THE BULL-FIGHTER'S SECRET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6132, 19 March 1898, Page 1

THE BULL-FIGHTER'S SECRET.

[By Mary Lovett Catubbon.] Author of "At a Moorish Window." &c. &c. {All Rights Reserved,.') " Toro ! Toro ! " shouted the orowd. " Bravo Toro ! " And a thunder of applause rent the air. It was the first bull-fight of the season. All Madrid was there. The scene was dazzling in its wealth of light and colour. Canopied by the deep blue sky, the 'jewels of the grand ladies, the bright kerchiefß of the poorer women, and the profusion of fiowersjwornby high andlow alike, glittered and glowed in the brilliant sunshine. The tumult of voices, the rattling of fans, the constant movement, as with cries and gestures the spectators urged on the perfonnerain their daring feats, made a bewildering uproar which baffles description. Popular excitement grew as the corrida proceeded. The first three bulls were dispatched without any unusual incident, and afourth was aboufc to be let into the arena. The roar of voices subsided into a surging murmuc, above which the creaking and groaning of the great door of the ganado as \ it was pushed open for the bull to enter, was j distinctly audible. Then a breathless i silence fell on tho vast multitude, and a scuffling and trampling was heard, which drew nearer and nearer till it beoame a steady thud of hoofß, and a huge black bull galloped into the arena. The spectators greeted him with a loud inhuman yell ; he tossed his head proudly and pawed up the ground as he looked defiantly around, lashing his glossy sides with his tail. A splendid creature, standing there alone, surrounded by his enemies. Then, with a mighty bellow, he lowered his and charged the nearest picador. In a few moments it became apparent that this bull was what is called in Toro slang resabido, i.e., a bull which charges with his eyes open. Such. bußs'-^make the bull-fight a contest of life and death for the toreros. Again and again he olearod the arena, the toreros saving themselves by escaping behind the eight - foot barrier which surrounds the bull - ring, the wretched horses lying dead or dying on the bloodstained Band within. The plebeian portion of the audience were wrought to a state of frenzy ; even the fine ladies and gentlemen in the boxes threw aside their affectation of well-bred indifference, and rising, leaned forward waving their handkerchiefs and fans. It was felt .that some fatal accident mußt occur unless the bull were soon killed. A foreign prince sitting beside the Sing grow nervous and in a whisper begged him to give the signal for the animal to receive its coup-de-grace. ' But King Alfonso hesitated. His indecision was ended by the appearance of a torero who had not yet shown himself, and who now strolled from one of the side entrances and walked across the arena. A thrill went through the whole assembly and every eye was fixed on him. The climax of the bullfight had arrived. Guapito, the first espada of Spain, was about to pit himself against the best bull of this, oi"niany previous seasons.. ..... . The bull was in possession of the arena, and was flinging his huge bulk against a barrier over which a flying banderillero had just escaped. The wooden palisade cracked and rocked as he renewed the attack again and again. If not diverted the animal might overthrow it and get amongst the spectators, an accident which has occasionally happened with exceptionally ferocious bulls. Bright as a butterfly, his close-fitting costume of crimson satin laced with gold setting off his well-knit figure, Guapito went quietly behind the bull and seized him by the tail. The infuriated beast turned briskly round and stood for a minute eyeing 1 his puny assailant in surprise. The espada placed his hand on his hip and waited. Then a tumult arose to which all the previous hubbub has been as nothing; the excitement which had been growing and, spreading from person to person in that vast assembly Jtsince the beginning of the cowida, now burst forth and madness possessed them ; feeble old men, caught in the vortex, bent themselves double, and stretching .. their fists towards the bull shrieked forth curses ; little children flung their arms in the air and screamed ; ladies sent their fans and bouquets, men their hats, skimming into tho arena, moved. by an insane impulse compelling them to some action, however absurd. In the meantime, perfectly unmoved by the uproar, . Guapito was watching the bull) -and gradually ihe noise died away and every eye was strained and every muscle stiffened, as the audience watcned the trial of skill between man and beast, which i 3 the acme of bull-fighting science. As the bull