The Bible in Spain

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National.--Caballero! I return you your passport, it is quite in
form; I rejoice much to have made your acquaintance; I have no
doubt that you can give me some information respecting the present
war.

Myself.--I shall be very happy to afford so polite and honourable a
gentleman any information in my power.

National.--What is England doing,--is she about to afford any
assistance to this country? If she pleased she could put down the
war in three months.

Myself.--Be under no apprehension, Senor nacional; the war will be
put down, don't doubt. You have heard of the English legion, which
my Lord Palmerston has sent over? Leave the matter in their hands,
and you will soon see the result.

National.--It appears to me that this Caballero Balmerson must be a
very honest man.

Myself.--There can be no doubt of it.

National.--I have heard that he is a great general.

Myself.--There can be no doubt of it. In some things neither
Napoleon nor the sawyer {5} would stand a chance with him for a
moment. Es mucho hombre.

National.--I am glad to hear it. Does he intend to head the legion
himself?

Myself.--I believe not; but he has sent over, to head the fighting
men, a friend of his, who is thought to be nearly as much versed in
military matters as himself.

National.--I am rejoiced to hear it. I see that the war will soon
be over. Caballero, I thank you for your politeness, and for the
information which you have afforded me. I hope you will have a
pleasant journey. I confess that I am surprised to see a gentleman
of your country travelling alone, and in this manner, through such
regions as these. The roads are at present very bad; there have of
late been many accidents, and more than two deaths in this
neighbourhood. The despoblado out yonder has a particularly evil
name; be on your guard, Caballero. I am sorry that Gypsy was
permitted to pass; should you meet him and not like his looks,
shoot him at once, stab him, or ride him down. He is a well known
thief, contrabandista, and murderer, and has committed more
assassinations than he has fingers on his hands. Caballero, if you
please, we will allow you a guard to the other side of the pass.
You do not wish it? Then, farewell. Stay, before I go I should
wish to see once more the signature of the Caballero Balmerson.

I showed him the signature, which he looked upon with profound
reverence, uncovering his head for a moment; we then embraced and
parted.

I mounted the horse and rode from the town, at first proceeding
very slowly; I had no sooner, however, reached the moor, than I put
the animal to his speedy trot, and proceeded at a tremendous rate
for some time, expecting every moment to overtake the Gypsy. I,
however, saw nothing of him, nor did I meet with a single human
being. The road along which I sped was narrow and sandy, winding
amidst thickets of broom and brushwood, with which the despoblado
was overgrown, and which in some places were as high as a man's
head. Across the moor, in the direction in which I was proceeding,
rose a lofty eminence, naked and bare. The moor extended for at
least three leagues; I had nearly crossed it, and reached the foot
of the ascent. I was becoming very uneasy, conceiving that I might
have passed the Gypsy amongst the thickets, when I suddenly heard
his well known Ola! and his black savage head and staring eyes
suddenly appeared from amidst a clump of broom.

"You have tarried long, brother," said he; "I almost thought you
had played me false."

He bade me dismount, and then proceeded to lead the horse behind
the thicket, where I found the route picqueted to the ground. I
gave him the barley and provisions, and then proceeded to relate to
him my adventure with the national.

"I would I had him here," said the Gypsy, on hearing the epithets
which the former had lavished upon him. "I would I had him here,
then should my chulee and his carlo become better acquainted."

"And what are you doing here yourself," I demanded, "in this wild
place, amidst these thickets?"

"I am expecting a messenger down yon pass," said the Gypsy; "and
till that messenger arrive I can neither go forward nor return. It
is on business of Egypt, brother, that I am here."

As he invariably used this last expression when he wished to evade
my inquiries, I held my peace, and said no more; the animals were
fed, and we proceeded to make a frugal repast on bread and wine.

"Why do you not cook the game which I brought?" I demanded; "in
this place there is plenty of materials for a fire."

