عدالت

CHAPTER FIVE

Justice

At the fort, Don Diego spoke coldly to Captain Ramon.

‘You tried to kiss Senorita Lolita at my house last night. That really wasn’t very nice.’

‘Why is he here with no sword’ thought Ramon.

‘Your shoulder was hurt,’ his visitor went on. ‘You drank some wine before your visit. These things could explain what you did. But I’m courting Senorita Lolita. I’m offended. You must apologize.’

‘I apologize,’ said the captain, hiding a smile. ‘But, Don Diego, I went to your house last night looking for Zorro.’

‘What’ cried Don Diego.

‘The Pulidos are working with him against the governor.

Zorro visited your town house when they were there. This shows how friendly they are. Be careful. You don’t want to marry a traitor’s daughter.’

‘No,’ answered Don Diego.

He went back to his town house where the Pulidos were getting ready to leave for the country the next morning.

‘How did things go’ asked Don Carlos.

‘Captain Ramon apologized.’

‘What are you saying, You mean that you didn’t kill him’ cried Lolita. ‘Don Diego, I cannot marry a man who won’t fight for me!’ And she ran out of the room.

‘Don’t worry,’ said Don Carlos. ‘When you visit us again, she’ll be nicer to you.’

The next morning, after saying goodbye to the Pulidos. Don Diego went to the tavern for a drink. Through the open door, he saw two soldiers riding into town. Between their horses walked a third man, their prisoner.

‘What’s happening’ asked Don Diego.

‘Haven’t you heard’ said the landlord. ‘They’re taking Fray Felipe before the magistrate. He sold some bad animal skins to a San Gabriel merchant who wants justice.’

Don Diego hurried to the magistrate’s office.

‘What’s happening to my friend Fray Felipe’ he asked.

‘He cheated a merchant, Now he must pay’ said the magistrate. The soldiers brought Fray Felipe into the room.

A thin man with a hard, yellow face stood opposite him. ‘This priest sold me ten bad animal skins,’ he cried.

‘Those skins were good’ answered Fray Felipe. ‘But if the merchant gives them back, he can have his money back.’

‘They smelt bad - so my son burnt them,’ said the merchant.

‘That’s right,’ said the boy with him.

‘You’re doing this because I’m no friend of the governor’s,’ said Fray Felipe.

‘Traitor’ said the magistrate. ‘You must pay the money to the merchant in two days. And you’ve cheated, and spoken against the governor, so you’ll have fifteen lashes of the whip.’

They took the priest outside. Don Diego could not watch, but he heard the noise of the lashes. Fray Felipe himself made no sound. When the soldiers finished, other priests took him back to San Gabriel in a carriage.

Don Diego rode after them. When he passed the priests’ carriage, he spoke to Fray Felipe.

‘My friend. I’m no man of adventure myself, but I hope that Zorro hears of this.’

‘Thank you,’ said the priest. ‘But where are you going?’

‘To tell my father about my plan to marry Senorita Pulido, but I’m afraid that she doesn’t love me.’

‘Did you speak to her of love’ asked the priest.

‘No. Why?’

‘Try it, and see,’ smiled the priest.

At the same time, the merchant and his boy were drinking with the magistrate at the tavern. They laughed about Fray Felipe’s fifteen lashes and the money that they would have from him. Later that day the merchant and his son went back home in their carriage.

But on the road they met Zorro, with a gun in his hand. Get down from your carriage!’ Zorro shouted, and they did.

‘I have no money,’ said the merchant. ‘A priest cheated me.

I took him to Reina de Los Angeles today for justice, but he hasn’t paid me yet.’

‘I know what happened today’ said Zorro. A good priest had fifteen lashes because you told false stories about him. You must pay for that.’ The outlaw took a whip from under his cloak. He gave the merchant fifteen lashes, and his boy five lashes, before he sent them on their way.

The magistrate was still in the tavern when Zorro arrived. The landlord was standing by the tavern door with four other men next to him.

‘Bring the magistrate here,’ the outlaw told them, and they did.

‘What’s happening’ cried the magistrate when he arrived.

‘Today you gave false justice to Fray Felipe. You must pay for that,’ said Zorro. Then he turned to the men, ‘You must each give the magistrate five lashes with the whip, or I’ll shoot you.’

They did what he told them.

‘If you work against people who are weak and poor, this is what happens to you’ cried Zorro.

The outlaw told four men to carry the magistrate home, then he turned to the landlord. ‘Bring me wine,’ he said thirstily.

But when the landlord went into the tavern, he told the rich young men there, ‘Zorro’s outside. Quick!’ They ran out into the square, swords in their hands. There was a big fight. But Zorro was clever, quick, and strong. His horse ran at the young men and stood up on its back legs. His enemies fell back, afraid. ‘You’re too few for me,’ Zorro laughed, and he rode away. Captain Ramon was terribly angry when he heard the news. And when a number of young men from the town asked to go after Zorro, he agreed.

Thirty of them rode out that night. Some rode to San Gabriel, some to Fray Felipe’s house, and some to the house of Don Alejandro Vega, Don Diego’s father.