Chapter 4

           PERHAPSitwasintheexerciseofhiscallingthathehadcometoseethetroopsdepart.ThePorvenirofthedayafternextwouldnodoubtrelatetheevent,butitseditor,leaninghissideagainstthelandau,seemedtolookatnothing.Thefrontrankofthecompanyofinfantrydrawnupthreedeepacrosstheshoreendofthejettywhenpressedtooclosewouldbringtheirbayonetstothechargeferociously,withanawfulrattle;andthenthecrowdofspectatorsswayedbackbodily,evenunderthenosesofthebigwhitemules.Notwithstandingthegreatmultitudetherewasonlyalow,mutteringnoise;thedusthunginabrownhaze,inwhichthehorsemen,wedgedinthethronghereandthere,toweredfromthehipsupwards,gazingallonewayovertheheads.Almosteveryoneofthemhadmountedafriend,whosteadiedhimselfwithbothhandsgraspinghisshouldersfrombehind;andtherimsoftheirhatstouching,madelikeonediscsustainingtheconesoftwopointedcrownswithadoublefaceunderneath.Ahoarsemozowouldbawloutsomethingtoanacquaintanceintheranks,orawomanwouldshrieksuddenlythewordAdios!followedbytheChristiannameofaman.

           GeneralBarrios,inashabbybluetunicandwhitepeg-toptrousersfallinguponstrangeredboots,kepthisheaduncoveredandstoopedslightly,proppinghimselfupwithathickstick.No!Hehadearnedenoughmilitaryglorytosatiateanyman,heinsistedtoMrs.Gould,tryingatthesametimetoputanairofgallantryintohisattitude.