued,--"Well, your Excellency, I need not speak further about Senor Ricardo Duffield. I have now to plead for another person, who, although not an Englishman, belongs to all civilised countries in the world, and all will equally stigmatise those who injure him; I allude to the learned Dr Cazalla. I beg that he may be allowed to accompany me to my own country, where he can prosecute his scientific studies without molestation."

The general's brow grew darker than ever.

"He is one of the pests of this country. He taught the rebels how to make gunpowder and arms, to be used against their rightful sovereign.

He shall die, even although the whole British army, with your Lord Wellesley at their head, were to endeavour to rescue him."

"That's an ungrateful remark, your Excellency, considering the service he has rendered Spain," observed Mr Laffan; "but it's just what may be expected."

"Go out of my presence--this instant!" exclaimed the general, irritated by this imprudent remark. "The prisoners shall die; and let me tell you that your errand is bootless."

I felt, indeed, that such was the case. In fact, I heard the general, turning to the officer who acted as his chief of police, direct him to keep an eye upon us. His suspicions had, I saw, been aroused.

We did not consider it necessary to pay any special mark of respect as we took our leave. The general was talking to the officers at his side, scarcely deigning to notice us. With heads erect, and as calm countenances as we could command, we pa.s.sed through the crowd in the ante-room, and made our way into the street. We then hurried back to Don Jose's, to tell him how fruitless had been our visit to the viceroy.

"I was afraid so," observed our host. "If Murillo has made up his mind, no power on earth can turn him from his purpose."

I had not forgotten Antonio, and had formed a plan to try and rescue Mr Duffield and Dr Cazalla, should other means fail. As Antonio had not already betrayed me, I had great hopes that I could rely on his a.s.sistance. Always accompanied by Mr Laffan, I went about endeavouring to discover him. I at length ascertained that he belonged to the guard stationed at the prison. In all probability, then, he would at times have charge of the prisoners inside; and if so, he might be able to aid in their escape.

Before long we fell in with him off duty, and near the prison itself.

It was late in the evening, but there was sufficient light for us to recognise each other. I made a sign, and he followed us to a dark spot under the prison walls.

"You know me, Antonio?" I asked.

"Ah yes, senor, the moment I saw you, while we were on the march here.

I joined the G.o.dos as the only means of saving my life--having obtained the uniform of a corporal who had been killed. My intention, however, was to desert on the first opportunity."

"Will you venture to a.s.sist the escape of Don Ricardo and Dr Cazalla?"

I asked.

"Don Ricardo has already spoken to me, and promised a reward. I will do what I can without the reward, although the money would be welcome. He has promised me three hundred dollars."

"And I will give two hundred more when he is safe away from the city, and five hundred for Dr Cazalla."

"Ah, senor, that is more difficult, for he is strictly guarded, and, it is said, is to die to-morrow."

"To-morrow!" I exclaimed; "then he must escape to-night."

"Impossible!" answered Antonio; "ten thousand dollars would not effect his liberation. And besides, in endeavouring to free him I might be suspected, and thus be unable to help Don Ricardo."

"I know that I can trust you, Antonio," and I put some gold pieces into his hand. "Perhaps you can bribe your comrades; and promise them any further reward you think fit."

"They would take the money, and betray me," he answered. "I will employ some of it, however, but it will be in supplying them with abundance of strong wine; that will give me a better mastery over them than any bribe. Trust to my discretion."

After some further conversation, I arranged with Antonio that he was to try and effect the escape of Uncle Richard, and, if possible, that of Dr Cazalla. The following night he was to be on guard inside the prison, and he would then have the keys in his possession. The most likely time was about ten o'clock; and I arranged to be in the neighbourhood to a.s.sist, if necessary, in the escape of my friend.

Mr Laffan approved of the plan, but thought that it would be imprudent for him and me to be seen again near the prison, although we might afterwards join the fugitives. I proposed, therefore, having horses in readiness, and making our way down to Honda, whence we might embark on the river Magdalena; and the current being rapid, we should not occupy more than five days, and might at Carthagena get on board the first vessel about to sail. If we could once reach any of the British West India Islands, we should be safe.

On our return Don Jose met us as we entered, with an expression of anxiety on his countenance.

"I fear, my friends, you are not exactly what you represent yourselves to be," he said. "You are honest, I doubt not, and well-conducted, and I wish to fulfil my engagement as far as I can to a.s.sist you; but I must advise you to leave this house and the city as soon as possible, or I shall be compromised by your remaining."

"I am deeply grateful for all your kindness, and will do as you advise,"

I answered. "I shall be thankful if I have ever the opportunity of proving my sincerity."

We should at once have left Don Jose, but that it was too late to seek a lodging; and as he did not express a wish that we should do so, we remained, promising to bid him farewell the next morning. I sincerely hoped that he would not suffer in consequence of his kindness to us.

We were about to start on the following day, after breakfast, to which our kind host insisted we should remain, when, on looking from the window across the square, we saw, as we had on the morning of our arrival, a body of troops marching from the prison. There was to be another execution, then. My heart sank within me. Was Murillo about to carry out his threat? As they approached I could scarcely support myself, for I saw my uncle, Dr Cazalla, with several other prisoners, nearing the spot where so many of the Patriots had already yielded up their lives for the liberty of their country. There were four other persons. It was certainly some relief not to see Uncle Richard among them; and my whole attention was now concentrated on Dr Cazalla. I pointed out the doctor to Don Jose, in the vain hope that something might even now be done to save him.

"I know him. He is talented, learned, and n.o.ble-minded," said Don Jose.

"The world will suffer if he dies," I said.

"I know it, my friend," answered Don Jose; "but his doom is sealed." He took my arm as he spoke. "I would not have you seen," he continued.

"Be warned by me, and remain concealed until nightfall. Your horses are in my stable, and your servant is prepared for the journey."

Even while he was speaking the rattle of musketry was heard, and Mr Laffan, who had, notwithstanding Don Jose's advice, gone back to the window, exclaimed, "They have murdered our friend! I hope they will not treat the other in the same way."

"Do you speak of my uncle?" I asked in English.