nondescript dilettante all his
life. He had pushed the habit of universal raillery to a point where it blinded
him to the genuine impulses of his own nature. To be suddenly selected for the
executive member of the patriotic small-arms committee of Sulaco seemed to him
the height of the unexpected, one of those fantastic moves of which only his
dear countrymen were capable.
    »It's like a tile falling on my head. I - I - executive member! It's the
first I hear of it! What do I know of military rifles? C'est funambulesque!« he
had exclaimed to his favourite sister; for the Decoud family - except the old
father and mother - used the French language amongst themselves. »And you should
see the explanatory and confidential letter! Eight pages of it - no less!«
    This letter, in Antonia's handwriting, was signed by Don José, who appealed
to the young and gifted Costaguanero on public grounds, and privately opened his
heart to his talented god-son, a man of wealth and leisure, with wide relations,
and by his parentage and bringing-up worthy of all confidence.
    »Which means,« Martin commented, cynically, to his sister, »that I am not
likely to misappropriate the funds, or go blabbing to our Chargé d'Affaires
here.«
    The whole thing was being carried out behind the back of the War Minister,
Montero, a mistrusted member of the Ribiera Government, but difficult to get rid
of at once. He was not to know anything of it till the troops under Barrios's
command had the new rifle in their hands. The President-Dictator, whose position
was very difficult, was alone in the secret.
    »How funny!« commented Martin's sister and confidant; to which the brother,
with an air of best Parisian blague, had retorted -
    »It's immense! The idea of that Chief of the State engaged, with the help of
private citizens, in digging a mine under his own indispensable War Minister.
No! We are unapproachable!« And he laughed immoderately.
    Afterwards his sister was surprised at the earnestness and ability he
displayed in carrying out his mission, which circumstances made delicate, and
his want of special knowledge rendered difficult. She had never seen Martin take
so much trouble about anything in his whole life.
    »It amuses me,« he had explained, briefly. »I am beset by a lot of swindlers
trying to see all sorts of gas-pipe weapons. They are charming; they invite me
to expensive luncheons