He saw, too, that
there was not any chance of matters growing any better, but that on
the contrary they must continue to grow worse and worse, since be
had determined, come what might, he should pursue his love with the
fair lady Isabella.
Could he bear to be insulted thus at every turn by such a man as
General Harero? No! He felt himself, in courage, intellectual
endowments, birth, ay, everything but the rank of a soldier, to be
more than his equal. His heart beat quickly when he recollected that
the latter taunt and threat had been given in the presence of Don
Gonzales and his daughter. The malignity, the unfairness of this
attack upon him at this time, was shameful, and deserved to be
punished. Brooding upon these things alone and at a late hour of the
night, he at last wrought himself up to such a point, perhaps in
some degree aggravated by his late wounds, which were hardly yet
healed, that he determined he would challenge General Harero to
martial and mortal conflict.
True this was preposterous in one of his rank, as contending against
another so vastly his superior in position and influence; but his
feelings had begun to assume an uncontrollable character; he could
not bear to think that he had been thus insulted before Isabella
Gonzales.
Pages:
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93