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.
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