He would fain have taken me
with him, but to that my father would by no means consent. It is
now five-and-twenty years since I last saw an Englishman; but you
have seen how I recognized you even in the dark night.
Myself. - And what kind of life do you pursue, and by what means do
you obtain support?
Abarbenel. - I experience no difficulty. I live much in the same
way as I believe my forefathers lived; certainly as my father did,
for his course has been mine. At his death I took possession of
the herencia, for I was his only child. It was not requisite that
I should follow any business, for my wealth was great; yet, to
avoid remark, I followed that of my father, who was a longanizero.
I have occasionally dealt in wool: but lazily, lazily - as I had no
stimulus for exertion. I was, however, successful in many
instances, strangely so; much more than many others who toiled day
and night, and whose whole soul was in the trade.
Myself. - Have you any children? Are you married?
Abarbenel. - I have no children though I am married. I have a wife
and an amiga, or I should rather say two wives, for I am wedded to
both. I however call one my amiga, for appearance sake, for I wish
to live in quiet, and am unwilling to offend the prejudices of the
surrounding people.
Myself. - You say you are wealthy. In what does your wealth
consist?
Abarbenel. - In gold and silver, and stones of price; for I have
inherited all the hoards of my forefathers. The greater part is
buried under ground; indeed, I have never examined the tenth part
of it. I have coins of silver and gold older than the times of
Ferdinand the Accursed and Jezebel; I have also large sums employed
in usury. We keep ourselves close, however, and pretend to be
poor, miserably so; but on certain occasions, at our festivals,
when our gates are barred, and our savage dogs are let loose in the
court, we eat our food off services such as the Queen of Spain
cannot boast of, and wash our feet in ewers of silver, fashioned
and wrought before the Americas were discovered, though our
garments are at all times coarse, and our food for the most part of
the plainest description.
Myself. - Are there more of you than yourself and your two wives?
Abarbenel. - There are my two servants, who are likewise of us; the
one is a youth, and is about to leave, being betrothed to one at
some distance; the other is old; he is now upon the road, following
me with a mule and car.
Myself. - And whither are you bound at present?
