Continental Monthly, Vol. I, No. V, May, 1862 by Various

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'As for the neatness and cleanliness of my sanctum, it was
marvelous--for Mexico. I don't remember ever seeing more than ten
scorpions at one time there, and two or three tarantulas on the ceiling
were too much a matter of course to attract notice. Still, I had been so
long away from civilized society, and endured so many privations, that I
confess, notwithstanding the attractions that my home offered, I spent
but little of my time there, for I was warmly received by several
American families, and gladly availed myself of their hospitality and
friendly attentions. To own the honest truth, ere a month had elapsed, I
had so well compensated myself for past privations, that I had a serious
attack of illness.

'To this illness was I indebted for my second interview with my worthy
landlady, Donna Teresa Lopez, who had been invisible since the day on
which my lucky stars first guided me to her roof. This worthy woman, who
was somewhere between forty and sixty years of age, (Mexican women, be
it understood, when once they pass thirty, enter on a career of the most
ambiguous antiquity,) had two branches of business, of which she claimed
a thorough knowledge--tobacco and medicine. My sickness, therefore, was
to her a source of intense gratification. She was everlastingly bringing
me some new remedy of her own invention, in spite of which, thanks be to
God, and a good constitution, I at length rallied, and grew gradually
convalescent.

'One night, while lying half-asleep and half-awake, dreamily promising
myself, if the weather were favorable on the morrow, that I would
venture out of doors, I fancied I heard a voice, muttering words in my
own mother tongue. I rose, and resting on my elbow, listened
attentively--but then a profound silence reigned around me. Persuaded,
that feeble as I still was, I had mistaken a dream for a reality, I
languidly let my head fall back upon my pillow. Scarcely a minute,
however, had elapsed, ere a voice whose tone denoted anguish and
distress, and which seemed to come from the middle of the room,
exclaimed, in distinct English: 'My God! my God! take pity on my
anguish, and in mercy help me!'

'Assured this time that I was no longer dreaming, I started up again,
and laboring under much excitement, cried out: 'Who is there?'

'Again all was perfectly silent. Just as I was about to jump out of bed
and explore the mystery, my eye fell upon a faint streak of light, which
glimmered through a crack in the door behind my rocking-chair, near the
foot of my bed. From the same direction, also, came the sound of a
nervous, unequal, jerking tread, which fully explained a portion of the
mystery. It was pretty evident, first, that I had a neighbor; secondly,
that he spoke English; and thirdly, that he was either a somnambulist or
a soliloquist.

'This discovery, ordinary and common-place enough in itself, for
Englishmen and Americans are plentiful enough in Mexico now-a-days,
still made a very serious impression on my mind, for the words I had
overheard, and above all, the tone in which they were uttered, seemed to
imply something mysterious, and to be the key-note of some dramatic
fragment. For hours I tossed about, pondering over those words, and day
was dawning ere I fell asleep.

'The entrance of my learned landlady with a cup brimful of her latest
concoction, awoke me.

''Here, Senor,' said she, presenting the dose to me with a serene air of
matronly confidence, 'Here, Senor, is a tea containing no less than
seventeen different ingredients; and I have a presentiment that this is
the very thing to perfect your cure.'

''Thank you a thousand times,' I said, 'but I feel perfectly well this
morning.'

''That is no matter--'

''No matter! _what_ is no matter?'

''Why, no matter how well you fancy you feel; this is a sovereign
remedy, so just drink it off to please me.'

''For mercy's sake, Senora, put down your medicine, sit down in the
rocking-chair and draw near to the bedside, for I have several questions
to ask.

''How long has my present neighbor lodged with you, Senora,' said I,
when she had duly ensconced herself. She gazed inquiringly at me, but
when I pointed to the door behind her, she replied, with apparent
_nonchalance_:

''Somewhere about three months.'

''And who is he?'

''That is a question I can not answer?'

''Why not?'

''Because, over and above his rent, he paid me five dollars to hold my
tongue.'

''If I were to offer you ten to let it go, how would it be then?'

''_Ten_ dollars!' replied my hostess, in a ruminating tone of voice.

''Yes, _ten_ dollars.'

''I should feel it my duty to my fatherless children to speak,' said
this excellent mother of the bereaved heirs of the defunct Lopez.
'Yes--holy Virgin, forgive me--but I should feel _bound_ to speak.'

''It is a bargain, then; Senora, proceed.'

