It was brief. He would enter the city, he said, only if it was the real wish of the People of Lima to declare their Independence. He had no desire to enter as a conqueror, he declared, but would come only if invited by the People. And added he, that the People, in the meanwhile, might give whatever orders they desired to his troops surrounding the city; and the orders should be obeyed. His answer stunned the officials. They could not believe that a conquering general could be so humane to a helpless foe. They thought that San Martin was mocking them. But to put the matter to the test, they sent an order to a commanding officer of a regiment stationed near the city gate, asking him to withdraw his men to a spot a league away. The officer immediately withdrew them. The good news flew through the city. People went almost mad with joy. Confidence was restored; and parties of picked soldiers were invited in to guard the city. In a day or two everything was as before. The shops were opened again. Women were seen stealing from the convents. Men ventured into the square to smoke their cigars. The streets were lined with refugees returning to their homes, bringing back bundles, trunks, and treasures. The street criers were bawling their wares; and the city was restored to its usual noise and bustle. Then a deputation of citizens waited upon San Martin to invite him to enter Lima and proclaim her Independence. _Captain Basil Hall_ (_Retold_) SAN MARTIN THE CONQUEROR _A Retreat_ The people watched eagerly to see San Martin enter in state as a conquering general should. The day passed, and he did not come. When it began to grow dark, he rode in through the gate attended by a single aide-de-camp. And he would not have come then, if he could have helped it. It was his plan to slip unobserved into the city early in the morning before people were up. But the reason why he had to enter at evening, was this:-- He was tired, and he had just settled down for the night in the corner of a little cottage outside the walls. He was blessing his stars that he was well out of the reach of business, when in came two Friars, who had discovered his hiding place. Each one made him a long tedious speech; one likened him to Cæsar and the other to Lucullus. “Good heavens!” exclaimed San Martin, when the Friars had left. “What are we to do? This will never answer!” “O sir,” replied the aide-de-camp, “there are two more of the same stamp close at hand.” “Indeed! Then saddle the horses again, and let us be off!” exclaimed San Martin. So it happened that the conquering General was forced to retreat, and enter Lima before people were asleep. _The Mother and her Three Sons_ When he entered the city, instead of going directly to the palace where he was to lodge, he stopped to call on the Governor. In a moment, the news of his arrival sped through the city. People came thronging into the Governor’s house, and even filled the court and street.