"Did I not hear your worship say that you wished to buy a horse?"
said the Gypsy.
"I do not want to buy a horse," said I; "if I need any thing, it is
a pony to carry our baggage; but it is getting late. Antonio, pay
the reckoning."
"Stay, your worship, do not be in a hurry," said the Gypsy: "I
have got the very pony which will suit you."
Without waiting for my answer, he hurried into the stable, from
whence he presently returned, leading an animal by a halter. It
was a pony of about thirteen hands high, of a dark red colour; it
was very much galled all over, the marks of ropes and thongs being
visible on its hide. The figure, however, was good, and there was
an extraordinary brightness in its eye.
"There, your worship," said the Gypsy; "there is the best pony in
all Spain."
"What do you mean by showing me this wretched creature?" said I.
"This wretched creature," said the Gypsy, "is a better horse than
your Andalou!"
"Perhaps you would not exchange," said I, smiling.
"Senor, what I say is, that he shall run with your Andalou, and
beat him!"
"He looks feeble," said I; "his work is well nigh done."
"Feeble as he is, Senor, you could not manage him; no, nor any
Englishman in Spain."
I looked at the creature again, and was still more struck with its
figure. I was in need of a pony to relieve occasionally the horse
of Antonio in carrying the baggage which we had brought from
Madrid, and though the condition of this was wretched, I thought
that by kind treatment I might possibly soon bring him round.
"May I mount this animal?" I demanded.
"He is a baggage pony, Senor, and is ill to mount. He will suffer
none but myself to mount him, who am his master. When he once
commences running, nothing will stop him but the sea. He springs
over hills and mountains, and leaves them behind in a moment. If
you will mount him, Senor, suffer me to fetch a bridle, for you can
never hold him in with the halter."
"This is nonsense," said I. "You pretend that he is spirited in
order to enhance the price. I tell you his work is done."
I took the halter in my hand and mounted. I was no sooner on his
back than the creature, who had before stood stone still, without
displaying the slightest inclination to move, and who in fact gave
no farther indication of existence than occasionally rolling his
eyes and pricking up an ear, sprang forward like a racehorse, at a
most desperate gallop. I had expected that he might kick or fling
himself down on the ground, in order to get rid of his burden, but
for this escapade I was quite unprepared. I had no difficulty,
however, in keeping on his back, having been accustomed from my
childhood to ride without a saddle. To stop him, however, baffled
all my endeavours, and I almost began to pay credit to the words of
the Gypsy, who had said that he would run on until he reached the
sea. I had, however, a strong arm, and I tugged at the halter
until I compelled him to turn slightly his neck, which from its
stiffness might almost have been of wood; he, however, did not
abate his speed for a moment. On the left side of the road down
which he was dashing was a deep trench, just where the road took a
turn towards the right, and over this he sprang in a sideward
direction; the halter broke with the effort, the pony shot forward
like an arrow, whilst I fell back into the dust.
"Senor!" said the Gypsy, coming up with the most serious
countenance in the world, "I told you not to mount that animal
unless well bridled and bitted. He is a baggage pony, and will
suffer none to mount his back, with the exception of myself who
feed him." (Here he whistled, and the animal, who was scurring
over the field, and occasionally kicking up his heels, instantly
returned with a gentle neigh.) "Now, your worship, see how gentle
he is. He is a capital baggage pony, and will carry all you have
over the hills of Galicia."
"What do you ask for him?" said I.
"Senor, as your worship is an Englishman, and a good ginete, and,
moreover, understands the ways of the Calore, and their tricks and
their language also, I will sell him to you a bargain. I will take
two hundred and sixty dollars for him and no less."
"That is a large sum," said I.
"No, Senor, not at all, considering that he is a baggage pony, and
belongs to the troop, and is not mine to sell."
Two hours' ride brought us to Palencia, a fine old town,
beautifully situated on the Carrion, and famous for its trade in
wool. We put up at the best posada which the place afforded, and I
forthwith proceeded to visit one of the principal merchants of the
town, to whom I was recommended by my banker in Madrid. I was
told, however, that he was taking his siesta. "Then I had better
take my own," said I, and returned to the posada. In the evening I
went again, when I saw him. He was a short bulky man about thirty,
and received me at first with some degree of bluntness; his manner,
however, presently became more kind, and at last he scarcely
appeared to know how to show me sufficient civility. His brother
had just arrived from Santander, and to him he introduced me. This
last was a highly-intelligent person, and had passed many years of
his life in England. They both insisted upon showing me the town,
and, indeed, led me all over it, and about the neighbourhood.
