THE CATALAN CAPUCHIN. 671 



pity. Incarnate fiend as you are, with your hands red with innocent 

 blood, and your soul steeped in unmentionable crimes, you dare not 

 cause a hair of my head to fall ; reserve your ill-timed pleasantries for 

 your equals, and fall down on your vilejknees, miserable! and implore 

 my mercy !" Llanero was absolutely paralyzed with rage though 

 fury was rending his very vitals. As the monk finished, he burst 

 into a loud hysteric laugh, and, throwing up his right hand, cried in 

 a voice scarcely human 



" Guard ! lead forth the prisoner !" The monk was roughly seized 

 by each arm, and led into the court yard. 



" Halt ! Prisoner, have you recommended your soul to God?" The 

 monk, full of an absurd confidence, shrugged his shoulders, and did 

 not deign even to turn his head toward Llanero, who was immediately 

 behind him. It was well he did not, it saved his heart a pang ; for 

 there he stood his face livid as a corpse, his features convulsed, and 

 in his right hand trembled his naked blade, stained to the hilt in 

 blood ! 



" Father ! look to your sandals." The monk, thinking some trick 

 had been played him, bent his neck to see, when at that moment he 

 rolled a headless and bloody corpse ! 



The news of this barbarous execution spread like wildfire through- 

 out the province, where the Capuchin was much respected ; and the 

 excitement which it produced against the government, with whom it 

 was supposed to have originated, began to assume an alarming 

 appearance^ Numerous armed bodies rose in various parts, and fell 

 upon the detachments belonging to Llanero's corps, which were 

 quartered around, and Llanero himself narrowly escaped being torn 

 to pieces he only saved himself by leaping upon the bare back of a 

 horse that happened to be pasturing near his dwelling. Thus 

 mounted, he galloped six leagues without halting supplying the 

 absence of spurs by the point of his poniard, and fancying, in 

 every gust of wind, he heard the shouts of his pursuers. 



Things would have gone rather untoward with our friend, had he 

 presented himself before Bolivar at that juncture. The disgrace 

 which he brought upon government, would, in all probability, have 

 been expiated by the gallant major being made to follow the monk. 

 He, therefore, judged it prudent to await a more favourable oppor- 

 tunity for an audience ; in which resolution he was quite confirmed, 

 by learning from a comrade, that his interpretation of passing the 

 Caroni was a species of wit not likely to be relished by the parties 

 for whose especial benefit it was intended. 



Quite crest-fallen at his unfortunate mistake, and the loss of his 

 detachment, Llanero took refuge among his ancient haunts, only cor- 

 responding with one of his old comrades at Angostura, who at last 

 succeeded in appeasing the wrath of Bolivar, and procuring an order 

 for his return. On the day appointed for Llanero's appearance, he 

 presented himself at the palace at Angostura a large building that 

 occupies one side of the great square, formerly the residence of the 

 Spanish governors and found the Liberator lolling, according to his 

 custom, in a large white hammock, which was highly ornamented 

 with lace, and amusing himself by conversing with some of the 



