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Sufficient to put them to flight were the poor, but brave cuadrilleros, they who have been so calumniated by the writers about our country, who have for a right, death, for duty, fighting, and for reward, jests. Now there are tulisanes who are such for life.
"If you need cuadrilleros, I'll lend you mine," cried their captain. "And I and I if art old man is needed " stammered another one, swelling with pride. "Accepted! Accepted!" cried many voices. Don Filipo became pale with emotion and his eyes filled with tears. "He's crying from spite," thought the irreconcilable, so he yelled, "Accepted! Accepted without discussion!"
The civil-guards and cuadrilleros who occupied it scarcely spoke and then with few words in low tones. At the table the directorcillo, two clerks, and several soldiers were rustling papers, while the alferez strode from one side to the other, at times gazing fiercely toward the door: prouder Themistocles could not have appeared in the Olympic games after the battle of Salamis.
The cause of all this uproar was two civil-guards, clubs in hand, chasing the musicians in order to break up the performance. The teniente-mayor, with the aid of the cuadrilleros, who were armed with old sabers, managed at length to arrest them, in spite of their resistance. "Take them to the town hall!" cried Don Filipo. "Take care that they don't get away!"
"And I but really, can it be you don't know what it was?" asked a sly-featured individual. "Oh, the cuadrilleros!" "No, sir, it was a mutiny in the barracks!" "What kind of mutiny? The curate against the alferez?" "No, it was nothing of the kind," answered the man who had asked the first question. "It was the Chinamen who have rebelled." With this he shut his window.
So you will allow me to speak first in this meeting where I see so many notable persons, such as the present señor capitan, the former capitan; my distinguished friend, Don Valentin, a former capitan; the friend of my infancy, Don Julio; our celebrated captain of cuadrilleros, Don Melchor; and many other personages, whom, for the sake of brevity, I must omit to enumerate all of whom you see present here.
Stones rained on the squad of cuadrilleros who were conducting the two offenders from the scene, and there were even those who proposed to set fire to the barracks of the Civil Guard so as to roast Doña Consolacion along with the alferez. "That's what they're good for!" cried a woman, doubling up her fists and stretching out her arms. "To disturb the town! They don't chase any but honest folks!
The captain of the cuadrilleros begged to be heard and was granted permission to speak, but he did not open his mouth and sat down again confused and ashamed. By good fortune, Capitan Valentin, the most moderate of all the conservatives, arose and said: "We cannot agree to what the teniente-mayor has proposed, as it appears to be exaggerated.
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