However, let us take no notice: he is here
surrounded by his countrymen, who, if we were to seize him, might
perhaps take his part. As I said before, he is in our power, as we
have not paid him."
The fellow now began to talk in Gallegan to the by-standers
(several persons having collected), wishing the Denho to take him
if he knew anything of the missing property. Nobody, however,
seemed inclined to take his part; and those who listened, only
shrugged their shoulders. We returned to the portal of the posada,
the fellow following us, clamouring for the horse-hire and propina.
We made him no answer, and at length he went away, threatening to
apply to the justicia; in about ten minutes, however, he came
running back with the girth in his hand: "I have just found it,"
said he, "in the street: your servant dropped it."
I took the leather and proceeded very deliberately to count out the
sum to which the horse-hire amounted, and having delivered it to
him in the presence of witnesses, I said, "During the whole journey
you have been of no service to us whatever; nevertheless, you have
fared like ourselves, and have had all you could desire to eat and
drink. I intended, on your leaving us, to present you, moreover,
with a propina of two dollars; but since, notwithstanding our kind
treatment, you endeavoured to pillage us, I will not give you a
cuarto: go, therefore, about your business."
All the audience expressed their satisfaction at this sentence, and
told him that he had been rightly served, and that he was a
disgrace to Galicia. Two or three women crossed themselves, and
asked him if he was not afraid that the Denho, whom he had invoked,
would take him away. At last, a respectable-looking man said to
him: "Are you not ashamed to have attempted to rob two innocent
strangers?"
"Strangers!" roared the fellow, who was by this time foaming with
rage; "Innocent strangers, carracho! they know more of Spain and
Galicia too than the whole of us. Oh, Denho, that servant is no
man but a wizard, a nuveiro. - Where is Perico?"
He mounted Perico, and proceeded forthwith to another posada. The
tale, however, of his dishonesty had gone before him, and no person
would house him; whereupon he returned on his steps, and seeing me
looking out of the window of the house, he gave a savage shout, and
shaking his fist at me, galloped out of the town, the people
pursuing him with hootings and revilings.
CHAPTER XXXII
Martin of Rivadeo - The Factious Mare - Asturians - Luarca - The Seven
Bellotas - Hermits - The Asturian's Tale - Strange Guests - The Big
Servant - Batuschca
"What may your business be?" said I to a short, thick, merry-faced
fellow in a velveteen jerkin and canvas pantaloons, who made his
way into my apartment, in the dusk of the evening.
