"Reasons! of course I have. I love my country, and would see her free and great. I know that she can only become so by the help of these English." "I know you love your country. There are some who say that you love English gold better." "I know they say that too," answered Evaña, looking straight at Don Gregorio. "I know you better, Carlos," said Don Gregorio. "But men make traitors of themselves for ideas as well as for gold. To say the least, your frequent interviews and friendship with the English general are not in good taste at this juncture." "You know the reason why I have sought his friendship, Don Gregorio." "I do; but you must now see that it is too late." "I fear it is." "I know it is, and I request you as a personal favour to myself to see him no more." Evaña made an impatient gesture as he answered: "I have already made a considerable impression upon him, he has even assured me that he would be very willing to join us in a war for our independence, and that the British Government would look favourably upon a project for an alliance with us. Shall I then leave the work half done?" "It is not half done; this morning's work has undone it all. Even I would not now make peace with the English on any condition short of their immediate departure from the country. Listen to one who is older than you, Carlos, and knows much more of his own countrymen than you do. I tell you that all alliance between us and the English is at present impossible. Promise me that you will see him no more." "What must be, must be," said Evaña with a sigh. "I will not visit him again for fifteen days; by then we shall have seen what Liniers can do." "That is well, Carlos; I am content," said Don Gregorio. "Now I have another request to make of you. For the fifteen days be my guest, I will give you a quiet room, and you shall send for what books and things you like from your own house, for anything that you wish you have nothing to do but to ask." "You wish me to be your prisoner; can you not trust me, Don Gregorio?" asked Evaña sadly. "Trust you? of course I do; your word is better security to me than any prison, you are as a son to me; I propose this for your own safety." "What! not content with calumny, they would assassinate me too!" exclaimed Evaña. "I fear it," said Don Gregorio. "Fear not, against assassins I will trust to my own right arm." "As you will," answered Don Gregorio, then unlocking the door, he grasped his hand warmly, and they walked out together. Evaña went straight to his own house, and shut himself up in his own rooms to ponder upon the failure of this scheme, and to devise a fresh one, while throughout the city Don Gregorio Lopez, Don Isidro Lorea, and many others were eagerly consulting together about how they might best assist the operations of General Liniers and avenge the disaster of Perdriel. CHAPTER VII THE TWELFTH AUGUST, 1806