"It is impossible," said he; "obey, Captain."
The latter did not allow the order to be repeated. The miserable spy, seized by hands of iron, was raised into the air, and launched into eternity before even having a clear perception of this unforeseen dénouement.
The young girl--for the person who had vainly endeavoured to interpose between the justice and the clemency of the general was a young girl, almost a child, scarcely fifteen years of age--seized with fright at the sight of this hideous spectacle, terrified by the cries of brutal joy raised by the soldiers, quite gave way; her arms hanging down, her head falling on her breast, half fainting, her beautiful and gentle countenance was suffused with a mortal paleness; her long tresses fell in disorder on her shoulders, and her eyes, so mild and tender, the azure of which appeared to reflect the blue of the sky, were veiled and dimmed by grief, whilst a nervous movement agitated her whole body.
The marchioness approached her, lifted her up calmly, and directing the general's attention to her with a look of sovereign contempt--
"Stand up, my daughter," said she; "this posture only befits suppliants or criminals, and you are, thank God, neither. Did I not forewarn you that this man had a tiger's heart?"
"Oh! My mother! My mother!" cried she, hiding her face in her bosom, "How much I suffer!"
At these words, uttered with an agonising expression, the general made a sudden movement, as if to start towards the young girl.
But the marchioness, standing erect with a leonine boldness, fixed him to his place with a scornful look.
"Back, Señor," said she; "neither my daughter nor I know you. We are your prisoners. If you dare, kill us also, as you have almost threatened."
At this speech, the cruel accent of which recalled him suddenly to himself, the general resumed his coolness, and answered, with a cutting tone--
"Not you, Madame; we do not kill women; but your accomplices will be shot within an hour."
And supporting her daughter in her arms, she went with a firm step to mingle again with the prisoners.
This strange scene, incomprehensible to all that witnessed it, had plunged the officers and soldiers into profound astonishment.
Up to that time they had known their chief, brave--even rash--hard towards others as towards himself--of extreme severity in matters of discipline, but just, humane, and never in cold blood commanding the death of the unhappy prisoners whom the chances of war placed in his power. Thus, this sudden change in the humour of their chief, this cruelty which he had exhibited, astonished them, and filled them, unknown to themselves, with secret terror. They instinctively understood that this man, ordinarily so cold and impassive, must have very powerful motives to act as he did, and thus to give a complete denial to the mildness of character which, up to that time, he had always manifested; so, though this cruelty appeared revolting, no one dared to blame him, and those of his officers who felt disposed to accuse him could not decide to do so.