At First I
Could See Nothing, But Moving A Little Farther On I Plainly Saw A
Large Light At Some Distance, Seemingly Amongst The Trees.
"Yonder
cannot be a lamp or candle," said I; "it is more like the blaze of
a fire." "Very likely," said Antonio.
"There are no queres
(houses) in this place; it is doubtless a fire made by durotunes
(shepherds); let us go and join them, for, as you say, it is
doleful work wandering about at night amidst rain and mire."
We dismounted and entered what I now saw was a forest, leading the
animals cautiously amongst the trees and brushwood. In about five
minutes we reached a small open space, at the farther side of
which, at the foot of a large cork tree, a fire was burning, and by
it stood or sat two or three figures; they had heard our approach,
and one of them now exclaimed Quien Vive? "I know that voice,"
said Antonio, and leaving the horse with me, rapidly advanced
towards the fire: presently I heard an Ola! and a laugh, and soon
the voice of Antonio summoned me to advance. On reaching the fire
I found two dark lads, and a still darker woman of about forty; the
latter seated on what appeared to be horse or mule furniture. I
likewise saw a horse and two donkeys tethered to the neighbouring
trees. It was in fact a Gypsy bivouac. . . . "Come forward,
brother, and show yourself," said Antonio to me; "you are amongst
friends; these are of the Errate, the very people whom I expected
to find at Trujillo, and in whose house we should have slept."
"And what," said I, "could have induced them to leave their house
in Trujillo and come into this dark forest in the midst of wind and
rain, to pass the night?"
"They come on business of Egypt, brother, doubtless," replied
Antonio; "and that business is none of ours, Calla boca!
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