The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-12-08


bewitchment that he collected his sense:
and observed an officer Of the household
OF the General standing before him, ane
doing him such reverence was cyl
IDENTITY the right of his dignity.
1t was then that Don Amador looked
from the dancers to the cavaliers whom
they were diverting. The fire flashed owe
the walls OF the square and lofty towers
up Ia the shelving thatch Of palm leaves
under which they were grouped, making
with the glitter OF their half-armed per
sons, II suitable addition TO the romance
of the scene. In the center of that grouI
which lounged before the middle anc
loftiest tower, in n chair, or indeed, as il
might be called, a throne, of such bar
| barIc beauty as was known only to the
magnifcos of this singular people, sat q
cavalier, tall and somewhat majestic o
stature, with a ruddy beard and yellow
locks falling over an agreeable counte-
nance; in whom, not so much from tie
character of his department and the
quality of his decorations, as from the
evident homage rendered him by the
officers around, Don Amador did not doubt
he beheld the Biscayan General.
At the very moment when his eyes tel
upon this smiling dignitary he was him
self perceived by the General; and Mar
vaez started up with a sort of confusion
| as if ashamed to be discovered in such
trivial enjoyment by gallant a cavalier
| In fact, the giittering caSque of steel had
supplanted the velvet cap on the head oil
the novice; and as he approached his
fellows in rank, Don Amador presented
a figure, to say the least, equally noble
with tina: of the commander and, what
was no slight advantage in those days,
| with the additional manifestation OF high
blood, such as was certainly less ques-
| tionable in him than in Narvaez.
1t seemed for "A moment as If the Gen
q Ia rtrpa ted int n hp 10 T,tp
doubtless with the view of assuming "A
| more stately character for the interview
but perceiving that Don Amador had
already recognized him, and was advanc-
ing, he changed his purpose, and making
a step forward to do honor to his visitor,
he stood still to receive him. The eyes of
all those gallant adventures were turned
from the dancers to the newcomer; but
Don Amador, not much moved by such a
circumstance, as Indifferent to their curl
oSity as their admiration, approached with
stately gravity, and, making courte-
Gus reverence to the General, said:
II have no doubt it is my felicity at this
present moment to offer my devoirs to the
noble and very respected scnor, the Cen
eral Don Panfilo de NarvaeZ; on the pre-
sumption of which /, Amador de Ieste, of
Cuenza, a novice of the holy hospital of
ST. John of jerusalem do not hesitate to
claim the inequalities which, as an
hidalgO of Spain, and kinsman of the
noble senior, the Admiral Cavallero, your
excellency'S confederate, l hold myself
entitled to expect"
"'The very noble and valiant senior Don
Amador de Leste shall not claim those
Inequalities in vain,' said the General,
with "a voice whose natural and yolumi
nous harshness did not conceal an at
tempt at amenity: "and hope he will not
ness of soldier, by reason that he has
seen us unbending "a little from the tolls
of war TO the foolish diversions of these
ingenious barbarians."
81 will not take upon me to Judge either
of the tactics or the recreatlOnS OF your
excellency," said Amador, very coolIy
81 will only demand OF your favor to ac-
cept, at this present moment, such pro-
testations of respect as become me in my
function of suitor; and, i'll especial. to
accredit my companion, the secretary
Fabueno, the messenger of the Admiral,
who is charged with certain letters to your
excellency of which. ! believe, | am my
self in part, the subject
II receive them with respect and
welcome the very distinguished Don ANA
dor with much 10Y" said Naryaez; "in
token Of which | must beg him to allow
n himself to be considered, at least so long
as he honors my command with his pres
ence, as my own peculiar guest, and that
| may the sooner know in what il may be
my happiness to do him service | must
entreat i'm to enter with me into my poor
quarters
With such superb expressions of eti4
quet the common compliments Of an
over-chivalrous age and people, Don ANA
dor was ushered into the interior Of the
temple. curtain Of "a certain strong and
checkered mating, that served the pur
pose Of door, was pushed aside, and
entering with the General and two or
three of his most favored officers, he
found himself IL the heather sanctuary
faI, wit !, fsril n
cotton-a product Of the country-and
strewed over with pieces Of armor, as well
as with divers vessels wherein glowed
some Of the rich wines ripened by the
breath CT the Solano, contained also a
great silver cresset flied with oil tenn
pered with liquidam bar. which, besides
pervading the whole atmosphere with "a /
delicious odor, shed abroad such light |
as enabled Don Anlador to survey the |
apartment.
1t was Of good hight, and spacious: the |
walls were hung with arras OF a somber-
hued cotton. and the floor covered with |
thick mating. In one corner was a lad |
der, leading to the upper chambers Two |
sides Of it were occupied by Il low plat |
form on which lay several mattresses |
stuffed with the down OF the ceiba; over
one OF which, on a small altar of wood I
illuminated by tapers OF the myrtle wax /
was little image Of the Virgin
In this chamber THE chief laboratory Of |
ponS Of the iconGclasts, stood once the |
altar OF an Idol, whose fiendish lips had |
been often dyed with the blood Of human |
sacrifices There were rude chairs about |
the table; and Amador, at the invitation |
Of the General. did not hesitate To seat
himself and cast an eye of observation t
on his companions, while Narvaez, with |
the assistance of the secretary, proceeded |
to decipher the adyices OF the Admiral
-
Before he had resolved in what manner
to commence the investigation. ard be-
fore the General had well looked into the
advices Of the Admiral, they were both
in their purpose by the abrupt
intrusion OF an officer, who, approaching
Narvaez. said something to him in a low
voice, of which all that Amador could
were the words, twice or thrice
repeated of nigromante and astroloeo
The officer received "A direction equally
obscure with his information: and ANA
dor observed that as Narvaez gave il his
face flushed over with some sudden ex-
element.
The speculations of the neophyte were
soon terminated. Before the curtain had
yet closed upon the retreating officer. the
cavalier, whose curious looks had at
tracted his own attention, rose and adj
"A sed thf, GeperaI