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CHAPTER 26.

 

            THE letters of introduction to Maynard and Noel mentioned by Sophia were duly forwarded to them by their bearers, and a hope expressed of being able to meet them in the capital. But nothing that came from England produced such an effect upon Maynard, as a despatch from his confidential agent in Mexico that reached him about the same time.

 

            ‘It seems to me a positive duty to go to Vera Cruz,’ he exclaimed, entering the room with the despatch open in his hand. ‘Here has that savage, Marquez, for months been plotting the overthrow of Juarez under the pretext of aiding Dios e Orden, by which he means himself, while the refugees in Paris, with Miramon at their head, are agitating with the Empress and the Pope on behalf of the clergy and their forfeited property, and hatching some outrageous scheme which my agent has not yet been able to fathom: and the leaders of the expedition do not half like Juarez, who is the only man of any note here that has never perjured himself, and who alone represents whatever exists of a nation in Mexico. If the powers quarrel with him they quarrel with Mexico, and then good bye to all hope of improvement or security. I am sure I could put the matter so clearly and forcibly before our minister as to compel him to stop the mischief. I am so glad you are here,’ he said to Noel, ‘to look after Margaret and the bairns. Otherwise, I could hardly have gone without taking them with me.’

 

            ‘Surely it would be better for us all to go together,’ suggested Noel, with heart beating at Maynard’s speech so violently as to almost deprive him of the power of utterance.

 

            ‘Will it not do as well if you write?’ asked Margaret, falteringly.

 

            ‘Utterly useless,’ returned James. ‘The only way of influencing diplomatists is to keep hammering at them until they can’t help understanding a thing.’

 

            ‘I wish I understood the question,’ said Noel, ‘and could take your place in urging your views.’

 

            ‘But why should not I go, and leave you here; unless you are tired of us, and want to get away?’ remonstrated Maynard. Both Noel and Margaret felt that the strongest objection to such an arrangement was the one they could least put before James. Noel evaded the necessity of answering him by asking

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what was the exact line that he proposed to take with the envoys.

 

            ‘Understand,’ answered Maynard, ‘that at present there is no Mexico. It has been stifled, strangled, destroyed, or rather disintegrated, as a nation. Instead of the sentiment of country, nothing is visible save the two antagonistic parties respectively termed Clerical and Liberal, neither of which has any other object than its own advantage. These alone have the ear of the world; so much so, that even the President, who at heart and by blood favours and represents the real though dormant and suffering Mexico, rules only by the help of the Liberals. The real Mexico, the patria out of whose heart’s blood the contending factions trample dominion and wealth, consists of the five or six millions of Indians, who, robbed of their lands, work and suffer at the dictation of their oppressors. If Juarez could only have the support of the Powers to enable him to cut loose from the Liberals and appeal to these, the regeneration of Mexico would soon be assured, and the whole sympathies of its great neighbour, the United States, the only power really able to influence its destinies for good, would come in aid. As it is, the Indian population has no chance of a hearing from the plenipotentiaries; for Juarez cannot openly take their part. And were he to attempt it, the prejudice of the foreign governments is too strong against him. And now Marquez will be able to convert their prejudice into open hostility.’

 

            ‘I understand your view perfectly,’ said Noel. ‘But you are supposing the Powers to contemplate more than they profess by their interference. As I understand their aim, it is only to obtain restitution and security from whatever government they may find in existence, and by no means the regeneration of the country.’

 

            ‘They know as well,’ answered Maynard, ‘that governments here are utterly unstable, and that when a new one comes in it recognises, not the obligations incurred by its predecessor, but only those incurred by its own partisans when in opposition, that they are sure to try and found something which shall be at once stable and responsible.’

 

            ‘But it would involve a tremendous task to raise and organise the masses into anything like efficiency,’ remarked Noel; and as he spoke the padre entered the room.

 

            ‘What think you, Father,’ asked James of him; supposing

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the foreign powers wished to make Mexico a prosperous and stable country by raising the people to be citizens and proprietors, would it be very difficult to make the millions assist them?’

 

            ‘Vaya con Dios!’ cried the old priest, his whole countenance lighting up with enthusiasm, ‘it is the only hope for pobre Mejico. Let them come and tell us that such is their intention, and the natives will rise all together and follow their priests into the field: and we shall have their gratitude, and the Church will be saved. Ah, you know how my predecessors, priests though they were, fought for their religion and their country against los malditos Liberáles. There are plenty more of us ready, like Hidalgo and Morelos, to take up arms for the good cause.’