''Your neighbor, Senor,' replied my hostess, in a low voice, 'is a
heretic--an Englishman.'

''Not an American?'

''English or American--what is the difference, any way? I tell you he is
a heretic, and you know we Mexicans make no difference between those
heathens--we call them all _Inglez_.''

'The fair Teresa, I may remark, had always taken me for one of her
fellow-countrymen, as I spoke the language fluently, and had been
thoroughly sun-burnt years before.

''He arrived here, as I have already had the honor of saying, about
three months since. He appears very sickly and exhausted, and from the
look of his clothing I judge he had just returned from a long journey in
the interior. 'Senora,' said he, when paying his bill in advance, 'I
wish you to speak to no one of my residence in this house. I have no
family, no country, and no name; I hate the world; I do not know a soul
in this city, and I do not want to. I expect two inquiries to be made
for me, one by a man, the other will be by a woman. I will not see any
others. Should either of them call, their first salutation to you will
be: 'The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.' Without that pass-word,
I forbid you to allow any one to have access to my room.''

''Well, Senora Lopez, have these folks with the eternal pass-word turned
up yet?'

''No, Excellency, during the whole three months he has not had a single
visitor. Every morning when I take him his chocolate, he promises a
dollar if I can find him a letter at the post-office. So every day I go,
but unfortunately I have only found two for him in all that time.'

''But, of course, if you go for his letters, you must know his name, and
surely you noticed where the two came from, which you received for him.'

''They were addressed to Albert Pride, and bore the stamp,
'New-Orleans.' But who knows whether that is his real name?'

''How does he spend his time?'

''He alone can answer that question. Since the first hour of his
entering the house he has shut himself up in that room, and no one has
seen him quit it. Between you and me, I confess candidly, that my
opinion of him is by no means favorable. Why, would you believe, that
though he is as thin as a rail and as pale as a ghost, he won't admit
that he is even slightly indisposed. If I ask him about his symptoms, he
gets angry; and if I offer him any of my specifics, he has the
ill-manners to exclaim: 'Bosh! Oh! that man is a wicked fellow; I have
no confidence in him!'

''Many thanks, Senora Lopez, for your information,' said I, handing her
the promised reward'--_vaya vm; con Dios!_'

'After her departure I began to reflect that my own conduct had not been
much less dishonorable than hers. What right had I to tear aside the
vail of mystery in which my neighbor wished to wrap himself? I owned to
myself that I was very clearly in the wrong. And yet, having made this
concession to the claims of conscience, my fancy was busy putting
together the scraps I had gleaned. The field of speculation was so vast
and unbounded that I knew not where to stop. The starting-point was
easy. Curiosity began by asking, Why the deuce, Albert Pride was so
carefully hiding himself away in the city of Mexico? He must be a
fellow-countryman; because an Englishman, no matter how branded at home,
by fraud or dishonor, could boldly strut about New-Orleans or New-York,
without submitting to voluntary self-imprisonment in the city of Mexico.
Was he a fraudulent merchant, or a bank-defaulter? Good heavens! such
gentlemen generally assume such a graceful _nonchalance_, or else laugh
at their little transactions so good-naturedly that such a supposition
was ridiculous. Well, then, perhaps he had had a personal difficulty? I
think that is the phrase, is it not, for sending a fellow-mortal on his
last long journey? What of that? that even would be no reason for
concealment, for once in Mexico, what had he to dread? Thus I went on,
tormenting my mind with suppositions and conjectures without end, until
at last I resolved to dispel my apparently inextricable tangle of
mystery by taking a walk, as soon as I had finished my breakfast.
Accordingly I sallied forth, turned my steps toward the Alameda, and at
no great distance from one of the fountains I sat down on a bench,
beneath the shade of one of the grand old trees.

II.

'The Alameda, during the early part of the day, is perhaps the most
unfrequented spot in the whole city of Mexico; in fact, almost deserted.
It would be, therefore, unsafe to traverse, were it not that the absence
of victims insured the stray loiterer against any well-grounded fear of
robbers. Great, therefore, was my surprise at hearing, shortly after I
had taken my seat, two persons in animated conversation behind the spot
which I had selected. A thicket of climbing plants and prickly cactuses
alone separated me from them; but while it prevented me from catching
even a glimpse of their persons, I lost not one word of their
conversation.