"The smoke might discover us, brother," said Antonio, "I am
desirous of lying escondido in this place until the arrival of the
messenger."

It was now considerably past noon; the gypsy lay behind the
thicket, raising himself up occasionally and looking anxiously
towards the hill which lay over against us; at last, with an
exclamation of disappointment and impatience, he flung himself on
the ground, where he lay a considerable time, apparently
ruminating; at last he lifted up his head and looked me in the
face.

Antonio.--Brother, I cannot imagine what business brought you to
this country.

Myself.--Perhaps the same which brings you to this moor--business
of Egypt.

Antonio.--Not so, brother; you speak the language of Egypt, it is
true, but your ways and words are neither those of the Cales nor of
the Busne.

Myself.--Did you not hear me speak in the foros about God and
Tebleque? It was to declare his glory to the Cales and Gentiles
that I came to the land of Spain.

Antonio.--And who sent you on this errand?

Myself.--You would scarcely understand me were I to inform you.
Know, however, that there are many in foreign lands who lament the
darkness which envelops Spain, and the scenes of cruelty, robbery,
and murder which deform it.

Antonio.--Are they Calore or Busne?

Myself.--What matters it? Both Calore and Busne are sons of the
same God.

Antonio.--You lie, brother, they are not of one father nor of one
Errate. You speak of robbery, cruelty, and murder. There are too
many Busne, brother; if there were no Busne there would be neither
robbery nor murder. The Calore neither rob nor murder each other,
the Busno do; nor are they cruel to their animals, their law
forbids them. When I was a child I was beating a burra, but my
father stopped my hand, and chided me. "Hurt not the animal," said
he; "for within it is the soul of your own sister!"

Myself.--And do you believe in this wild doctrine, O Antonio?

Antonio.--Sometimes I do, sometimes I do not. There are some who
believe in nothing; not even that they live! Long since, I knew an
old Caloro, he was old, very old, upwards of a hundred years,--and
I once heard him say, that all we thought we saw was a lie; that
there was no world, no men nor women, no horses nor mules, no olive
trees. But whither are we straying? I asked what induced you to
come to this country--you tell me the glory of God and Tebleque.
Disparate! tell that to the Busne. You have good reasons for
coming, no doubt, else you would not be here. Some say you are a
spy of the Londone, perhaps you are; I care not. Rise, brother,
and tell me whether any one is coming down the pass."

"I see a distant object," I replied; "like a speck on the side of
the hill."

The Gypsy started up, and we both fixed our eyes on the object:
the distance was so great that it was at first with difficulty that
we could distinguish whether it moved or not. A quarter of an
hour, however, dispelled all doubts, for within this time it had
nearly reached the bottom of the hill, and we could descry a figure
seated on an animal of some kind.

"It is a woman," said I, at length, "mounted on a grey donkey."

"Then it is my messenger," said Antonio, "for it can be no other."

The woman and the donkey were now upon the plain, and for some time
were concealed from us by the copse and brushwood which intervened.
They were not long, however, in making their appearance at the
distance of about a hundred yards. The donkey was a beautiful
creature of a silver grey, and came frisking along, swinging her
tail, and moving her feet so quick that they scarcely seemed to
touch the ground. The animal no sooner perceived us than she
stopped short, turned round, and attempted to escape by the way she
had come; her rider, however, detained her, whereupon the donkey
kicked violently, and would probably have flung the former, had she
not sprung nimbly to the ground. The form of the woman was
entirely concealed by the large wrapping man's cloak which she
wore. I ran to assist her, when she turned her face full upon me,
and I instantly recognized the sharp clever features of Antonia,
whom I had seen at Badajoz, the daughter of my guide. She said
nothing to me, but advancing to her father, addressed something to
him in a low voice, which I did not hear. He started back, and
vociferated "All!" "Yes," said she in a louder tone, probably
repeating the words which I had not caught before, "All are
captured."

