We Entered A Dusky Passage, At The End Of
Which Was A Wicket Door.
My conductors knocked, a fierce visage
peered through the wicket; there was an exchange of words, and in a
Few moments I found myself within the prison of Madrid, in a kind
of corridor which overlooked at a considerable altitude what
appeared to be a court, from which arose a hubbub of voices, and
occasionally wild shouts and cries. Within the corridor which
served as a kind of office, were several people; one of them sat
behind a desk, and to him the alguazils went up, and after
discoursing with him some time in low tones, delivered the warrant
into his hands. He perused it with attention, then rising he
advanced to me. What a figure! He was about forty years of age,
and his height might have amounted to some six feet two inches, had
he not been curved much after the fashion of the letter S. No
weazel ever appeared lanker, and he looked as if a breath of air
would have been sufficient to blow him away; his face might
certainly have been called handsome, had it not been for its
extraordinary and portentous meagreness; his nose was like an
eagle's bill, his teeth white as ivory, his eyes black (Oh how
black!) and fraught with a strange expression, his skin was dark,
and the hair of his head like the plumage of the raven. A deep
quiet smile dwelt continually on his features; but with all the
quiet it was a cruel smile, such a one as would have graced the
countenance of a Nero. "Mais en revanche personne n'etoit plus
honnete." "Caballero," said he, "allow me to introduce myself to
you as the alcayde of this prison. I perceive by this paper that I
am to have the honour of your company for a time, a short time
doubtless, beneath this roof; I hope you will banish every
apprehension from your mind. I am charged to treat you with all
the respect which is due to the illustrious nation to which you
belong, and which a cavalier of such exalted category as yourself
is entitled to expect. A needless charge, it is true, as I should
only have been too happy of my own accord to have afforded you
every comfort and attention. Caballero, you will rather consider
yourself here as a guest than a prisoner; you will be permitted to
roam over every part of this house whenever you think proper. You
will find matters here not altogether below the attention of a
philosophic mind! Pray, issue whatever commands you may think fit
to the turnkeys and officials, even as if they were your own
servants. I will now have the honour of conducting you to your
apartment - the only one at present unoccupied. We invariably
reserve it for cavaliers of distinction. I am happy to say that my
orders are again in consonance with my inclination. No charge
whatever will be made for it to you, though the daily hire of it is
not unfrequently an ounce of gold. I entreat you, therefore, to
follow me, cavalier, who am at all times and seasons the most
obedient and devoted of your servants." Here he took off his hat
and bowed profoundly.
Such was the speech of the alcayde of the prison of Madrid; a
speech delivered in pure sonorous Castilian, with calmness,
gravity, and almost with dignity; a speech which would have done
honour to a gentleman of high birth, to Monsieur Basompierre, of
the Old Bastile, receiving an Italian prince, or the high constable
of the Tower an English duke attainted of high treason. Now, who
in the name of wonder was this alcayde?
One of the greatest rascals in all Spain. A fellow who had more
than once by his grasping cupidity, and by his curtailment of the
miserable rations of the prisoners, caused an insurrection in the
court below only to be repressed by bloodshed, and by summoning
military aid; a fellow of low birth, who, only five years previous,
had been DRUMMER to a band of royalist volunteers!
But Spain is the land of extraordinary characters.
I followed the alcayde to the end of the corridor, where was a
massive grated door, on each side of which sat a grim fellow of a
turnkey. The door was opened, and turning to the right we
proceeded down another corridor, in which were many people walking
about, whom I subsequently discovered to be prisoners like myself,
but for political offences. At the end of this corridor, which
extended the whole length of the patio, we turned into another, and
the first apartment in this was the one destined for myself. It
was large and lofty, but totally destitute of every species of
furniture, with the exception of a huge wooden pitcher, intended to
hold my daily allowance of water. "Caballero," said the alcayde,
"the apartment is without furniture, as you see. It is already the
third hour of the tarde, I therefore advise you to lose no time in
sending to your lodgings for a bed and whatever you may stand in
need of, the llavero here shall do your bidding. Caballero, adieu
till I see you again."
I followed his advice, and writing a note in pencil to Maria Diaz,
I dispatched it by the llavero, and then sitting down on the wooden
pitcher, I fell into a reverie, which continued for a considerable
time.
Night arrived, and so did Maria Diaz, attended by two porters and
Francisco, all loaded with furniture. A lamp was lighted, charcoal
was kindled in the brasero, and the prison gloom was to a certain
degree dispelled.
I now left my seat on the pitcher, and sitting down on a chair,
proceeded to dispatch some wine and viands, which my good hostess
had not forgotten to bring with her. Suddenly Mr. Southern
entered. He laughed heartily at finding me engaged in the manner I
have described.
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