''Pedro,' said a full, sonorous voice, 'I am by no means satisfied with
you. In the management of this business, you have shown a carelessness
that I can not tolerate. Why, zounds! your acquaintance with Pepito was
a most excellent pretext for gaining access to the enemy's camp. You
might have pretended to be very anxious about Pepito, who I most
heartily wish was at the devil, and what could be more natural than
going to make inquiry after him?'

''Well, General, the fact is this,' said the invisible individual, who
had been addressed as Pedro, 'much as I am attached to Pepito, I am by
no means anxious to have a bullet through my brains.'

''Bullet through your brains! what do you mean?'

''Simply what I say. Now, look here, Senor General, the other day, last
Friday, I succeeded in slipping, during the old woman's absence, to the
door of the fellow's room. 'Who is there?' exclaimed the 'Inglez,' in a
loud voice, just as I was about to give the third kick at his door. 'Me,
Pedro,' I replied. 'Don't know you,' was the answer, 'you must have
mistaken the room,' 'Not at all, Senor,' said I, 'I come to seek some
tidings of my _compadre_, Pepito.' 'Tidings of Pepito,' repeated the
Inglez, 'tidings of Pepito--wait--' So I did wait, congratulating
myself on the success of my scheme, and handling my knife with a
confident expectation of making sure work of my man, when I heard the
floor creak, and looking through the key-hole, I saw the confounded
Inglez cocking a pistol and putting a fresh cap on it. And do you know,
General, it somehow happened that when he opened the door, I was at the
bottom of the stairs.'

''Which means, Pedro, that you ran away like a coward as you are.'

''_Coward!_--nay, General, you must be joking. The truth is, I
experienced a new sensation; I felt for the first time the emotion of
fear; yes, that must have been what passed over me. It was something
quite new to me, and for the moment I did not know what ailed me.'

''Idiot! do you suppose a foreigner would be fool enough to amuse
himself by shooting a Mexican at mid-day, in the very heart of the
capital?'

''Oh! I know very well, General, that it would cost him a small fortune,
if he was rich, and his life if he was poor. But then these Inglez are
so imprudent, so rash, so headstrong, and I felt that I had no wish to
have a bullet in my head, just to put money into the pocket of the best
judge in the city.'

''Nonsense; but about those papers. I must have them. What steps do you
propose taking?'

''General and chief, were I to put my hand upon my heart, and tell you
the sacred truth, I should say that I propose for a time to lie quiet
and--do nothing.'

''Do nothing--lie quiet! Do you forget that I have paid you already one
hundred dollars in advance, and that four hundred more are ready for you
when your job is finished?'

''Oh! I know our bargain, General, and I have the greatest confidence in
your honor. As for abandoning the enterprise, that I have never dreamed
of; but the fact is, my motive in remaining inactive for a season is,
that I am certain if I make a move now I shall be undoubtedly checked,
perhaps mated.'

''How so?'

''Well--because I find at the monte-table, where I usually try my luck,
that there has been for nearly a week a run on odd numbers. Now, I
always remark that when there is a run on odds, I always lose in every
thing I put my hand to. Stop, then, General, till the tables turn, and
when I strike a new vein, you shall hear from your servant, Pedro.'

'Of course I waited, expecting to hear the General burst forth in
violent denunciations on his servant, Pedro, or at any rate supposed he
would ridicule such an excuse; but I was deceived.

''Well, Pedro, your excuse is not so bad; had you explained yourself at
the outset, I should not have been so angry.'

'The Mexicans, it may be remarked, are influenced in the most important
and momentous actions of their life, by superstition; this fact is
readily explained, when we reflect that the vast majority of them are
utterly devoid of the very first rudiments of education, and owe the
position they occupy to the fortune of civil war or of the
gambling-table. Except in the mere texture and richness of their
costume, nothing else in that strange country of the grotesque and
picturesque, distinguishes the man of rank from the beggar or the
_lazzaroni_. In every class, in every rank, you meet with the same
simplicity, the same vanity, the same prejudices, the same superstition,
the same purity of language, the same grace of elocution. The beggar,
wrapped in his tatters, displays the self-same exquisite polish of
manners, the same courteous bearing, as the senator or the millionaire,
in velvet and gold. After all, it must be ever remembered that perhaps
the senator was once a beggar, and that ere long the beggar may be a
senator. One or two lucky hits at monte, and in a few, short hours, lo!
the metamorphosis is complete.'

'You can readily believe that the conversation I had thus overheard
interested me greatly; however the promptings of curiosity would have
riveted me to my seat, the dictates of prudence warned me to retire as
quickly and stealthily as possible.