The Gypsy remained for some time like one astounded and, unwilling
to listen to their discourse, which I imagined might relate to
business of Egypt, I walked away amidst the thickets. I was absent
for some time, but could occasionally hear passionate expressions
and oaths. In about half an hour I returned; they had left the
road, but I found then behind the broom clump, where the animals
stood. Both were seated on the ground; the features of the Gypsy
were peculiarly dark and grim; he held his unsheathed knife in his
hand, which he would occasionally plunge into the earth,
exclaiming, "All! All!"

"Brother," said he at last, "I can go no farther with you; the
business which carried me to Castumba is settled; you must now
travel by yourself and trust to your baji (fortune)."

"I trust in Undevel," I replied, "who wrote my fortune long ago.
But how am I to journey? I have no horse, for you doubtless want
your own."

The Gypsy appeared to reflect: "I want the horse, it is true,
brother," he said, "and likewise the macho; but you shall not go en
pindre (on foot); you shall purchase the burra of Antonia, which I
presented her when I sent her upon this expedition."

"The burra," I replied, "appears both savage and vicious."

"She is both, brother, and on that account I bought her; a savage
and vicious beast has generally four excellent legs. You are a
Calo, brother, and can manage her; you shall therefore purchase the
savage burra, giving my daugher Antonia a baria of gold. If you
think fit, you can sell the beast at Talavera or Madrid, for
Estremenian bestis are highly considered in Castumba."

In less than an hour I was on the other side of the pass, mounted
on the savage burra.

CHAPTER XI

The Pass of Mirabete--Wolves and Shepherds--Female Subtlety--Death
by Wolves--The Mystery Solved--The Mountains--The Dark Hour--The
Traveller of the Night--Abarbenel--Hoarded Treasure--Force of Gold-
-The Archbishop--Arrival at Madrid

I proceeded down the pass of Mirabete, occasionally ruminating on
the matter which had brought me to Spain, and occasionally admiring
one of the finest prospects in the world; before me outstretched
lay immense plains, bounded in the distance by huge mountains,
whilst at the foot of the hill which I was now descending, rolled
the Tagus, in a deep narrow stream, between lofty banks; the whole
was gilded by the rays of the setting sun; for the day, though cold
and wintry, was bright and clear. In about an hour I reached the
river at a place where stood the remains of what had once been a
magnificent bridge, which had, however, been blown up in the
Peninsular war and never since repaired.

I crossed the river in a ferry-boat; the passage was rather
difficult, the current very rapid and swollen, owing to the latter
rains.

"Am I in New Castile?" I demanded of the ferryman, on reaching the
further bank. "The raya is many leagues from hence," replied the
ferryman; "you seem a stranger. Whence do you come?" "From
England," I replied, and without waiting for an answer, I sprang on
the burra, and proceeded on my way. The burra plied her feet most
nimbly, and, shortly after nightfall, brought me to a village at
about two leagues' distance from the river's bank.

I sat down in the venta where I put up; there was a huge fire,
consisting of the greater part of the trunk of an olive tree; the
company was rather miscellaneous: a hunter with his escopeta; a
brace of shepherds with immense dogs, of that species for which
Estremadura is celebrated; a broken soldier, just returned from the
wars; and a beggar, who, after demanding charity for the seven
wounds of Maria Santissima, took a seat amidst us, and made himself
quite comfortable. The hostess was an active bustling woman, and
busied herself in cooking my supper, which consisted of the game
which I had purchased at Jaraicejo, and which, on my taking leave
of the Gypsy, he had counselled me to take with me. In the
meantime, I sat by the fire listening to the conversation of the
company.

"I would I were a wolf," said one of the shepherds; "or, indeed,
anything rather than what I am. A pretty life is this of ours, out
in the campo, among the carascales, suffering heat and cold for a
peseta a day. I would I were a wolf; he fares better and is more
respected than the wretch of a shepherd."

