He
expatiated on the immense prestige of General Santa Coloma, who had
just taken up arms against the Colorado party then in power, and
concluded by saying that my safest plan would be to join the rebels,
and accompany them on their march to Montevideo which would begin
almost immediately. I replied that I took no interest in the dissensions
of the Banda Oriental, and did not wish to compromise myself by joining
a military expedition of any kind. He shrugged his shoulders, and,
renewing his promise of a horse next day, retired to rest.
On rising next morning I found that the others were already up. The
horses were standing saddled at the door, and Alday, pointing out a
very fair-looking animal, informed me that it had been saddled for me,
and then added that he and his friends would ride one or two leagues
with me to put me on the right road to Montevideo. He had suddenly
become almost too kind, but in the simplicity of my heart I believed
that he was only making amends for the slight inhospitality of the day
before.
After partaking of bitter _mate_, I thanked my hostess, looked
my last into Monica's dark, sorrowful eyes, lifted for one moment to
mine, and kissed little Anita's pathetic face, by so doing filling the
child with astonishment and causing considerable amusement to the other
members of the family. After we had ridden about four miles, keeping
nearly parallel with the river, it struck me that we were not going
in the right direction--the right one for me, at any rate.
Pages:
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161