IJ-i* 



CHAPTER XIIL 



My plans to save the Emperor — What Consul Bahnsen thought of them — 

 Visit to the Emperor at midnight — A letter to Juarez — Politeness of 

 Escobedo — Preparing to go to San Luis — Consul Bahnsen's fear justi- 

 fied — His sleeping partner — Another audience with Juarez — My plead- 

 ing for delay —Mr, Iglesia on my side — Victory — Return to Queretaro — 

 A wide-awake partner of Mr. Bahnsen — A feirful journey — How I 

 looked — Scene on my arrival in Maximilian's prison described by 

 another eye-witness, 



I RETURNED home very much depressed ; and when I saw Mr. 

 Bahnsen, who had arrived from San Luis and whose face exhi- 

 bited a very lugubrious expression, my spirits did not improve. 

 All that night I did not sleep, but revolved in my mind inces- 

 sently the question, ' What can be done to save the Emperor?' 

 I reflected all the following day, and when Colonel Villanueva 

 and Mr. Bahnsen called towards evening, I had found what I 

 had wanted, and asked them, ' Who will go to San Luis to ask 

 Juarez for time ?' 



Mr. Bahnsen shrugged his shoulders, and said, * Nobody 

 will go. Ask for time ! It is quite useless. You do not know 

 Juarez ; I know him well. That idea is not to be thought of.* 



' Well, Colonel,' I said, * 1 cannot ask you ; but I, a woman, 

 will go ! ' 



' You ! ' said Mr. Bahnsen, with a sarcastic laugh. 



But all his doubts and ridicule did not influence me in the 

 least. I then asked the Colonel, ' Will you accompany me to 

 Aspirez, and ask him for permission to see the Emperor this 

 night ? ' 



The Colonel v/as willing. Aspirez, my travelling compa- 

 nion on my first journey to San Luis, was now ' fiscal,' and had 

 the Emperor under his especial charge. , 



