Story 1, Chapter XIV An Infamous Epistle
beento your pillow, and within reach of your hand.
It is an interest of a peculiarly pleasant nature, if the epistle be perfumed, the envelope of limited dimensions, crested, cream-laid, and endorsed by a chirography of the angular type.
The effect, though sometimes as startling, is not quite so pleasant, when the cover is of a bluish tint, the superscription clerkly, and, instead of a crest enstamped upon the seal, you read the cabalistic words, Debt, Dunn, and Co.
As I awoke from my matutinal slumber under canvas that had sheltered his Excellency Don Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna my eyes looked upon a letter, or something that resembled one.
The sight inspired me neither with the thought which would have been suggested by a billet-doux nor a dun , but yet with an interest not much yielding to either; for in the superscription placed fair before my eyes I read the full cognomen and titles of the Mexican tyrant:
Al excellentissimo Señor, Don Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, General en gefe del Ejercito Mexicano .
The presence of the epistle was easily explained, for I was lying on the camp-bedstead upon which, the night before, had reclined the despot of Anahuac perhaps after sleeping less tranquilly than I. Protruding from under the leathern catre was the letter, where it had, in all probability, been deposited after perusal.
On perceiving it, my feeling was one of curiosity perhaps something more. I was, of course, curious to peruse the correspondence of an individual, in my way of thinking, more notorious than distinguished. At the same time a vague hope had entered my mind, that the envelope enclosed some private despatch, the knowledge of which might be of service to the Commander-in-chief of the American army.
I had no scruples about reading the epistle not the slightest. There was no seal to be broken; and if there had been, I should have broken it without a moments hesitation.
The letter was addressed in no very fair hand to an enemy, not only of my nation, but, as I deemed him, an enemy of mankind.
I drew the sheet from its cover a piece of coarse foolscap, folded note fashion. The writing was in pencil, and just legible.
Excellentissimo Señor! La niña se huye del campamento. Es cierto que la ha mandado el hermano. Ha recibido la putita las propuestas de V.E. con muchas señales de civilidad. No tenga V. cuidad. Yo soy alerte. En buen tiempo, dormira ella en la tienda y los brazos de V.E. o no esta mia nombre .
Ramon Ratas.
Literal translation:
Most Excellent Sire! The young girl has disappeared from the camp assuredly by the command of her brother. The putita (a word not to be translated) listened to the proposal of your Excellency with much show of complaisance. Dont have any disquietude about the result. I am on the alert. In good time she shall sleep in the tent and arms of your Excellency, or my name isnt .
Ramon Ratas.
Whatever of sleep was left in my body or brain, was at once dispelled by the reading of this disgusting epistle. I had not the slightest doubt as to whom it referred. La niña could be no other than Dolores Vergara.
There might be other niñas following the Mexican army who had brothers, but the communication of Rayas pointed to one who had lately disappeared from the camp a circumstance identifying her with the sister of Calros.
Besides, what other was likely to have tempted the cupidity of the tyrant his lust (for it was clearly such a passion), which his pander had promised to gratify?
I was less surprised by the contents of the epistle than by the circumstances under which I had found it, and the peculiar coincidences that rendered its contents so easy of interpretation.
The character of Santa Anna well known to me as to others was in exact keeping with what might
be inferred from the communication of his correspondent. Lascivious to an extreme degree, his amatory intrigues have been as numerous as his political machinations. At least half the leisure of his life has been devoted to dallying with the Delilahs of his land, of whom there is no scarcity.
Even the loss of his leg shot off at the siege of Vera Cruz by Joinville failed to cure him of his erotic propensities. At the time of which I speak nearly ten years after having parted with his limb he was still the same gay wooer of women; though now, in his mature age, occasionally standing in need of the alcohuete , as well as the exercise of other vile influences.
Among these last, the bestowal of military commissions was well known to be one of his most common means of corruption; and many a young alferes owed his inglorious epaulette many a captain his command to the questionable merit of possessing a pretty sister.
Such was Don Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, Dictator of Mexico, and generalissimo of her armies.
With this knowledge of his character, I felt but little surprised at the contents of that confidential epistle. Nor was my contempt for him to whom it was directed so strong as it might have been, had my conscience been clear. In the impurity of my own thoughts, I was neither qualified to judge, nor privileged to condemn, the iniquities of another.