FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126  
127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   >>   >|  
that ghastly image. "Head of my venerable and beloved father!" said he, "I swear by your grey hairs, crimsoned with your own blood, to use every effort in my power, by sword and by fire, to nip in the bud this accursed insurrection--one of whose first acts has been to rob you of your innocent life. May God give me strength to fulfil my vow!" At that moment a voice from within seemed to whisper in his ear, repeating the words of his mistress:-- "_May all those who raise an arm in favour of Spain be branded with infamy and disgrace! May they find neither a roof to shelter them, nor a woman to smile upon them! May the contempt of those they love be the reward of every traitor to his country_!" Almost the instant after, another voice replied--"_Do your duty, no matter what may be the result_." In presence of the mutilated remains of his father, the son hearkened only to the latter. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The moon had been long up before Don Rafael finished the melancholy task of digging a grave. In this he respectfully placed the headless corpse, and laid the head beside it in its proper position. Then, drawing from his bosom the long plait of Gertrudis' hair, and taking from his shoulders the embroidered sun-scarf, with like respectful manner, he deposited these two love-tokens alongside the honoured remains of his father. Convulsed with grief, he threw in the earth, burying in one grave the dearest _souvenirs_ of his life. It was not without difficulty that he could withdraw himself from a spot thus doubly consecrated by filial piety and love; and for a long while he stood sorrowing over the grave. In fine, new thoughts coursing through his bosom aroused him to action; and, leaping into his saddle, he spurred his steed into a gallop, taking the road that conducted to the capital of Oajaca. CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT. THE ILLUSTRIOUS MORELOS. Little more than twelve months after its first breaking out--that is, about the close of the year 1811--the Mexican revolution might have been compared to one of those great fires of the American prairies, whose destructive range has been checked by the hand of man. In vain the flames jet out on all sides, seeking fresh element. A wide space has been cleared around them. Soon the crackling of the large trees, and the hiss of the burning grass, cease to be heard; and the whole plain becomes enveloped un
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126  
127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
father
 

taking

 

remains

 

sorrowing

 

doubly

 
consecrated
 
filial
 

leaping

 
saddle
 

spurred


action

 

coursing

 
thoughts
 

aroused

 
Convulsed
 

honoured

 
enveloped
 
alongside
 

deposited

 

manner


tokens

 

burying

 

difficulty

 

withdraw

 

dearest

 

souvenirs

 

burning

 

cleared

 

American

 

compared


revolution

 
Mexican
 

prairies

 

destructive

 

flames

 
element
 

checked

 
ILLUSTRIOUS
 

MORELOS

 
TWENTY

CHAPTER
 

conducted

 
seeking
 
capital
 

Oajaca

 

Little

 
respectful
 

crackling

 
breaking
 

twelve