of the vanity than their accoutrements exhibited of
the pomp and circumstances of war. Yet their garments were such as even
the peasants had disdained: covered with blood and dust, and tattered
into a thousand rags, they betokened nothing of chivalry but its
endurance of hardship; even the rent and sullied banners drooped
sullenly along their staves, as if the winds themselves had become the
minions of fortune, and disdained to swell the insignia of those whom
she had deserted. The glorious music of battle was still. An air of
dispirited and defeated enterprise hung over the whole army. "Thank
Heaven," said the chief, who closed the last file as it marched--on to
its scanty refreshment and brief repose; "thank Heaven, we are at least
out of the reach of pursuit; and the mountains, those last retreats of
liberty, are before us!" "True, Don Rafael," replied the youngest of two
officers who rode by the side of the commander; "and if we can cut our
passage to Mina, we may yet plant the standard of the Constitution in
Madrid." "Ay," added the elder officer, "and I sing Riego's hymn in the
place of the Escurial!" "Our sons may!" said the chief, who was indeed
Riego himself, "but for us--all hope is over! Were we united, we could
scarcely make head against the armies of France; and divided as we are,
the wonder is that we have escaped so long. Hemmed in by invasion, our
great enemy has been ourselves. Such has been the hostility faction has
created between Spaniard and Spaniard, that we seem to have none left to
waste upon Frenchmen. We cannot establish freedom if men are willing to
be slaves. We have no hope, Don Alphonso--no hope--but that of death!"
As Riego concluded this desponding answer, so contrary to his general
enthusiasm, the younger officer rode on among the soldiers, cheering
them with words of congratulation and comfort; ordering their several
divisions; cautioning them to be prepared at a moment's notice; and
impressing on their remembrance those small but essential points of
discipline, which a Spanish troop might well be supposed to disregard.
When Riego and his companion entered the small and miserable hovel
which constituted the headquarters of the place, this man still
remained without; and it was not till he had slackened the girths of his
Andalusian horse, and placed before it the undainty provender which the
_ecurie_ afforded that he thought of rebinding more firmly the bandages
wound around a deep and pa