Chapter 4 - Page 2

'I will give them all a
drink.'

"He was obeyed. For a moment I expected man and bucket to disappear,
overwhelmed by the rush of eagerness; I thought they would pull him
down with their teeth. There was a rush, but holding the bucket on his
lap he repulsed the assault of those wretches by the mere swinging of
his feet. They flew backwards at every kick, yelling with pain; and
the soldiers laughed, gazing at the window.

"They all laughed, holding their sides, except the sergeant, who was
gloomy and morose. He was afraid the prisoners would rise and break
out--which would have been a bad example. But there was no fear of
that, and I stood myself before the window with my drawn sword. When
sufficiently tamed by the strength of Gaspar Ruiz, they came up one by
one, stretching their necks and presenting their lips to the edge of
the bucket which the strong man tilted towards them from his knees
with an extraordinary air of charity, gentleness and compassion. That
benevolent appearance was of course the effect of his care in not
spilling the water and of his attitude as he sat on the sill; for, if
a man lingered with his lips glued to the rim of the bucket after
Gaspar Ruiz had said 'You have had enough,' there would be no
tenderness or mercy in the shove of the foot which would send him
groaning and doubled up far into the interior of the prison, where he
would knock down two or three others before he fell himself. They came
up to him again and again; it looked as if they meant to drink the
well dry before going to their death; but the soldiers were so amused
by Gaspar Ruiz's systematic proceedings that they carried the water up
to the window cheerfully.

"When the adjutant came out after his siesta there was some trouble
over this affair, I can assure you. And the worst of it, that the
general whom we expected never came to the castle that day."

The guests of General Santierra unanimously expressed their regret
that the man of such strength and patience had not been saved.

"He was not saved by my interference," said the General. "The
prisoners were led to execution half an hour before sunset. Gaspar
Ruiz, contrary to the sergeant's apprehensions, gave no trouble. There
was no necessity to get a cavalry man with a lasso in order to subdue
him, as if he were a wild bull of the campo. I believe he marched out
with his arms free amongst the others who were bound. I did not see. I
was not there. I had been put under arrest for interfering with the
prisoner's guard. About dusk, sitting dismally in my quarters, I heard
three volleys fired, and thought that I should never hear of Gaspar
Ruiz again. He fell with the others. But we were to hear of him