Cities of the Red Night

a think hawk-faced youth with piercing gray eyes who meets my regard steadily, and a pimply boy with red hair who gives me an ingratiating smile.

'How many of you can read?'

The hawk-faced youth and two others raise their hands. A fourth raises his hand halfway.

'Well, can you read or can't you?'

'Well, yes sir, but it takes me some time.'

'You'll have plenty of that.' I point to the Articles. 'I want those of you who can read to read what is written there. I want you to read it carefully. Then I want you to explain what is written there to those who can't read. Is that clear?'

The hawk-faced youth nods with a slight smile.

'I'll be back later to see if what is written there has been read and understood.'

We then proceed to the house where the women are held, to be greeted by a chorus of shrewish complaints. No one will talk to them or tell them what had happened to their sons, husbands, and brothers. They have been denied medical attention and prevented from going to Mass.

I apologize smoothly for the temporary inconvenience and assure them that their husbands, son, and brothers are safe and being well cared for. I tell them that I am a qualified physician, and that if any of them are suffering from any pains or illnesses I will be glad to receive them one by one in a room I have set up as my office. I have also brought a priest who will hear confession, grant absolutions, or perform any other priestly offices of which they are in need. The 'priest' is none other than Half-Hanged Kelley, his hemp marks covered by a clerical collar.

One by one, they troop into my office complaining of headaches, backaches, toothaches, chills and fever, shingles, flatulence, cramps, palpitations, catarrhs, varicose veins, fainting spells, neuralgia, and other ailments difficult to classify. To each I give a draft containing four grams of opium, with instructions to repeat the dose if their trouble returns, which of course it will at the end of eight hours when the opium wears off. Needless to say, Kelley is also kept busy by the pious senoras.

Returning to the garrison, I call the soldiers to attention. I walk down the line directing the three readers and the half-reader to stand forward. I then pick out six more, looking for faces and bodies that are reasonably well favored or show some signs of adaptability, intelligence, and good character. These ten being brought to the wardroom, I ask if they have read the Articles or had the Articles explained to them.

''Article One: No man may be imprisoned for debt.' What does this Article mean to you?'

A fresh-faced boy with an impudent smile and reddish hair speaks up: 'Suppose I run up a bill in the cantina and can't pay?'

I explain that debts to an innkeeper fall into a special category. If no one paid, there would be no cantinas and no wine.

The hawk-faced boy asks: 'Does this mean that you intend to release all peons even though they stand in debt to the patron?'

'It means exactly that. We intend to abolish the peonage system.'

A mulatto boy looks at me suspiciously. Blank faces of the others show me they know nothing of the peonage system or how it operates.

''Article Two: No man may enslave another.' What does this mean to you?'

'Does this mean we get out of the army?' the pimply boy asks.

I explain that the Spanish army does not exist in areas we control. Our army consists entirely of volunteers.

'What do you pay?'