“Nor judge.”

“Nor governor.  That is to say that we are at the mercy of that infamous rabble.”

“Yesterday,” said Vejarruco, “some soldiers enticed away Uncle Julian’s youngest daughter, and the poor thing was afraid to go back home; they found her standing barefooted beside the old fountain, crying and picking up the pieces of her broken jar.”

“Poor Don Gregorio Palomeque, the notary of Naharilla Alta!” said Frasquito.  “Those rascals robbed him of all the money he had in his house.  And all the brigadier said, when he was told about it, was it was a lie.”

“Tyrants! greater tyrants were never born,” said the other.  “When I say that it is through punctilio that I am not with the Aceros!”

“And what news is there of Francisco Acero?” asked Dona Perfecta gently.  “I should be sorry if any mischance were to happen to him.  Tell me, Don Inocencio, was not Francisco Acero born in Orbajosa?”

“No; he and his brother are from Villajuan.”

“I am sorry for it, for Orbajosa’s sake,” said Dona Perfecta.  “This poor city has fallen into misfortune.  Do you know if Francisco Acero gave his word to the governor not to trouble the poor soldiers in their abductions, in their impious deeds, in their sacrilegious acts, in their villanies?”

Caballuco sprang from his chair.  He felt himself now not stung, but cut to the quick by a cruel stroke, like that of a sabre.  With his face burning and his eyes flashing fire he cried: 

“I gave my word to the governor because the governor told me that they had come for a good purpose.”

“Barbarian, don’t shout!  Speak like other people, and we will listen to you.”

“I promised that neither I nor any of my friends would raise guerillas in the neighborhood of Orbajosa.  To those who wanted to take up arms because they were itching to fight I said:  ’Go to the Aceros, for here we won’t stir.’  But I have a good many honest men, yes, senora; and true men, yes, senora; and valiant men, yes, senora; scattered about in the hamlets and villages and in the suburbs and the mountains, each in his own house, eh?  And so soon as I say a quarter of a word to them, eh? they will be taking down their guns, eh? and setting out on horseback or on foot, for whatever place I tell them.  And don’t keep harping on words, for if I gave my word it was because I don’t wish to fight; and if I want guerillas there will be guerillas; and if I don’t there won’t, for I am who I am, the same man that I always was, as every one knows very well.  And I say again don’t keep harping on words, eh? and don’t let people say one thing to me when they mean another, eh? and if people want me to fight, let them say so plainly, eh? for that is what God has given us tongues for, to say this thing or that.  The mistress knows very well who I am, as I know that I owe to her the shirt on my back, and the bread I eat to-day, and the first pea I sucked after I was weaned, and the