He has great things to do, confided into his
hands by the Sovereigns who treasure him who found all.
Here is emergency. May we carry to him invitation to
enter San Domingo for an hour and himself present his
case?"
But no--but no--but no! Thrice that!
The Governor rose. Audience was over.
For the rest he was courteous--asked of the voyage--
and of the Admiral's notion of the Strait. "A great man!"
he said. "A Thinker, a Seer." He sent him messages of
courtesy three-piled. And so we parted.
This was the Governor of whom one said long afterwards,
"He was a good governor for white men, but not for Indians."
As life and destiny would have it, in the place without
the Governor's house I met him who was to say it. Terreros
and I with the same escort were for the water side,
the _Consolacion's_ long boat. The crowd kept with us, but
His Excellency's soldiers held it orderly. Yet there were
shouts and messages for the Admiral, and for this one and
that one aboard our ships. Then came a young man, said
a word to the officer with us, and put out his hand to mine.
It was that Bartolome de Las Casas with whom I had
walked the white road, under moon, before the inn between
Seville and Cordova.
CHAPTER XXXIX
THE Admiral took it with some Italian words under
breath. Then he wheeled and left the cabin.
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