'With a tread as noiseless as practicable, I therefore turned my
footsteps to the main avenue, and keeping an eye always on the spot I
had left, I took another seat near the main entrance. Not much more than
a quarter of an hour could have elapsed, when along the same path I had
myself taken, I saw two men approaching. One of them was a tall and very
handsome man; he flourished in his hand a cane with massive gold head,
and walked with a military air, in fact, with the air of a hero and a
conqueror; perfectly well-dressed, in the latest European fashion;
indeed, had it not been for the immense profusion of gold chain, and
sparkling rings upon his fingers, instead of gloves, you might have
almost mistaken him for a _gentleman_. His companion presented the most
striking contrast. His face, shaded by a torn, slouched hat, was dirty
and coffee-colored. Of short stature, slight build, and
round-shouldered, he followed his master, with an humble, abject look,
and from his tread, you would almost have imagined that he was anxious
not to leave any track behind, of his footsteps on the gravel walk. A
velvet cloak, so worn and patched that a _lazzaroni_ would only have
yielded to the temptation of stealing it, from a love of art and not
from any hope of its being of any earthly use to him, was thrown across
his shoulders, beneath which appeared pantaloons ornamented on the outer
seam of each leg with long-shanked brass buttons, covered with
verdigris, and boots of Spanish leather, outrageously dilapidated.

'As they drew nearer to my seat, I became more and more impressed that
the handsome flourisher of the gold-headed cane was not unknown to me. I
was not mistaken, for as he passed me his eye caught mine, and with a
friendly wave of the hand, he honored me with a most polite recognition.
It was General Valiente, one of the most celebrated or rather notorious
'ladies' men' in Mexico.

'From the fact of his companion having addressed him as General, and
from the direction in which I had watched them come, I was at no loss to
identify General Valiente and his companion with the invisible talkers
who had so unwittingly imparted their secrets to me.

'I noticed that immediately on leaving the Alameda, General Valiente and
his friend Pedro separated, without further parley, and each took
directly opposite roads.

'This adventure took firm hold of my mind, and for nearly two hours I
remained seated in the Alameda, revolving it over and over. Personally,
I knew but little of this General Valiente; but by hearsay, much. His
name was connected with various strange stories, in which jealous
husbands, duels, poniards, and poison figured very largely, and it had
been hinted that had Eugene Sue been acquainted with Valiente, there
might have been forthcoming one of the most intensely interesting
histories relative to the mysteries of Mexico.

III.

'Time passed on, until the promptings of an empty stomach began to
remind me that my dinner-hour was at hand, if not already passed; but I
still sat there, ruminating. At last, however, I arose, and slowly
walked up the magnificent _Calle des Plateros_, which leads directly
into the Cathedral Square. Whilst thus sauntering along, my gaze fell on
a young and lovely female, whose eyes were intently fixed on me, and
who, I fancied, to my extreme surprise, was preparing to address me.
Fearing, however, that I might be laboring under a delusion, and
dreading to involve myself in a ridiculous dilemma, although I had
instinctively almost halted, I quickened my step, when, to my great
delight, she stepped toward me, her lovely face suffused with blushes.

'Doubt was at an end. Raising my hat, and approaching her most
respectfully, I inquired if fortune had so favored me as to enable me to
be of any possible service to her, and if so, I was at her orders.

''Senor, I have simply to beg some information; can you direct me which
street will lead me to the Cathedral Square?'

''I am myself going thither, Senora, and if you will permit me to walk
beside you, I shall be most happy to show you the way.'

'For a few moments, she hesitated, and I seized the opportunity to
examine her more attentively. Hair as black as the raven's wing, large
blue eyes, a face perfectly oval, a mouth of the smallest and the most
expressive mold, lips the reddest and most faultless it is possible to
imagine, composed the details of the lovely whole, which at the first
glimpse had dazzled and attracted me. Probably my respectful admiration
was legible on my countenance, for after a few seconds, the youthful
beauty accepted my proffered guidance.

''Would you deem me too impertinent, were I to ask you one question,
Senora?' said I, after we had proceeded a few steps.

''Of course that will in a great measure depend on the question you are
about to ask,' she replied, giving at the same time a sweet smile.

''Are you a native of Mexico, Senora?'

''No, Senor,' answered she, after a momentary pause, 'I am not a
Mexican; but may I, in return, inquire what induced you to doubt it?'

''Madame, if you will excuse my candor, my doubts were excited by your
Spanish.'

