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CHAPTER 30.

NOEL’S first interview with the British Minister was interrupted by the arrival of the expected despatches from Europe, on the purport of which the fate of the expedition, of Mexico, – and who can say of how many besides? – hung. But the conversation

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had lasted long enough to enable Noel to deeply impress the Minister with the importance of his representations, and to excite in him the most vivid curiosity as to the source of his information. ‘You say,’ observed Sir Charles, after they had talked together for some time, ‘that you have been absent for some years from Europe, and have held no communication whatever with Paris. I should not be justified in telling you at this moment exactly how matters stand, but any hour may relieve me from necessity for farther secrecy, and then perhaps you also may feel yourself at liberty to speak freely. With regard to the views which you have expressed, – look at this pile of letters, – they are all from British and other foreign residents in Mexico; and they all, without exception, call for the permanent occupation of the country, and assumption of its government by the Allied Powers; and declare that, if we fail to do this, they must call upon the United States for protection – meaning thereby, conquest and annexation.

‘Tell Lord Littmass from me, (for I recognise your friend as entitled to that appellation: it is an honoured name, and I trust that he will not long consider himself debarred from assuming it,) that he alone of all foreigners in Mexico has divined the true policy of the British Government, and the only possible one for the country; and that it will be a subject of congratulation to all free States if the indigenous races of Mexico, under the leadership of one of their own children, succeed in regenerating their country, and in gaining for it a place among the modern civilisations. I must not speak more definitively; but of this you may be assured, that the British Government has neither any ambition of its own to gratify, nor any disposition to further the ambition of others, especially at the expense of Mexico. I must dismiss you now. If you remain a little longer in the neighbourhood, I shall be happy to see you again.’

Noel took his leave, saying, that if the object of the Intervention really was to aid and not to supplant, it was essential for all parties that no time be lost in publishing the fact. Otherwise, only mischief would ensue.

The next few days were a time of great excitement, and anxiety at Orizaba. Interminable conferences were held between the representatives of the various Powers. Couriers passed continually to and from the capital. Noel himself employed one to convey to the President a strong representation of the

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necessity of his calling on the plenipotentiaries to disavow, openly, the rumours – rumours encouraged by the facility with which the English had allowed themselves to be cajoled into according the protection of their flag to the most notorious intriguers among the Mexican refugees from Paris – that they contemplated a hostile invasion of the country, and so to hasten the disavowal of any intention to subvert the government by force. The reply to his communication was brief, and to this effect: –

‘Gratias muchissimas. I knew all. Wait and watch.’

So Noel waited and watched; and the first intimation that the rupture, which grew daily more imminent between the Allies, was complete, consisted in an order to his naval friends to rejoin their ships. Assuming that the Minister would not be long in following he called to pay his final respects. Being admitted, he was greeted with a friendly admonition to get himself and his friends out of Mexico as soon as possible.

‘Your information was correct, wherever it came from,’ said Sir Charles; ‘and had we possessed it soon enough, we should not have been here. Have you any reason for farther secrecy as to the source of your information?’

‘It was Juarez himself,’ replied Noel.

‘Juarez has known all along that the French came here pledged to displace him, and establish an Austrian as Emperor in his room! and, knowing this, has treated us civilly and humanely!’

‘He has known it from the first,’ replied Noel.

‘Then he is a noble fellow,’ exclaimed the Minister, ‘and I shall do my best to make amends for the folly with which our Government has fallen into the trap.’

He was as good as his word; and, in spite of all denials and remonstrances from the French Envoy, the British withdrew from Mexico, asserting the authority of the President, and even induced the Spaniards to do the same.

Noel saw Juarez on his return to Dolóres by way of the capital. The President greeted him most cordially; and, on Noel’s expressing his regret at the part which the British Government had been betrayed into taking, he re-assured him as to the effect on the position of the English residents, and promised that, come what might – and it would probably be serious in no light degree – English interests at least should always have his protection; ‘that is,’ he added, with a melancholy

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smile, ‘so long as I am in a position to protect anything.’

In the threatening position of affairs, troops could ill be spared; but the President insisted on providing Noel with an escort, and even offered to allow him to retain it at Dolóres, in case ‘Don Maynardo’ should deem such protection desirable.

So they parted; the young English gentleman to solve the hard problem of love and incompatible friendship, and the aboriginal Mexican ruler to wage war to the knife against the wily invaders of his country; and both to learn how important an element in the dispositions of Fate is individual character.

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