I not only grieved for the sorrow I
had occasioned her, but mourned also that my own heart had so terribly
betrayed me, so that for the moment the beautiful girl I had persuaded
to fly from home and parents, promising her my undying affection, had
ceased to be what she had been, so great was this new inconvenient
passion. The General had offered me a commission in his tatterdemalion
gathering, but, as I had no knowledge of military matters, I had
prudently declined it, only requesting, as a special favour, that I
might be employed constantly on the expeditions he sent out over the
surrounding country to beat up recruits, seize arms, cattle, and horses,
and to depose the little local authorities in the villages, putting
creatures of his own in their places. This request had been granted,
so that morning, noon, and night I was generally in the saddle.
One evening I was in the camp seated beside a large fire and gloomily
staring into the flames, when the other men, who were occupied playing
cards or sipping _mate_, hastily rose to their feet, making the
salute. Then I saw the General standing near gazing fixedly at me.
Motioning to the men to resume their cards, he sat down by my side.
"What is the matter with you?" he said. "I have noticed that you are
like a different person since you joined us. Do you regret that step?"
"No," I answered, and then was silent, not knowing what more to say.
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