Seeds of Forgiveness
5- Truce
Chapter 5: Truce
"Do you really wish to kill a King's officer?" asked Arturo Toledano.
"No," replied Zorro. "It is true that I now hold your life in my hands. But I will gladly yield it back to you if you will give me your word that for the next few minutes you will simply listen."
It was an easy choice. "Agreed," stated the Capitán.
Zorro withdrew his blade from the Comandante's neck and stepped back, still keeping his sword leveled at the Capitán's chest. "This boy," he said, nodding at Celestino, "lost his mother when he was an infant. Then two years ago his father was killed by someone impersonating me, at the behest of one of your predecessors."
"I have heard the story. This boy is Victorio's son?"
"Sí," replied Zorro. "And ever since he has carried a great anger directed at anyone in a uniform." All this time Celestino had been standing against a shed wall, too terrified by the swordplay to even think of running away. Now Zorro turned to the boy. "Celestino, come here." The young Indian slowly walked over and stood next to the masked man, looking at the floor in fear and shame.
"Look at the Capitán." The boy did not move. "I said LOOK at the Capitán!" commanded Zorro, louder. The boy's head jerked up and his dark eyes met those of Arturo Toledano. "Neither the Comandante nor anyone else in the garrison had anything to do with your father's death. And the man who killed your father is dead."
"How do you know this?" asked Celestino, looking at Zorro. "Did you kill him?"
"No, I did not kill him," replied Zorro. "But I was there and I saw him die. And the comandante who caused this act was sent back to Spain years ago. Celestino, you are young. Señor Gonzales is good to you and in time you will have a trade with which to make a living. If you kill the Comandante — who is blameless — you will pay with your own life, and worse, you will be no better than the man who killed your father. Is this what your father would wish of you?"
"No, NO! I am sorry! I did not think!, said the young Indian, beginning to tremble. "The anger has burned in me for such a long time...and when I was knocked into the mud, I thought that if I did not do something I would burst!" The boy looked back at the Capitán. "Comandante," he asked in a frightened voice, "will you hang me?"
"I have every right to! You tried to kill me!"
"Comandante," said Zorro, "I believe you are a generous and compassionate man. I ask that you forgive this boy — and he is still a boy — and give him a second chance. He has his life before him and it could be a good and useful life in the pueblo. I ask that you give me your solemn promise as an officer of the King that you will not prosecute him for what he has done. Can you do that?"
Capitán Toledano looked at Zorro, then looked a long time at Celestino. "Very well," he replied, nodding slightly. "He may go. I give you my word as an officer of the king that I will not prosecute him. I realize that I am in part to blame for this because it was I who sent him down into the mud, although it was certainly not my intention to do so. In the future I will dismount with more care."
Zorro turned back to Celestino. "The Comandante is most generous to you. Now pick up the knife and return it to the leather room so it will not be missing in the morning. And first thing tomorrow, go to Padre Vicente and ask God's forgiveness for what you tried to do here tonight. And Celestino," — here his voice took on a tone of warning — "if I ever hear that you have tried to harm anyone from the cuartel ever again, I will come back and release the Capitán from his promise. Do you understand?"
"Si, Señor Zorro." He looked at Capitán Toledano. "And gracias, Comandante. I will respect you and all the other lancers from now on, I swear." He then retrieved the knife and bolted out into the night.
"You are indeed a generous man, Capitán," said Zorro. "I thank you for giving Celestino his life back." He walked just outside the shed, picked up the Comandante's sword, andstood for a moment examining the engraving on the blade.
"I believe you have my sword, Señor Zorro," said Capitán Toledano.
"Somehow I thought you would say that," said the outlaw, smiling broadly. "This is very fine Toledo steel!"
"It was given to my father many years ago by Charles IV."
"And now I return it to you," replied Zorro, handing it back across his arm hilt first, as was the custom between caballeros.
Taking the weapon, Arturo Toledano smiled and replied: "And perhaps someday when all violence is gone from California, we may cross swords again, purely for pleasure."
"I look forward to such a someday," replied Zorro. Then saluting with his own blade, he turned to go.
"A moment, Senor Zorro!" called the Capitán after him. The masked man turned back. "Out of curiosity, what would you have done had I not forgiven him?"
Zorro stared at the floor for a moment, and then spoke: "With great regret, I would have turned him over to you. For he did try to kill you, and I did witness the deed."
"Truly?"
"Sí. As I said, with great regret."
You are a man of justice, señor. I commend you!"
Zorro bowed in acknowledgement then turned and vanished across the cuartel yard to the wall where he had left Tornado.
An outlaw with respect for justice, thought the Capitán, shaking his head. Where else but California?