"But he frequently fares scurvily," said I; "the shepherd and dogs
fall upon him, and then he pays for his temerity with the loss of
his head."

"That is not often the case, senor traveller," said the shepherd;
"he watches his opportunity, and seldom runs into harm's way. And
as to attacking him, it is no very pleasant task; he has both teeth
and claws, and dog or man, who has once felt them, likes not to
venture a second time within his reach. These dogs of mine will
seize a bear singly with considerable alacrity, though he is a most
powerful animal, but I have seen them run howling away from a wolf,
even though there were two or three of us at hand to encourage
them."

"A dangerous person is the wolf," said the other shepherd, "and
cunning as dangerous; who knows more than he? He knows the
vulnerable point of every animal; see, for example, how he flies at
the neck of a bullock, tearing open the veins with his grim teeth
and claws. But does he attack a horse in this manner? I trow
not."

"Not he," said the other shepherd, "he is too good a judge; but he
fastens on the haunches, and hamstrings him in a moment. O the
fear of the horse when he comes near the dwelling of the wolf. My
master was the other day riding in the despoblado, above the pass,
on his fine Andalusian steed, which had cost him five hundred
dollars; suddenly the horse stopped, and sweated and trembled like
a woman in the act of fainting; my master could not conceive the
reason, but presently he heard a squealing and growling in the
bushes, whereupon he fired off his gun and scared the wolves, who
scampered away; but he tells me, that the horse has not yet
recovered from his fright."

"Yet the mares know, occasionally, how to balk him," replied his
companion; "there is great craft and malice in mares, as there is
in all females; see them feeding in the campo with their young cria
about them; presently the alarm is given that the wolf is drawing
near; they start wildly and run about for a moment, but it is only
for a moment--amain they gather together, forming themselves into a
circle, in the centre of which they place the foals. Onward comes
the wolf, hoping to make his dinner on horse-flesh; he is mistaken,
however, the mares have balked him, and are as cunning as himself:
not a tail is to be seen--not a hinder quarter--but there stands
the whole troop, their fronts towards him ready to receive him, and
as he runs around them barking and howling, they rise successively
on their hind legs, ready to stamp him to the earth, should he
attempt to hurt their cria or themselves."

"Worse than the he-wolf," said the soldier, "is the female, for as
the senor pastor has well observed, there is more malice in women
than in males: to see one of these she-demons with a troop of the
males at her heels is truly surprising: where she turns, they
turn, and what she does that do they; for they appear bewitched,
and have no power but to imitate her actions. I was once
travelling with a comrade over the hills of Galicia, when we heard
a howl. 'Those are wolves,' said my companion, 'let us get out of
the way;' so we stepped from the path and ascended the side of the
hill a little way, to a terrace, where grew vines, after the manner
of Galicia: presently appeared a large grey she-wolf, deshonesta,
snapping and growling at a troop of demons, who followed close
behind, their tails uplifted, and their eyes like fire-brands.
What do you think the perverse brute did? Instead of keeping to
the path, she turned in the very direction in which we were; there
was now no remedy, so we stood still. I was the first upon the
terrace, and by me she passed so close that I felt her hair brush
against my legs; she, however, took no notice of me, but pushed on,
neither looking to the right nor left, and all the other wolves
trotted by me without offering the slightest injury or even so much
as looking at me. Would that I could say as much for my poor
companion, who stood farther on, and was, I believe, less in the
demon's way than I was; she had nearly passed him, when suddenly
she turned half round and snapped at him. I shall never forget
what followed: in a moment a dozen wolves were upon him, tearing
him limb from limb, with howlings like nothing in this world; in a
few moments he was devoured; nothing remained but a skull and a few
bones; and then they passed on in the same manner as they came.
Good reason had I to be grateful that my lady wolf took less notice
of me than my poor comrade."

