"Fellow,"
Said They, "We Are Caballeros Of Galicia, And Do Not Take Pesetas,
Much Less Cuartos.
Of what opinion are you?
Are you for the
queen?" "No, gentlemen," said I, "I am not for the queen, but, at
the same time, allow me to tell you that I am not for the king
either; I know nothing about the matter; I am a Swiss, and fight
neither for nor against anybody unless I am paid." This made them
laugh, and then they questioned me about Saint James, and the
troops there, and the captain-general; and not to disoblige them, I
told them all I knew and much more. Then one of them, who looked
the fiercest and most determined, took his trombone in his hand,
and pointing it at me, said, "Had you been a Spaniard, we would
have blown your head to shivers, for we should have thought you a
spy, but we see you are a foreigner, and believe what you have
said; take, therefore, this peseta and go your way, but beware that
you tell nobody any thing about us, for if you do, carracho!" He
then discharged his trombone just over my head, so that for a
moment I thought myself shot, and then with an awful shout, they
both galloped away, their horses leaping over the barrancos, as if
possessed with many devils.
Myself. - And what happened to you on your arrival at Coruna?
Benedict. - When I arrived at Coruna, I inquired after yourself,
lieber herr, and they informed me that, only the day before my
arrival, you had departed for Oviedo: and when I heard that, my
heart died within me, for I was now at the far end of Galicia,
without a friend to help me. For a day or two I knew not what to
do; at last I determined to make for the frontier of France,
passing through Oviedo in the way, where I hoped to see you and ask
counsel of you. So I begged and bettled among the Germans of
Coruna. I, however, got very little from them, only a few cuarts,
less than the thieves had given me on the road from Saint James,
and with these I departed for the Asturias by the way of Mondonedo.
Och, what a town is that, full of canons, priests, and pfaffen, all
of them more Carlist than Carlos himself.
One day I went to the bishop's palace and spoke to him, telling him
I was a pilgrim from Saint James, and requesting assistance. He
told me, however, that he could not relieve me, and as for my being
a pilgrim from Saint James, he was glad of it, and hoped that it
would be of service to my soul. So I left Mondonedo, and got
amongst the wild mountains, begging and betting at the door of
every choza that I passed, telling all I saw that I was a pilgrim
from Saint James, and showing my passport in proof that I had been
there.
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