"Senor, I Got Little Rest That Night, For I Said To Myself, I Have
Evil Wizards In My House, Folks Who Are Not Human.
Once or twice I
went up and peeped into the gallery, but there still lay the big
servant fast asleep, so I crossed myself and returned to my bed
again."
"Well," said I, "and what occurred next day?"
"Nothing particular occurred next day: the jorobado came down and
said comical things to me in good Spanish, and the big servant came
down, but whatever he said, and he did not say much, I understood
not, for it was in that disastrous jabber. They stayed with me
throughout the day till after supper-time, and then the jorobado
gave me a gold ounce, and mounting their horses, they both departed
as strangely as they had come, in the dark night, I know not
whither."
"Is that all?" I demanded.
"No, Senor, it is not all; for I was right in supposing them evil
brujos: the very next day an express arrived and a great search
was made after them, and I was arrested for having harboured them.
This occurred just after the present wars had commenced. It was
said they were spies and emissaries of I don't know what nation,
and that they had been in all parts of the Asturias, holding
conferences with some of the disaffected. They escaped, however,
and were never heard of more, though the animals which they rode
were found without their riders, wandering amongst the hills; they
were common ponies, and were of no value. As for the brujos, it is
believed that they embarked in some small vessel which was lying
concealed in one of the rias of the coast."
Myself. - What was the word which you continually heard proceeding
from the lips of the big servant, and which you think you can
remember?
Host. - Senor, it is now three years since I heard it, and at times
I can remember it and at others not; sometimes I have started up in
my sleep repeating it. Stay, Senor, I have it now at the point of
my tongue: it was Patusca.
Myself. - Batuschca, you mean; the men were Russians.
CHAPTER XXXIII
Oviedo - The Ten Gentlemen - The Swiss again - Modest Request - The
Robbers - Episcopal Benevolence - The Cathedral - Portrait of Feijoo.
I must now take a considerable stride in my journey, no less than
from Muros to Oviedo, contenting myself with observing, that we
proceeded from Muros to Velez, and from thence to Giyon, where our
guide Martin bade us farewell, and returned with his mare to
Rivadeo. The honest fellow did not part without many expressions
of regret, indeed he even expressed a desire that I should take him
and his mare into my service; "for," said he, "I have a great
desire to run through all Spain, and even the world; and I am sure
I shall never have a better opportunity than by attaching myself to
your worship's skirts." On my reminding him, however, of his wife
and family, for he had both, he said, "True, true, I had forgotten
them: happy the guide whose only wife and family are a mare and
foal."
Oviedo is about three leagues from Giyon. Antonio rode the horse,
whilst I proceeded thither in a kind of diligence which runs daily
between the two towns. The road is good, but mountainous. I
arrived safely at the capital of the Asturias, although at a rather
unpropitious season, for the din of war was at the gate, and there
was the cry of the captains and the shouting. Castile, at the time
of which I am writing, was in the hands of the Carlists, who had
captured and plundered Valladolid in much the same manner as they
had Segovia some time before. They were every day expected to
march on Oviedo, in which case they might perhaps have experienced
some resistance, a considerable body of troops being stationed
there, who had erected some redoubts, and strongly fortified
several of the convents, especially that of Santa Clara de la Vega.
All minds were in a state of feverish anxiety and suspense, more
especially as no intelligence arrived from Madrid, which by the
last accounts was said to be occupied by the bands of Cabrera and
Palillos.
So it came to pass that one night I found myself in the ancient
town of Oviedo, in a very large, scantily-furnished, and remote
room in an ancient posada, formerly a palace of the counts of Santa
Cruz. It was past ten, and the rain was descending in torrents. I
was writing, but suddenly ceased on hearing numerous footsteps
ascending the creaking stairs which led to my apartment. The door
was flung open, and in walked nine men of tall stature, marshalled
by a little hunchbacked personage. They were all muffled in the
long cloaks of Spain, but I instantly knew by their demeanour that
they were caballeros, or gentlemen. They placed themselves in a
rank before the table where I was sitting. Suddenly and
simultaneously they all flung back their cloaks, and I perceived
that every one bore a book in his hand; a book which I knew full
well. After a pause, which I was unable to break, for I sat lost
in astonishment, and almost conceived myself to be visited by
apparitions, the hunchback, advancing somewhat before the rest,
said in soft silvery tones, "Senor Cavalier, was it you who brought
this book to the Asturias?" I now supposed that they were the
civil authorities of the place come to take me into custody, and,
rising from my seat, I exclaimed, "It certainly was I, and it is my
glory to have done so; the book is the New Testament of God: I
wish it was in my power to bring a million." "I heartily wish so
too," said the little personage with a sigh. "Be under no
apprehension, Sir Cavalier, these gentlemen are my friends; we have
just purchased these books in the shop where you placed them for
sale, and have taken the liberty of calling upon you, in order to
return you our thanks for the treasure you have brought us.
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