Myself. - He tells you true; and but for him I believe that I should
have fallen by the hands of those savage fishermen.
Alcalde. - The inhabitants of Finisterra are brave, and are all
liberals. Allow me to look at your passport? Yes, all in form.
Truly it was very ridiculous that they should have arrested you as
a Carlist.
Myself. - Not only as a Carlist, but as Don Carlos himself.
Alcalde. - Oh! most ridiculous; mistake a countryman of the grand
Baintham for such a Goth!
Myself. - Excuse me, Sir, you speak of the grand somebody.
Alcalde. - The grand Baintham. He who has invented laws for all the
world. I hope shortly to see them adopted in this unhappy country
of ours.
Myself. - Oh! you mean Jeremy Bentham. Yes! a very remarkable man
in his way.
Alcalde. - In his way! In all ways. The most universal genius
which the world ever produced:- a Solon, a Plato, and a Lope de
Vega.
Myself. - I have never read his writings. I have no doubt that he
was a Solon; and as you say, a Plato. I should scarcely have
thought, however, that he could be ranked as a poet with Lope de
Vega.
Alcalde. - How surprising! I see, indeed, that you know nothing of
his writings, though an Englishman. Now, here am I, a simple
alcalde of Galicia, yet I possess all the writings of Baintham on
that shelf, and I study them day and night.
Myself. - You doubtless, Sir, possess the English Language.
Alcalde. - I do. I mean that part of it which is contained in the
writings of Baintham. I am most truly glad to see a countryman of
his in these Gothic wildernesses. I understand and appreciate your
motives for visiting them: excuse the incivility and rudeness
which you have experienced. But we will endeavour to make you
reparation. You are this moment free: but it is late; I must find
you a lodging for the night. I know one close by which will just
suit you. Let us repair thither this moment. Stay, I think I see
a book in your hand.
Myself. - The New Testament.
Alcalde. - What book is that?
Myself. - A portion of the sacred writings, the Bible.
Alcalde. - Why do you carry such a book with you?
Myself. - One of my principal motives in visiting Finisterra was to
carry this book to that wild place.
Alcalde. - Ha, ha! how very singular. Yes, I remember. I have
heard that the English highly prize this eccentric book. How very
singular that the countrymen of the grand Baintham should set any
value upon that old monkish book.
It was now late at night, and my new friend attended me to the
lodging which he had destined for me, and which was at the house of
a respectable old female, where I found a clean and comfortable
room.