advanced, Guapito retreated now leaping lightly to this side, nowbounding to that, sometimes waiting till the animal's horns were within a few inches of his side, when, with a twist on his heel, he would avoid them by a hair's breadth, aiid placing his hand on the creature's back, as it thundered past, vault ovei it only to run swiftly on and place himself again in its path. These and many other feats he displayed, the audience showing their appreciation 'of the dangerous gatno by alternate shouts of " Bravo ! Guapito !" " Bravo ! Toro !" which rang out as one or other gained a inoniencary advantage. Suddenly, a man who was leaning over the barriers, following the contest with concentrated attention, was observed to cry out and wave his arms in excited gesticulation. Guapito had his back to him, and was walking slowly backwards waiting for the bull to charge; he was therefore unaware of the danger against which the man tried to warn him. By some unprecedented carelessness the broken end di a picador's lap.cc had been left lying amongst the carefully raked suud of the arena. " Cuidado .'" shouted the man. Bub as he called the bull charged, Guapito stepped backwards, put his foot on the obstacle, slipped, made a frantic effort to recover his balance, and the next instant was raised aloft on the horns of the brute aud flung, a shapeless heap, halt' across tho arena. At that moment every noul in the Plaza was on foot, the bull rushed on to renew the attack. But even as Guapito tripped, two toreros had run out from behind the barrier, and now. acting together, the first flung his cloak over Guapito's prostrate form, while the other, swooping forward like some bright pluruaged bird passed and repassed swiftly between tho bull and his helpless victim. The animal became confused, and letting his attention be ' diverted from his first object, he pursued the flying meteor across the arena j while he did so, two chulos rushed out and catching up the senseless body of the espada, bore him swiftly into a place of safety. A great ga3p of relief went round tho Plaza and then a hum of many voices arose discussing, questioning, exclaiming. The aficionado's rose in a body and went behind the scenes to enquire for the torero ; an accident which would disable the favourite espada would be a serious blow to these young gentlemen, just at the beginning of tlio season. An aficionado, I may explain, is Ihe Spanish equivalent for a turf or racing 1 m;in in England, only with the difference that the bull, not the horse, is the animal which afford him sport.

"A girl has fainted in the Velaaco'a palco," Baid one of these yotmg men to| another, "Who ia sheP It is not good' form to show feeling of that sort abaufcOr torero." ' " is it Manuela Velasco, Don Christobsfts niece P She knows nothing of our usages, having been educated in England, whose her father was secretary to our embaMy.l They have no bull-fights there, you know." " Por DutsJ What a country I I always thought those English were lying when! they boasted of their civilisation. But tell! me more of this niece of Don Chris tobal'v Paco. She is lovely. WhataakinJ What 1 eyoB! What " j . Stop, my good fellow, don't fall hes3| over ears in love with her, she has a naoia[ already. They say she is engaged to' Ramon San Miguel. It is not yet publicly. announced, as there is a hitch somewhere. . though what it is no one can make den* for Ramon is desperately in love yriih her." : "Fasbidiosa! That is always toe "way, with me. lam newr soon enough in tb» field. Is that San Miguel in the baobcfi! the paleo f" •] "No, that is Fausto, Don ChristobaEs: son, he is also in love with his cousin and! furiously jealous of Ramon. Ton Bee Ij know all the family newsaa Gloria Velasc* is my novia.*' ' "Yes, yes, that is an old story. Bub; Dona Manuela had better take care, ifcj will not do to try any English flirting! ways on our men here. They will no! stand it, and we shall have some blood letting if she plays fast and loose wife. Spaniards. When does ishe return to London ?" " Never. Her parents are-dead, and-sha, has come to live with her uncle. She has! no other near relatives. I believe there was a brother, but he is dead." While this conversation was going on, the girl in the Velasco's palco, or box, had recovered herself, and turning from her aunt, who was offering Aalts and eau de Cologne, she said to Fausto Velasco t m GoJ I entreat. Ask how he is. He may be dead. AhJ how fearful I" And she hid her face in her hands. Fausto was watching her intently. "Sa was a slight young man, rather below the middle height, and dark even for a Spaniard; there was a stealthy eatlSoß grace in his movements and a curious