I Now Produced
My Bottle Of Cognac, Begging That The Crew Would Partake Of It As A
Slight Return For Their Hospitality.
They thanked me, and the
bottle went its round; it was last in the hands of the old mate,
Who, after looking for a moment at the sage, raised it to his
mouth, where he kept it a considerable time longer than any of his
companions, after which he returned it to me with a low bow. The
sage now inquired what the bottle contained: I told him Cognac or
aguardiente, whereupon with some eagerness he begged that I would
allow him to take a draught. "How is this?" said I; "yesterday you
told me that it was a forbidden thing, an abomination."
"Yesterday," said he, "I was not aware that it was brandy; I
thought it wine, which assuredly is an abomination, and a forbidden
thing." "Is it forbidden in the Torah?" I inquired. "Is it
forbidden in the law of God?" "I know not," said he, "but one
thing I know, that the sages have forbidden it." "Sages like
yourself," cried I with warmth; "sages like yourself, with long
beards and short understandings: the use of both drinks is
permitted, but more danger lurks in this bottle than in a tun of
wine. Well said my Lord the Nazarene, 'ye strain at a gnat, and
swallow a camel'; but as you are cold and shivering, take the
bottle and revive yourself with a small portion of its contents."
He put it to his lips and found not a single drop. The old Genoese
grinned.
"Bestia," said he, "I saw by your looks that you wished to drink of
that bottle, and I said within me, even though I suffocate, yet
will I not leave one drop of the aguardiente of the Christian
Cavalier to be wasted on that Jew, on whose head may evil
lightnings fall."
"Now, Sir Cavalier," he continued, "you can go ashore; these two
sailors shall row you to the Mole, and convey your baggage where
you think proper; may the Virgin bless you wherever you go."
CHAPTER LV
The Mole - The Two Moors - Djmah of Tangier - House of God - British
Consul - Curious Spectacle - The Moorish House - Joanna Correa - Ave
Maria.
So we rode to the Mole and landed. This Mole consists at present
of nothing more than an immense number of large loose stones, which
run about five hundred yards into the bay; they are part of the
ruins of a magnificent pier which the English, who were the last
foreign nation which held Tangier, destroyed when they evacuated
the place. The Moors have never attempted to repair it; the surf
at high water breaks over it with great fury. I found it a
difficult task to pick my way over the slippery stones, and should
once or twice have fallen but for the kindness of the Genoese
mariners. At last we reached the beach, and were proceeding
towards the gate of the town, when two persons, Moors, came up to
us.
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