Part 45 (1/2)
”What's that; n.o.body? Don't you lie or we will put you in the well. Who ordered you to do it? Speak the truth.”
”That's the truth, Senor.”
”Who?”
”Who?”
”I ask you who ordered you to revolt.”
”What revolt, Senor?”
”That one last night, when you were in the tribunal yard.”
”Ah, Senor!” exclaimed Andong, blus.h.i.+ng.
”Who was to blame for that?”
”My mother-in-law, Senor.”
A laugh of surprise followed this reply. The alferez stopped and looked sharply at the simple peasant, who believed that his words had produced a good effect. More animated, he was about to continue when the crack of a whip cut him short.
”To the jail!” ordered the alferez. ”This afternoon, send him to the capital.”
CHAPTER x.x.xVIII
THE ACCURSED.
The news that the prisoners were going to depart spread quickly through the town. At first, the news was heard with terror; afterward, came tears and lamentations.
The members of the families of the prisoners were running about madly. They would go from the convent to the cuartel from the cuartel to the tribunal, and not finding consolation anywhere, they filled the air with cries and moans. The curate had shut himself up because he was ill. The alferez had increased his guards, who received the supplicants with the b.u.t.ts of their guns. The gobernadorcillo, a useless being, anyway, seemed more stupid and useless than ever.
The sun was burning hot, but none of the unhappy women who were gathered in front of the cuartel thought of that. Doray, the gay and happy wife of Don Filipo, wandered about, with her tender little child in her arms. Both were crying.
”Get out of the sun,” they said to her. ”Your son will catch a fever.”
”What is the use of his living if he has no father to educate him?” replied the dispirited woman.
”Your husband is innocent. Perhaps he will return.”
”Yes, when we are in our graves.”
Capitana Tinay wept and cried for her son, Antonio. The courageous Capitana Maria gazed toward the small grate, behind which were her twins, her only sons.
There, too, was the mother-in-law of the cocoanut tree pruner. She was not crying; she was walking to and fro, gesticulating, with s.h.i.+rt sleeves rolled up, and haranguing the public.
”Have you ever seen anything equal to it?” said she. ”They arrest my Andong, wound him, put him in the stocks, and take him to the capital, all because he happened to be in the cuartel yard.”