''O Senor! I am aware that I speak it very poorly.'

''If I am not greatly mistaken, you are a native of _la belle_ France.'

'The beautiful stranger turned pale. 'What possible interest, Senor, can
it be to you as to who or what I am?' This she asked with an earnest
look, so piercing and fixed as to astonish me in any woman.

''No interest, madame, but it would be a pleasure; for my mother's
ancestors were French, and I am, therefore, ever happy to have an
opportunity to be of any service to one whom I am permitted to look upon
as in some degree a country-woman.'

''I am not from France, Senor, although my ancestry, like yours, is
French. I am a native of New-Orleans.'

''Better still, madame,' Said I, 'for then I am indeed your
fellow-countryman; for I was born in the Sunny South, not far distant
from Mobile--but, madame, I fear you feel ill?'

''Oh! no--ill--it is nothing--the heat--and I am fatigued, sir; pray,
are we far from the Cathedral Square?'

''Three minutes more will bring us to it, madame; you can already see
the steps of the cathedral.'

''Then, sir, I have only to thank you for your kindness,' she replied,
bowing her head most gracefully.

'There was no mistaking her thanks for any thing but a desire to dismiss
me, so I once more bowed to her, and she, to dispel every possibility of
doubt, quickened her pace, so as to be rid of me as soon as possible.

'Without altering my gait, I pursued the even tenor of my way, when,
what was my surprise to see her stop before the door of my domicile.

'As she was in the act of ascending the steps, she turned round, and as
I was not many yards behind her, it happened that I was the first person
who met her eye. I noticed she seemed for a few moments to hesitate, and
then apparently obeying some sudden impulse, she walked toward me.

''Sir,' said she, with the same earnest, piercing glance, which had
before struck me; 'Sir, this conduct is neither polite nor honorable,
and if you really are an American, you must know that to play the spy on
a lone female is not manly.'

''Good heavens! madame,' said I, as coolly as possible, 'perhaps you
will allow me to explain, that my conduct is simply that of a man who is
returning home to dine.'

''Home! why, is this your residence?'

''Exactly so, madame.'

'This explanation evidently annoyed her, but she added coldly:

''Excuse, then, sir, the error into which my hastiness has betrayed me.
I regret my ill-judged impetuosity. May I inquire, sir, if you are
acquainted with any of the persons dwelling in this house?'

''With the exception of Donna Lopez, the landlady, I do not know a
single soul.'

''Would you inform her, sir, that I wish to speak with her?'

''With much pleasure.'

'Opening the door, I immediately proceeded to summon Donna Teresa.

''Senora,' said I, 'here is a lady who is anxious to see you.'

'My beauteous countrywoman gave a most expressive look, which very
clearly signified that my instant departure would be satisfactory to her
feelings, but my curiosity was so far kindled that I pretended not to
understand, but remained standing near the door. My want of tact seemed
once more to vex her, but after a moment's reflection, she addressed the
worthy Teresa.

''Senora,' said she, in a low voice, but still not so low but I could
overhear, 'The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.'

''If you will follow me, Senora, I will show you to Mr. Albert Pride's
rooms,' said mine hostess, as she led the way up-stairs.

IV.

''Well, Doctor of mine,' said I, addressing the disinterested Teresa,
when after a delay of some twenty minutes she appeared with my dinner,
'what do you think of our last new arrival? Matters are beginning to
grow a little complicated.'

''What do I think? Why, I think that she is marvelously beautiful; such
a perfect beauty I never saw before. But yet, her eye displeases me.'

''That, allow me to remark, is not a very logical conclusion.'

''Oh! as for a logical conclusion, I don't know what that is; but I know
just what I feel, though perhaps I can't tell you in words, why I do
feel so; but I am candid, I am; and I tell you, I don't like her eye.'

'After Donna Teresa's departure, I sat with the book which usually
served me as a companion at meal-times, wide open on the table, but it
remained unread. My strange encounter with this beautiful stranger had
taken entire possession of my mind. What could be the link between her
and this Albert Pride, who had for three months been awaiting her
arrival? Why should she be as anxious as he to avoid recognition? For
every thing conspired to prove this--her emotion when I asked if she
were French, her pallor and faintness when I claimed to be a
fellow-citizen, her indignation at the thought of my playing the spy
upon her, and her hesitation to speak in my presence to Donna Lopez--all
tended to show she desired to preserve the strictest _incognito_.

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