Part 38

"I don't speak for myself, but for you," said Elias, with some haughtiness. "I have no fear of men."

Ibarra grew surprised. This manner of speaking was new, and did not comport with the state or fortunes of the helmsman.

"Explain yourself!" he demanded.

"I am not speaking enigmas. To insure your safety, it is necessary that your enemies believe you blind and confiding."

"To insure my safety?" said Ibarra, thoroughly aroused.

"You undertake a great enterprise," Elias went on. "You have a past. Your grandfather and your father had enemies. It is not criminals who provoke the most hatred; it is honorable men."

"You know my enemies, then?"

Elias hesitated.

"I knew one; the dead man."

"I regret his death," said Ibarra; "from him I might have learned more."

"Had he lived, he would have escaped the trembling hand of men's justice. God has judged him!"

"Do you also believe in the miracle of which the people talk?"

"If I believed in such a miracle, I should not believe in God, and I believe in Him; I have more than once felt His hand. At the moment when the scaffolding gave way I placed myself beside the criminal." Elias looked at Ibarra.

"You--you mean that you----"

"Yes, when his deadly work was about to be done, he was going to flee; I held him there; I had seen his crime! Let God be the only one who has the right over life!"

"And yet, this time you----"

"No!" cried Elias. "I exposed the criminal to the risk he had prepared for others; I ran the risk myself; and I did not strike him; I left him to be struck by the hand of God!"

Ibarra regarded the man in silence.

"You are not a peasant," he said at last. "Who are you? Have you studied?"

"I've need of much belief in God, since I've lost faith in men," said Elias, evading the question.

"But God cannot speak to resolve each of the countless contests our passions raise; it is necessary, it is just, that man should sometimes judge his kind."

"For good, yes; not for evil. To correct and ameliorate, not to destroy; because, if man's judgments are erroneous, he has not the power to remedy the evil he has done. But this discussion is over my head, and I am detaining you. Do not forget what I came to entreat; save yourself for the good of your country!" And he started to go.

"And when shall I see you again?"

"Whenever you wish; whenever I can be of use to you; I am always your debtor!"

XXVIII.

THE BANQUET.

All the distinguished people of the province were united in the carpeted and decorated booth. The alcalde was at one end of the table, Ibarra at the other. The talk was animated, even gay. The meal was half finished when a despatch was handed to Captain Tiago. He asked permission to read it; his face paled; then lighted up. "Señores," he cried, quite beside himself, "His Excellency the captain-general is to honor my house with his presence!" And he started off running, carrying his despatch and his napkin, forgetting his hat, and pursued by exclamations and questions. The announcement of the tulisanes could not have put him to greater confusion.

"Wait a moment! When is he coming? Tell us?"