The Queen of the Savannah: A Story of the Mexican WarAimard, Gustave
History
The Queen of the Savannah: A Story of the Mexican War
Aimard, Gustave
Mexico -- History -- Wars of Independence, 1810-1821 -- Fiction
"She shall suffer a hundredfold more. My brother's tortures are as
nothing compared with those I reserve for her. Is my brother satisfied?"
"Yes, I am glad to know that I shall be avenged."
"Is my brother still suffering greatly?"
"More than ever. If honour did not forbid a warrior killing himself, I
should have already buried my knife in my heart."
"Good! What my brother cannot do I can, to render him a service."
"Will the chief consent to do me that service?" the Indian asked
doubtfully.
"Yes, to be agreeable to my brother, whom I love, I would consent."
"Oh! In that case the chief must not delay, for my agony is becoming
more and more unendurable."
"Be it so; let my brother prepare."
"Stay," the Indian remarked, "help me to rise. A Comanche warrior must
die standing."
"That is true," the chief answered.
He bent over the warrior, seized his arm, and helped him to get on
his feet. By an extraordinary effort of will the Indian succeeded in
overcoming his pain. He drew himself up proudly, and turned to the
chief.
"Strike," he said in a firm voice, "and may the Wacondah protect you
for the service you are doing me at this moment."
The Stag drew his knife, and plunged it into the warrior's heart. The
blow was dealt with such certainty and skill that the redskin fell dead
at his chief's feet without a sigh.
"Poor wretch!" the latter muttered sadly, as he wiped his knife blade
on a tuft of grass, and returned it to his belt. "I could not refuse
him this service." After this melancholy funeral speech the Stag began
digging a hole, in which to lay his comrade's body, as he did not
wish to leave it exposed to the insults of wild beasts. The last duty
accomplished, he went down the hill to rejoin his captives.
In the meanwhile the Indians had fled in all directions, suffering
from a panic produced by Doña Emilia's energetic action, but the two
warriors sent by the Stag in pursuit of them soon caught them up. It
took considerable time, however, before they succeeded in making them
consent to turn back, and enter again the presence of a woman whom they
regarded as an evil genius. It required all the diplomatic skill of
the chief's emissaries to convince them, combined with the influence
which the son of Running Water, the most revered sachem of the tribe,
had over them. When the young chief joined the captives, the warriors
were already mounted, and drawn up a short distance off, only awaiting
his return. The latter saluted them with a wave of the hand, and then
ordered the bridles of the two horses to be removed, after which he
went up to Doña Emilia, and pointed to the animals.
"Mount," was all he said.
This order must be obeyed.
"My daughter and I will ride the same horse," she remarked. "My
daughter is weak, and I will support her."
"Be it so," said the chief.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account