There was a mournful silence. No other sound could be heard but the dry and monotonous one produced by the escapement of the clock. These men, collected without seeing each other, in so narrow a space, felt their hearts beat as if to burst their chests; they trembled with impotent rage, for they recognised that they were really in the hands of an implacable foe, against whom any struggle was mad, if not impossible. "Viva Dios!" the Colonel shouted; "better to die than surrender thus!" And he rushed forward with uplifted sabre. Suddenly a hand of iron clutched him, threw him down, and he felt the point of his own sword, which he had let fall, slightly prick his throat. "Surrender, or you are a dead man," a rough voice shouted in his ear. "No; mil Demonios!" the Colonel said, furiously; "I will not surrender to a bandit; kill me." "Stop," the Jaguar said, "I insist." The man who held the Colonel down left him at liberty, and the latter rose, ashamed and partly stunned. "Well," the young man continued, "do you accept, General?" "Yes, demon," the latter replied passionately; "but I shall revenge myself." "Then, you give me your word as a soldier that the conditions I impose on you will be legally carried out by you?" "I give it; but who guarantees me that you will act honourably on your side?" "My honour, Señor General," the Jaguar answered, proudly; "my honour, which, as you know, is as unsullied as your own." "Very good, Señor, I trust to you as you do to me. Must we surrender our swords?" "General," the Jaguar answered nobly, "a brave soldier never separates from his weapons; I should blush to deprive you of yours. Your companions, like yourself, can keep their swords." "Thanks for that courtesy, Caballero, for it proves to me that every good feeling is not dead in your heart. Now I am waiting for you to supply me with the means for leaving the place into which you made me fall so skilfully." "You shall be satisfied, Señor General. As for you, Colonel, you can retire, for the door is now open." "Not before I have seen you," the officer answered. "What good would that do, since you have not recognised me?" the young man said, reassuming his natural voice. "The Jaguar!" the Colonel ejaculated in surprise. "Ah! I might have expected that; I shall certainly remain now," he added, with a singular inflection in his voice. "Very good," said the Chief, "remain." He clapped his hands, and four peons entered with lighted candelabra. So soon as the saloon was lit up, the young officer perceived the General and his aides-de-camp standing up in the vault. A criado brought a ladder to the trap, and the Mexicans ascended--half-pleased, half-ashamed.