I Was
About To Return To The Inn, When I Heard A Loud Buzz Of Voices,
And, Following The Sound,
Presently reached a kind of meadow,
where, upon a small knoll, sat a priest in full canonicals, reading
in a
Loud voice a newspaper, while around him, either erect or
seated on the grass, were assembled about fifty vecinos, for the
most part dressed in long cloaks, amongst whom I discovered my two
friends the curate and friar. A fine knot of Carlist quid-nuncs,
said I to myself, and turned away to another part of the meadow,
where the cattle of the village were grazing. The curate, on
observing me, detached himself instantly from the group, and
followed. "I am told you want a pony," said he; "there now is mine
feeding amongst those horses, the best in all the kingdom of Leon."
He then began with all the volubility of a chalan to descant on the
points of the animal. Presently the friar joined us, who,
observing his opportunity, pulled me by the sleeve and whispered,
"Have nothing to do with the curate, master, he is the greatest
thief in the neighbourhood; if you want a pony, my brother has a
much better, which he will dispose of cheaper." "I shall wait till
I arrive at Leon," I exclaimed, and walked away, musing on priestly
friendship and sincerity.
From - to Leon, a distance of eight leagues, the country rapidly
improved: we passed over several small streams, and occasionally
found ourselves amongst meadows in which grass was growing in the
richest luxuriance. The sun shone out brightly, and I hailed his
re-appearance with joy, though the heat of his beams was
oppressive. On arriving within two leagues of Leon, we passed
numerous cars and waggons, and bands of people with horses and
mules, all hastening to the celebrated fair which is held in the
city on St. John's or Mid-summer day, and which took place within
three days after our arrival. This fair, though principally
intended for the sale of horses, is frequented by merchants from
many parts of Spain, who attend with goods of various kinds, and
amongst them I remarked many of the Catalans whom I had previously
seen at Medina and Valladolid.
There is nothing remarkable in Leon, which is an old gloomy town,
with the exception of its cathedral, in many respects a counterpart
of the church of Palencia, exhibiting the same light and elegant
architecture, but, unlike its beautiful sister, unadorned with
splendid paintings. The situation of Leon is highly pleasant, in
the midst of a blooming country, abounding with trees, and watered
by many streams, which have their source in the mighty mountains in
the neighbourhood. It is, however, by no means a healthy place,
especially in summer, when the heats raise noxious exhalations from
the waters, generating many kinds of disorders, especially fevers.
I had scarcely been at Leon three days when I was seized with a
fever, against which I thought the strength even of my constitution
would have yielded, for it wore me almost to a skeleton, and when
it departed, at the end of about a week, left me in such a
deplorable state of weakness that I was scarcely able to make the
slightest exertion. I had, however, previously persuaded a
bookseller to undertake the charge of vending the Testaments, and
had published my advertisements as usual, though without very
sanguine hope of success, as Leon is a place where the inhabitants,
with very few exceptions, are furious Carlists, and ignorant and
blinded followers of the old papal church. It is, moreover, a
bishop's see, which was once enjoyed by the prime counsellor of Don
Carlos, whose fierce and bigoted spirit still seems to pervade the
place. Scarcely had the advertisements appeared, when the clergy
were in motion. They went from house to house, banning and
cursing, and denouncing misery to whomsoever should either purchase
or read "the accursed books," which had been sent into the country
by heretics for the purpose of perverting the innocent minds of the
population. They did more; they commenced a process against the
bookseller in the ecclesiastical court. Fortunately this court is
not at present in the possession of much authority; and the
bookseller, a bold and determined man, set them at defiance, and
went so far as to affix an advertisement to the gate of the very
cathedral. Notwithstanding the cry raised against the book,
several copies were sold at Leon: two were purchased by ex-friars,
and the same number by parochial priests from neighbouring
villages. I believe the whole number disposed of during my stay
amounted to fifteen; so that my visit to this dark corner was not
altogether in vain, as the seed of the gospel has been sown, though
sparingly. But the palpable darkness which envelops Leon is truly
lamentable, and the ignorance of the people is so great, that
printed charms and incantations against Satan and his host, and
against every kind of misfortune, are publicly sold in the shops,
and are in great demand. Such are the results of Popery, a
delusion which, more than any other, has tended to debase and
brutalize the human mind.
I had scarcely risen from my bed where the fever had cast me, when
I found that Antonio had become alarmed. He informed me that he
had seen several soldiers in the uniform of Don Carlos lurking at
the door of the posada, and that they had been making inquiries
concerning me.
It was indeed a singular fact connected with Leon, that upwards of
fifty of these fellows, who had on various accounts left the ranks
of the Pretender, were walking about the streets dressed in his
livery, and with all the confidence which the certainty of
protection from the local authorities could afford them should any
one be disposed to interrupt them.
I learned moreover from Antonio, that the person in whose house we
were living was a notorious "alcahuete," or spy to the robbers in
the neighbourhood, and that unless we took our departure speedily
and unexpectedly, we should to a certainty be plundered on the
road.
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