 

            ‘Mexican politics are certainly very puzzling,’ remarked Noel. ‘I thought that the clerical party was exclusively Spanish and conservative in its sympathies. You are representing it as native and revolutionary.’

 

            ‘I can soon enlighten you on that point,’ said Maynard. ‘The clerical party, as a party, means the aristocratic party that, alternately with the Liberals, obtains the upper hand in the capital and the large towns. Our country padres repudiate them as far as they dare, and cast in their lot with their own people. But they, though doing this, hate and denounce Juarez; for, while they look to their popularity for the security of their position, he abominates every priest as an impostor and a vampire. Now I,’ he added in a whisper for Noel’s sole benefit, ‘side with Juarez in politics, but I consider at the same time that he ought to avail himself of the influence of the country padres to raise the people, and leave other matters for future settlement. With the country priests against him, he will do little with the natives, unless, indeed, he can win them by a promise of the lands. There is thus, you see, a wide difference between the aristocratic and the patriotic clergy. Their ends, indeed, may be identical, namely, their own personal advantage; but their means vary with their positions. Now I would try first to persuade Juarez to conciliate the rural clergy, and then to persuade the plenipotentiaries to treat with Juarez in a friendly spirit, as the sole duly constituted representative of the country, and offer him aid to re-establish himself on a thoroughly popular basis.’

 

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            ‘You have put the matter into a nut-shell,’ exclaimed Noel. ‘Give me letters introductory and explanatory, and I will go to head-quarters, and save you the trouble.’

 

            This proposition caused both his friends to look earnestly at him; Maynard, with the dubious aspect of one who hears something that he cannot all at once accede to; and Margaret, with an anxious, yet grateful expression, as in acknowledgment of the sacrifice for her sake which she recognised in his offer.

 

            ‘Even if you go yourself,’ continued Noel, ‘you can but state the case as you understand it, to the parties concerned, whereas I can both state it, and leave your written account of it for their consideration. In no case will it do for you to go and leave everything and every one here so long. Besides, in the event of failure, the knowledge that you have interposed to such an end, may prove most injurious to the interests of the mine. Even you cannot compel agreement in your views, and, however convinced the envoys and ministers, personally, may be by you, there may be secret plans and schemes behind which will interfere with their compliance.’

 

            ‘That is true enough,’ replied Maynard. ‘My agent intimates as much. His idea is that Austria has something to say in the matter.’

 

            ‘Austria, of all powers, to be concerned with Mexico!’ exclaimed Noel.

 

            ‘Yes, the French Emperor has been mighty civil to Austria since the peace of Villafranca, and he is supposed to be concocting something by way of a set-off to its hard terms.’

 

            ‘Well, let us settle it so. Do you write despatches in the requisite languages, and I will do my best as confidential emissary. Who knows but that I may get all the chiefs of the expedition together, to dine with me and drink the health of Juarez and the Real de Dolóres! Another advantage of my going, too, is that I may find out the officers who have brought the introductions, and invite them up here.’

 

            An this was said too rapidly for the padre to follow it; and had he been able to do so, he would not have suspected Maynard of taking any part hostile to his side. On being appealed to by Margaret respecting the safety of the roads, he assured her that there was no fear of any additional risk on that score, since the people had no patriotism and regarded all disputes with the government as affecting only the two dominant parties. ‘Mexico not being their own,’ he said, ‘they care only for their

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religion. The next world thus finds this one no rival in their affections.’

 

            It was finally agreed that James should write his views at length, and that Noel should convey them to head-quarters, travelling in such style as might impress the government and the plenipotentiaries with a sense of the magnitude of the interests he represented, and the importance of those whose opinions he came to advocate.

 

            The next few days were a busy time for them all. Much care had to be exercised not only in the composition of the documents, but also in their translation. All contributed of their stock of knowledge, which was by no means slender. For those which required to be done into Spanish, the padre was utilised, he being, of course, more conversant with the idioms than any stranger could be; and Maynard found leisure to be immensely amused at the idea of employing the priest to concoct revolutionary despatches to Juarez, without his having the least idea of their real significance, or for whom they were intended.

 

 

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