veiled glance in his black eyes, unpleasantly suggestive of a tigor waiting a convenient;; moment to make his spring. He laughed' scornfully as Manuela spoke. "Dead! Not he! These fellows a» made of gutta percha. Besides, if hewwe, what is it to you P " Manuela turned from deadly pale -to crimson. "You forget I am^ottised to yottrcxnel sports," she gasped; ; Gloria, who had' been half Jistening^iiDW turned. " Don't tease, Fausto. Qo and ask. 1 want to know (and so do yon) whether any of Guapito's bones are broken. He is not: killed, be sure, but he may be laid up for some time, and that would be a pity." "Why is 'hot San Miguel here to tan. errands iovhi&novia?" grumbled Fansiay moving off, however. "Ramon hates bull-fights/ murmured' Manuela, " and so do L" "Yet you go to all, primita mia. Why* is that?" asked Fausto mockingly. "H. you don't like them, why not Btay away a* Eainofl doeBP" Again JVTfV n T»BIH ; C f >l n Tir<>flj TrnfrfihflTnndftTK* reply. ***** The evening after the bull-fight lratt Dona Blanca Velasoo's tsrtulia, or evening at home. That lady was reposing her, ample form after the fatigues of the day, in a rocking-chair, awaiting her guests in a state of semi-somnolence. Gloria and Manuela were seated on low seats near the window, talking. Manuela's faoe bore an expression of great sweetness and at the same time a sadness, which might be accounted for by the fact that death had deprived her of her nearest relations, anJd she had come almost a Btranger to heft father's native land. She had been devotedly fond of her only brother Rafael, a wild scapegrace, who* some yearß previously, after gettivq into a more .than ordinarily serious scrape in London, joined the Carlists in the north of Spain, and had fallen in one of the nameless skirmishes whioh were features in that unlncky war. The conversation of the girls was interrupted by the entrance of Fauato with Paco Ramirez. "What news of Guapito P" asked Gloria. "Good. He is bruised and shaken and one thigh is somewhat torn, but he will be well before the. Carnival," replisd Fausto. " This comes of having bull-fighta out of season. If the firsj; bull-figb tof the Beason had been on Easter Day, as iB natural and proper, this accident could never have happened," said Paco. "It is the fault of that Italian prince ; he desired particularly to see one and could not stay here any longer/ Baid Gloria. "Let him be content with novittos "~* grumbled Paco, who, as an afidottado, resented anything not completely en rtglo in a bullfight. Earn 011 San Miguel now came in, and sitting down beside Munuela, Bpoke to her in a low voice. " They tell me you nearly fainted at the corrida, Manuelita ; I wish you would refuse to witness that cruel sport." " My aunt and cousin go. I do not like to be singular," said Manuela, with an air of confusion. " Ahnia mia ! Everyone knows I never go to them, and in Spain a girl who iB seen in, public without her novio is more singular than one who refuses to go to bull* fights.'; "It is a terrible f asoination— -you cannot understand I—you1 — you do not know — " faltered she. " No, indeed, I do not know, I xriahS, . did," said Ramon, gravely. * * " * # # .. As the Velasco'e carriage turned mtcr'th* Prado the first day of the Carnival, a black velvet mask in a plumed hat sprang lightly on the step. " Senoritas itrias!" cried he, offering a box of bonbons to the girls, " I had ahnosfc given you up and gone off with the wife of the Japanese Ambassador. What have you done with Paco, Gloria? And la Intjlesita, where is her novio ? Look how sad and Bilent she Bits ! Shall I fetch Raipon, Manuela P" Manuela, who was not used to the boundless license allowed to masks in Carnival time in Spain, was rather taken aback ,• the Bqueaky voice close to her ear, the uncanny eyes glaring" j oat of the eyeholes in the mask half ■ I frightened her. Gloria, however, was quite in her element, and answered for her : " Yes, yes; go and fetch our novios, einaa you are so ungallant as to desire theie presence." " Not I," replied tho Black Mask, -who had now opened the carriage door and seated himself on the edge of the Beat be-' side Manuela. "I am quite content to keep the two prettiest girls on the Paseo to myself . Ah! well aimed!" As Gloria, taking a handful of bonbons, threw them, at a masked estudiantina who stood thrum-' niinga guitar on the edge of the foot-path.. He immediately left off thrumming, Blung his guitar onhis back, andran'afterthemTAo the same moment a Devil all in BCarlet, with a long tail whioh he held in his hand and kept waving to and fro, climbed up th& barouche from the back and sprawled in ♦ Aii inferior spoitwitiijfoang.bttllftlorfTictiinrf, .

