The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 2 (of 3) — David Hume — John Shaqi
The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 2 (of 3)
David Hume · en
The revolutionary leader was small of stature, ungraceful in
appearance; his legs were short, his body was long, so that he rather
waddled than walked. At first sight this ungainly figure, this
ungraceful gait, was apt to bring a smile to the lips of the onlooker,
but that smile faded before the grand countenance surmounting the
misshapen frame. It was as though the head of a Greek statue had been,
by mistake, joined on to the body of a Polynesian idol; the first was
so noble, the latter so grotesque. A Roman head, such as tradition
ascribes to the Cæsars, a Napoleonic face, calm, powerful, terrible as
the impassive countenance of the Sphinx. Broad forehead, prominent
nose, large eyes, full of fire and determination; no beard or moustache
to hide the contour of the cheeks, the strong curve of the mouth, a
skin of marble whiteness, and the whole surmounted by masses of waving
hair, dark as the eyes beneath. Such faces are seen on the coins of the
Cæsars, on the painted walls of Egyptian tombs, on the carven walls of
Assyrian palaces. They belong alone to kings, to heroes, to conquerors.
Nature marks her great men thus. When such faces of terrible calm
appear at intervals of centuries, mankind trembles, they recognise the
scourges of God, destined to whelm the world in waves of blood. Philip
came to see Xuarez--he looked, and lo! Napoleon.
"The struggle is unequal," he whispered to Jack, as Don Alonzo unrolled
his papers.
"Yes," replied Duval, in the same tone. "His force is too weak to stand
against the power of the Junta."
Philip smiled scornfully.
"What can the Junta do against that face?" he said, contemptuously.
"There stands the greatest man in Cholacaca."
"D----n him," muttered the engineer, fiercely, "he has carried off
Dolores."
"Silence, boys," growled Tim, in a voice of subdued thunder, "the Don's
speaking."
The Intendante was not a particularly brave man, and hardly liked the
position in which he now found himself. His mission had appeared to be
great and grand and glorious at Tlatonac! but now it assumed quite a
different complexion. To utter threats against the rebel Xuarez, when
in the society of friends, was one thing; to order the followers of the
revolutionary President to give him up to punishment, in the middle of
his army, was another. Don Alonzo Cebrian hummed and hawed, and cleared
his throat, to get down a nasty lump which impeded his speech. Don
Hypolito saw his confusion, but said nothing, he did not even smile,
but sat serenely in his chair, impenetrable as the Sphinx. At last the
Intendante screwed up his courage and delivered the decree of the
Junta--sufficiently badly, it is true--still, he delivered it.
"As the legally qualified representative of the Junta of Cholacaca, in
congress assembled, I hereby order those in arms against the Republic
to surrender to the Government, and to deliver up for punishment the
body of the rebel, Hypolito Xuarez, for----"