"My wife," I said, "set her heart on having a side-saddle, as she is very fond of riding; so, having business which took me to town, I there purchased one for her, and was returning with it on a led horse--my wife"s horse, unfortunately--when I stopped last evening to get some refreshment at a _pulperia_ on the road. While eating some bread and sausage a tipsy person, who happened to be there, imprudently began to explode some fire-crackers, which so terrified the horses tied at the gate that several of them broke loose and escaped. My wife"s horse with the side-saddle on him escaped with them; then, mounting my own horse, I started in pursuit, but failed to overtake the runaway. Finally it joined a herd of mares, and these, becoming terrified, fled from me, leading me a chase of several leagues, till I lost sight of them in the darkness."
"If your wife resembles mine in disposition, friend," said he, with a somewhat sorrowful smile, "you would have continued following that runaway animal with the side-saddle to the end of the world."
"I can say this," I returned gravely, "without a side-saddle, good or bad, I am not going to present myself before her. I intend inquiring at every house on my way to the Lomas de Rocha till I can hear of one for sale."
"What will you give for one?" said he, becoming interested.
"That will depend on its condition. If it is as good as new I will give the amount it cost and two dollars profit besides."
"I know of a side-saddle that cost ten dollars a year ago, but it has never been used. It belongs to a neighbour three leagues from here, and she would sell it, I believe."
"Show me the house," I said, "and I will go directly and offer twelve dollars for it."
"You speak of Dona Petrona"s side-saddle, Antonio?" said the little wife. "She would sell it for what it cost--perhaps for eight dollars.
Ah, pumpkin-head, why did you not think to make all that profit? Then I could have bought slippers and a thousand things."
"You are never satisfied, Cleta," he returned. "Have you not got slippers to your feet?"
She tossed up a pretty foot and displayed it cased in rather a shabby little slipper. Then, with a laugh, she kicked it off towards him.
"There," she exclaimed, "put it in your bosom and keep it--something precious! And some day when you go to Montevideo, and wish to appear very grand before all the town, wear it on your great toe."
"Who expects reason from a woman?" said Antonio, shrugging his shoulders.
"Reason! you have no more brains than a Muscovy duck, Antonio. You might have made this profit, but you never can make money like other men, and therefore you will always be poorer than the spiders. I have said this before very often, and only hope you will not forget it, for in future I intend to speak of other things."
"Where would I have got the ten dollars to pay Petrona for the saddle?"
he retorted, losing his temper.
"My friend," I said, "if the saddle can be had, it is only just that you should have the profit. Take ten dollars, and if you buy it for me I will pay you two more."
This proposal pleased him greatly, while Cleta, the volatile, clapped her hands with delight. While Antonio prepared to go to his neighbour"s after the saddle I went out to a solitary thorn-tree about fifty yards from the _rancho_, and, spreading my _poncho_ in the shade, lay down to sleep the siesta.
Before the shepherd had been long gone I heard a great noise in the house, like banging on doors and on copper vessels, but took no notice, supposing it to proceed from Cleta engaged in some unusually noisy domestic operation. At length I heard a voice calling to me, "Senor!
Senor!"
Getting up, I went to the kitchen, but no person was there. Suddenly a loud knock was given on the door communicating with the second room.
"Oh, my friend," cried Cleta"s voice behind it, "my ruffian of a husband has locked me in--can you let me out, do you think?"
"Why has he locked you in?" I asked.
"The question! Because he is a brute, of course. He always does it when he goes out. Is it not horrible?"
"It only shows how fond he is of you," I returned.
"Are you so atrocious as to defend him? And I thought you had a heart--so handsome, too! When I saw you I said, Ah, had I married this man, what a happy life!"
"Thank you for your good opinion," I said. "I am very sorry you are locked in, because it prevents me from seeing your pretty face."
"Oh, you think it pretty? Then you _must_ let me out. I have put up my hair now, and look prettier than when you saw me."
"You look prettier with it down," I answered.
"Ah, down it goes again then!" she exclaimed.--"Yes, you are right, it does look best that way. Is it not like silk? You shall feel it when you liberate me."
"That I cannot do, Cleta mine. Your Antonio has taken away the key."
"Oh, cruel man! He left me no water, and I am perishing with thirst.
What shall I do? Look, I will put my hand under the door for you to feel how hot it is; I am consumed with fever and thirst in this oven."
Presently her little brown hand came out at my feet, there being sufficient s.p.a.ce between the floor and wood to pa.s.s it through. I stooped and took it in mine, and found it a hot, moist little hand, with a pulse beating very fast.
"Poor child!" I said, "I will pour some water in a plate and pa.s.s it to you under the door."
"Oh, you are bad to insult me!" she cried. "What, am I a cat to drink water from a plate? I could cry my eyes out"; here followed sob-like sounds. "Besides," she suddenly resumed, "it is fresh air, not water, I require. I am suffocated, I cannot breathe. Oh, dear friend, save me from fainting. Force back the door till the bolt slips out."
"No, no, Cleta, it cannot be done."
"What, with your strength! I could almost do it myself with my poor little hands. Open, open, open, before I faint."
She had evidently sunk down on the floor sobbing, after making that practical suggestion; and, casting about for burglarious implements to aid me, I found the spit and a wedge-shaped piece of hard wood. These I inserted just above and below the lock, and, forcing back the door on its frame, I soon had the satisfaction of seeing the bolt slip from the catch.
Out sprang Cleta, flushed, tearful, her hair all in disorder, but laughing gleefully at having regained her liberty.
"Oh, dear friend, I thought you were going to leave me!" she cried. "How agitated I am--feel how my heart beats. Never mind, I can now pay that wretch out. Is not revenge sweet, sweet, sweet?"
"Now, Cleta," I said, "take three mouthfuls of fresh air and a drink of water, then let me lock you in again."
She laughed mockingly, and shook her hair like a wild young colt.
"Ah, you are not serious--do you not think I know?" she cried. "Your eyes tell me everything. Besides, you could not shut me up again if you tried." Here she made a sudden dash at the door, but I caught her and held her a close prisoner.
"Let me go, monster--oh, no, not monster, dear, sweet friend, beautiful as the--moon, sun, stars. I am dying for fresh air. I will come back to the oven before he returns. If he caught me out, what blows! Come, let us sit under the tree together."
"That would be disobeying your husband," I said, trying to look stern.
"Never mind, I will confess it all to the priest some day, then it will be as if it had never happened. Such a husband--poof! If you were not a married man--_are_ you married? What a pity! Say again, am I pretty?"
"Say first, Cleta, have you a horse a woman can ride on, and if you have one, will you sell it to me?"
"Oh, yes, the best horse in the Banda Oriental. They say it is worth six dollars--will you buy it for six dollars? No, I shall not sell it--I shall not tell you that I have a horse till you answer me. Am I pretty, sir stranger?"
"Tell me first about the horse, then ask me what you like."
"Nothing more will I tell you--not a word. Yes, everything. Listen. When Antonio comes back, ask him to sell you a horse for your wife to ride.
He will try to sell you one of his own, a demon full of faults like his master; false-footed, lame in the shoulder, a roarer, old as the south wind. A black piebald--remember. Offer to buy a roan with a cream nose.
That is my horse. Offer him six dollars. Now say, am I pretty?"
"Oh, beautiful, Cleta; your eyes are stars, your mouth is a rosebud, sweeter than honey a thousand times."