the hood just behind Manuela and Dona Blanca, who occupied the front seat. They did not perceive him, but Gloria, sitting with her back to the horses, did, and was about to exclaim, jwhen he made an imperative sign of silence, and she paused, not wishing to spoil sport if some fun were intended. In the meantime the estudiant na, in whom she had recognised her novio Paco, overtook them, and chattering with him she forgot to pay any more attention to the Devil. The Black Mask was looking straight in Manuela's face; she cast her. eyes down and played with her fan ; he bent nearer and nearer ; aud as he did so the scarlet hood of the Devil crept closer to them over tho back of the carriage. Suddenly from the lips of the Black Mask came the words, spoken for her alone, • ' This evening at e%ht, behind the Zarzuela Theatre, as usual." Manuela started violently, and turned towards the Black Mask with opening lips bat he sprang to the ground as soon as' the words were but of- his mouth and was lost in the crowd. At the same moment, the scarlet l>avil slipped down behind the carriage, and dodging in and out among the horses* heads, crossed to the opposite side of -the Prado, and disappeared. That evening Manuela stood in her room after dinner; over her head she had thr&wn a lace mantilla, the folds of which she held together in front with one hand ; Bhe was listening, bub all was quiet in the house. The servants were at supper, Dona BJanca and Gloria, reclining, half asleep, in rocking chairs, were resting after the fatigues of the day. Fausto and her uncle had gone out to the cafe. The coast was clear, she left her, room, , sped along the corridor, and found herself'at the head of-aKttle stone staircase leading to the garden. The Velasco's/iouse was an old one, and behind it lay a large neglected garden, in which trees' and shrubs growing in tangled profusion had, in some parts, almost blocked' up.rtiae winding footpaths. On three side 3 it-'vrns surrounded by the walls of houses pahtfeed in fresco in the old Spanish fashaon-^son the fourth, a high wall separated it from the back of the Zarznela, or Opera Cornhjue, from which scraps and strains of music floated, as the performance went on. Towards this end of the garden Manuela harried, poshing aside ' the branchesof the^hruba, which almost blocked up the approach to an old door in the wall. It was evidently rarely used, for its bolts were rusty, and it was so completely overgrown by greenery as to be quite unnoticeable to anyone who was ixnaware of its existence. Manuela drew back the heavy bolts and went out. She found herself in a little plot of wasteland, not more than a dozen yards square, lying between the book of the theatre and the garden wall. Ifr-led nowhere, and no windows looked on it: a more secluded spot for a secret meeting could not be imagined. A man was there already, leaning against the wall, masked and wrapped in a cloak. As she appeared, he turned towards her. It was the Black Mask of the Carnival. He sprang f orward, took both her hands in his, and drawing- her to him, embraced her. What they would have done next can never be known, for round the angle of the theatre appeared another man. Manueia started back speechless against the wall, as she recognised Eamon San Miguel. Without casting a glance at her, he advanced straight on the Black Mask. " Draw, and defend yourself, if you do not wish to be killed like a dog," he hissed between his teeth, and from beneath the folds of his oloak flashed the point of a rapier. "Ramon, Ramon! Stop, let me speak." But she* was too late. Before the words were out of Manuela's mouth, the Black Maßk had sprung back, and with marvellous quickness, by one turn of his left arm, had wrapped his cloak round it to act as a prKErd, while with the other he drew his long navaja^ from, his belt. One or two passes were exchanged with the rapidity of nghtning, but the Black Mask had no chance from the