The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-08-28

at the mOmentous news or XAVIER
death; and the temper Of reaction be-
gan to make itself felt. A vOlte-face
worthy of a southern race alarmed the
partisan and encoura ged the loyal. Men
said that no ministry would dare to go
on until events shaped more clearly
and the ground of opinion was proved.
The people were dazed before this Sc
quence of alarms Some SAID that
Xaviers party would stake all upon
the throw, and hurrying the condemned
to execution would profit by his death.
Others hoped in France and had rumOr
at their back. Day found a waking
city agape for the tides of fate. AL
most with the dawn a considerable
throng pressed about the cathedral
doors and waited for that solemn mo-
ment when the man they had sworn
to serve should hear the holy office for
the last time. The market-piace, the
park, the piazza swarmed with troops
looking for an emeute Bells tOlled
dismally; the crowd spoke in timid
whispers. The cafes were shattered,
the shops all closed.
To this city, carewOrn and resOlute.
the messengers came down at the zen
it'll of the hour 'Inez of Cadi in at the
head of two thousand" they said. The
news went as a voice of winds. Born
in superstition, the ignorant Frustrated
themselves before the omen and ran
fanatically to greet it. The wiser shook
their heads and knew not what the
saying might mean. Priests called for
their robes and babe the faithful be
patient Unrest and expectancy were
\
all the corners, and were moved on by
a stern scldiery. Many a roof was
black with people; the great piazza be-
fore the cathedral could not contain
the multitude
For full hour the burning curiosity
of these things went unsatisfied. Some
denied the messengers, some .scOffed, a
very few were Indifferent. Doubt had
wrestled with desire and won the
throw but upon this the dis
tant rolling of drums was heard, and
low vOlley of human voices welcomed
the figure of the miracle.
"Varez rides in" they said, and then,
1T is not Varez, but another!"
Soon the pageant shaped itself; the
sunlight fell upon the silver lances, the
silver and gold Of that shining capari-
son. These above who had said that
Varez was at the head of the troop re-
called their words, and named another
for the leader.
1T is woman!" they exclaimed. And
then louder. 1T is Inez of Cadi!"
roar Of sounds hailed the truth
and confessed the legend. Many knelt
and were half crushed with the press;
priests raised their hands in blessing;
strong men were silent and awed. Min
ute by minute the cavalcade drew
nearer, the music of the bands swelled
out in cadences more solemn, the pen
mons f1utteTed on the breeze in increas-
ing numbers. The moments of wait
ing were intolerable by this time. Who
came then? What story was this? A
young girl riding upon a white horse,
what did she there? With one re-
sounding note the people named her.
''Inez of Cadi!" they walled, lit is Inez
of Cadi!" The salvos followed her to
the cathedral door. She entered there
like one whom all would worship.
Esther has confessed that her mem
DRY of this last great scene is but fitful
and insure. From the moment when
prison she was scarcely the mistress
of her own actions, and she heard and
saw all things as in a picture of her
sleep. Even the words she spoke were
forgotten. She could recoIlect nothing
of her appeal to Colonel Varez. or the
act which had placed her at the head
of his troops. Thereafter she lived for
an hour in wonderland. The madness
Of worship sounded in her ears like the
murmur of a distant sea. She beheld
countless faces, and carried the image
of some of them-the faces of loving
women, of beggars by the wayside, of
old priests at their church doors. For
the rest, the panorama changed too
quickly that she could recollect it.
Street succeeded to street, throng TO
throng; she perceived the multitudes
above, the multitudes below she heard
the swelling music, the clatter of the
noofs. But her thoughts were always
carrying her forN ard, over the thrJnSs
as upon the wings of Impotence to the
great churchyard and its golden affairs.
They told her afterward that men
would have lifted her from her horse
at the church door but that she denied
their right; and, riding in, entered
without question, like one whose jour
ney was not yet done. In the cathe-
dral itself twenty thousand worshipers
heard the ringing hOOfs upon the mar
Bile flags and bent their heads before
the vision. Blue-robed priests at the
altar STAYED their ministrations and
turned to see who came One man
alone awaited the messenger with con-
fdence his sword trailed upon the
marble floor beams of the radiant light
fell through the crimson glass and
struck down upon his gold cuirass; his
face was flushed, his arms outstretched
to the figure of his salvation. He it
was who lifted the figure from the
horse, he who held the trembling girl
in his strong arms and cried:
My wifel my wifel"
They knelt together before the altar,
and the old priest blessed them. Sun
shine was upon their faces, joy in their
hearts. To the God of their destinies