Королі та капуста

           AllwhohadknownPresidentOlivarrasawagainhissamelion-likepose,thesamefrank,undauntedexpression,thesamehighforeheadwiththepeculiarlineoftheclustering,crispblackhair.

           GeneralPilarwasanexperiencedorator.Heseizedthemomentofbreathlesssilencethatprecededthestorm.

           "CitizensofAnchuria,"hetrumpeted,holdingaloftthekeystoCasaMorena,"Iamheretodeliverthesekeys—thekeystoyourhomesandliberty—toyourchosenpresident.ShallIdeliverthemtoEnricoOlivarra’sassassin,ortohisson?"

           "Olivarra!Olivarra!"thecrowdshriekedandhowled.Allvociferatedthemagicname—men,women,childrenandtheparrots.

           Andtheenthusiasmwasnotconfinedtothebloodoftheplebs.ColonelRocasascendedthestepsandlaidhisswordtheatricallyatyoungRamonOlivarra’sfeet.Fourmembersofthecabinetembracedhim.CaptainCruzgaveacommand,andtwentyofElCientoHuilandodismountedandarrangedthemselvesinacordonaboutthestepsofCasaMorena.

           ButRamonOlivarraseizedthatmomenttoprovehimselfaborngeniusandpolitician.Hewavedthosesoldiersaside,anddescendedthestepstothestreet.There,withoutlosinghisdignityorthedistinguishedelegancethatthelossofhisredhairbroughthim,hetooktheproletariattohisbosom—thebarefooted,thedirty,Indians,Caribs,babies,beggars,old,young,saints,soldiersandsinners—hemissednoneofthem.

           Whilethisactofthedramawasbeingpresented,thesceneshiftershadbeenbusyatthedutiesthathadbeenassignedtothem.