first ; he only Bought to paxry the thrusts of his enemy, whereas Ramon sought his life's blood. A few moments and he gn,Ti¥ to the ground transfixed by the rapier of San Miguel, and Manuela, with a piercing shriek, flung hersett upon his lifeless body. The black mack had fallen off. It was the espada, Guapito ! For an instant San Miguel stood with horrorand grief painted on his face, lookng at the prostrate forms at his feet; then he turned and fled from the scene as if pursued bya thousand demons. Manuela sprang to her feet and looked wildly round ; a figure glided out from the comer of the theatre, whence he had ap-parently-watched the fight, and stood before hear. " Fausto !" He was quivering from head to foot ; a fiendish triumph gleamed in his flashing eyes. She needed no words to reveal the fcruthito her. The tiger had sprung, his prey lay before them. " Haldito ! It was yon in your vile jealousy who brought .Ramon here. Know then that you are the murderer of your cousin, of my unhappy brother Eaf ael." Faasto turned deadly pale. He saw his diabolical schemev of vengeance recoiling on his own head'; he staggered back against ithe'walL.and-fo'r a momentall swam before •hffl-Jeyes. Manuela rushed past him into the garden, calling for help. For a moment he was alone in the little waste space, with the body of Rafael lying a few feet from him. Close by lay tho long namaja which had fallen from the torero's nerveless hand. He stooped and picked it up : here was an escape from the fearful position to wiich his curbless jealousy had brought him. He had just raised the ■weapon to a level with his heart when a tall dark figure appeared in the doorway leading to the garden, and a deep voice cried: "Hold, impious boy. What is this? Blood ! Murder ! Is there not onough harm done already that you must seek to add another victim ?' An*La man dressed in the long black cassock and shovel hat of a priest advanced to IJaostoand took the knife from his hand. Ureas. Don Gregorio, the family chaplain, who, taking his evening walk in the garden, had been attracted by Manuela's cries. He turned to the body and bont over it. '"Heas not dead. Take his feet while I Eft his head/ he said, imperiously. Eausto obeyed mechanically, and between them they bore the body into the garden. "Layhimhere. I hear voices. Manuela is -bringing help from the house," said the priest. ■' Now come with me/ and laying hE3 hand on the young man's shoulder •nifch.au action which, though gentle, was a.t firm as iron, he led him away. Fausto made no resistance! This unlocked for ending to the scheme of revenge which bis jealous madness had given birth to, seemed to havo crashed the life out of him. Three strong passions rule the Spaniard's breast : love, revenge, and religious zeal ; of "these, the two first had turned to venom in his blood, and he felt himself passive in tfa&hands of the last. Rafael Velasco recovered, but he never agadn appeared in the bull-ring of Madrid as Guapito the Espada. The discovery of hiakinship with Don Chriatobal ended his career as toreiv. Tliat this would be the case he knew when he exacted a vow of Becrecy from his sister so solemn that she dared not reveal the tmth oven to the man she loved. Now, however, that the secret bad come out, by means of Fausto's treachery, an explanation took place between the lovers, and what the jealous rival had hoped would for ever separate Manuela and Bamon became the means of their union. The morning af terthe encounter be tween Rafael and Ramon, Fausto set out on a journey with Don Gregorio. No one knew for esttain what became of him, but in a Trappist monastery high up among the Pyrenees, a monk, renowned for his austerities, was found, and the flashing eyes which gleamed through the covering which hid the face of Brother Antonio from the world for ever, were strangely like those of the Scarlet Devil of the Carnival. tXongknifoworn by the Spanish lower orders.