Bruno stamped on the ground and gnashed his teeth, but obeyed. They approached another group where a cock was being prepared for the ring. A gaff was selected, red silk thread for tying it on was waxed and rubbed thoroughly.
Tarsilo took in the creature with a gloomily impressive gaze, as if he were not looking at the bird so much as at something in the future. He rubbed his hand across his forehead and said to his brother in a stifled voice, “Are you ready?”
“I? Long ago! Without looking at them!”
“But, our poor sister—”
“Abá! Haven’t they told you that Don Crisostomo is the leader? Didn’t you see him walking with the Captain-General? What risk do we run?”
“And if we get killed?”
“What’s the difference? Our father was flogged to death!”
“You’re right!”
The brothers now sought for Lucas in the different groups. As soon as they saw him Tarsilo stopped. “No! Let’s get out of here! We’re going to ruin ourselves!”
he exclaimed.
“Go on if you want to! I’m going to accept!”
“Bruno!”
Unfortunately, a man approached them, saying, “Are you betting? I’m for the bulik! ” The brothers did not answer.
“I’ll give odds!”
“How much?” asked Bruno.
The man began to count out his pesos. Bruno watched him breathlessly.
“I have two hundred. Fifty to forty!”
“No,” said Bruno resolutely. “Put—”
“All right! Fifty to thirty!”
“Double it if you want to.”
“All right. The bulik belongs to my protector and I’ve just won. A hundred to sixty!”
“Taken! Wait till I get the money.”
“But I’ll hold the stakes,” said the other, not confiding much in Bruno’s looks.
“It’s all the same to me,” answered the latter, trusting to his fists. Then turning to his brother he added, “Even if you do keep out, I’m going in.”
Tarsilo reflected: he loved his brother and liked the sport, and, unable to desert him, he murmured, “Let it go.”
They made their way to Lucas, who, on seeing them approach, smiled.
“Sir!” called Tarsilo.
“What’s up?”
“How much will you give us?” asked the two brothers together.
“I’ve already told you. If you will undertake to get others for the purpose of making a surprise-attack on the barracks, I’ll give each of you thirty pesos and ten pesos for each companion you bring. If all goes well, each one will receive a hundred pesos and you double that amount. Don Crisostomo is rich.”
“Accepted!” exclaimed Bruno. “Let’s have the money.”
“I knew you were brave, as your father was! Come, so that those fellows who killed him may not overhear us,” said Lucas, indicating the civil-guards.
Taking them into a corner, he explained to them while he was counting out the money, “Tomorrow Don Crisostomo will get back with the arms. Day after tomorrow, about eight o’clock at night, go to the cemetery and I’ll let you know the final arrangements. You have time to look for companions.”
After they had left him the two brothers seemed to have changed parts—Tarsilo was calm, while Bruno was uneasy.
1 Lásak, talisain, and bulik are some of the numerous terms used in the vernacular to describe fighting-cocks.—TR.
2 Another form of the corruption of compadre, “friend,” “neighbor.”—TR.
3 It is a superstition of the cockpit that the color of the victor in the first bout decides the winners for that session: thus, the red having won, the lásak, in whose plumage a red color predominates, should be the victor in the succeeding bout.—TR.
Chapter XLVII
The Two Señoras
While Capitan Tiago was gambling on his lásak, Doña Victorina was taking a walk through the town for the purpose of observing how the indolent Indians kept their houses and fields. She was dressed as elegantly as possible with all her ribbons and flowers over her silk gown, in order to impress the provincials and make them realize what a distance intervened between them and her sacred person. Giving her arm to her lame husband, she strutted along the streets amid the wonder and stupefaction of the natives. Her cousin Linares had remained in the house.