Listening to this and similar conversation, I fell into a doze
before the fire, in which I continued for a considerable time, but
was at length aroused by a voice exclaiming in a loud tone, "All
are captured!" These were the exact words which, when spoken by
his daughter, confounded the Gypsy upon the moor. I looked around
me, the company consisted of the same individuals to whose
conversation I had been listening before I sank into slumber; but
the beggar was now the spokesman, and he was haranguing with
considerable vehemence.

"I beg your pardon, Caballero," said I, "but I did not hear the
commencement of your discourse. Who are those who have been
captured?"

"A band of accursed Gitanos, Caballero," replied the beggar,
returning the title of courtesy, which I had bestowed upon him.
"During more than a fortnight they have infested the roads on the
frontier of Castile, and many have been the gentleman travellers
like yourself whom they have robbed and murdered. It would seem
that the Gypsy canaille must needs take advantage of these
troublous times, and form themselves into a faction. It is said
that the fellows of whom I am speaking expected many more of their
brethren to join them, which is likely enough, for all Gypsies are
thieves: but praised be God, they have been put down before they
became too formidable. I saw them myself conveyed to the prison at
-. Thanks be to God. Todos estan presos."

"The mystery is now solved," said I to myself, and proceeded to
despatch my supper, which was now ready.

The next day's journey brought me to a considerable town, the name
of which I have forgotten. It is the first in New Castile, in this
direction. I passed the night as usual in the manger of the
stable, close beside the Caballeria; for, as I travelled upon a
donkey, I deemed it incumbent upon me to be satisfied with a couch
in keeping with my manner of journeying, being averse, by any
squeamish and over delicate airs, to generate a suspicion amongst
the people with whom I mingled that I was aught higher than what my
equipage and outward appearance might lead them to believe. Rising
before daylight, I again proceeded on my way, hoping ere night to
be able to reach Talavera, which I was informed was ten leagues
distant. The way lay entirely over an unbroken level, for the most
part covered with olive trees. On the left, however, at the
distance of a few leagues, rose the mighty mountains which I have
already mentioned. They run eastward in a seemingly interminable
range, parallel with the route which I was pursuing; their tops and
sides were covered with dazzling snow, and the blasts which came
sweeping from them across the wide and melancholy plains were of
bitter keenness.

"What mountains are those?" I inquired of a barber-surgeon, who,
mounted like myself on a grey burra, joined me about noon, and
proceeded in my company for several leagues. "They have many
names, Caballero," replied the barber; "according to the names of
the neighbouring places so they are called. Yon portion of them is
styled the Serrania of Plasencia; and opposite to Madrid they are
termed the Mountains of Guadarama, from a river of that name, which
descends from them; they run a vast way, Caballero, and separate
the two kingdoms, for on the other side is Old Castile. They are
mighty mountains, and though they generate much cold, I take
pleasure in looking at them, which is not to be wondered at, seeing
that I was born amongst them, though at present, for my sins, I
live in a village of the plain. Caballero, there is not another
such range in Spain; they have their secrets too--their mysteries--
strange tales are told of those hills, and of what they contain in
their deep recesses, for they are a broad chain, and you may wander
days and days amongst them without coming to any termino. Many
have lost themselves on those hills, and have never again been
heard of. Strange things are told of them: it is said that in
certain places there are deep pools and lakes, in which dwell
monsters, huge serpents as long as a pine tree, and horses of the
flood, which sometimes come out and commit mighty damage. One
thing is certain, that yonder, far away to the west, in the heart
of those hills, there is a wonderful valley, so narrow that only at
midday is the face of the sun to be descried from it. That valley
lay undiscovered and unknown for thousands of years; no person
dreamed of its existence, but at last, a long time ago, certain
hunters entered it by chance, and then what do you think they
found, Caballero? They found a small nation or tribe of unknown
people, speaking an unknown language, who, perhaps, had lived there
since the creation of the world, without intercourse with the rest
of their fellow creatures, and without knowing that other beings
besides themselves existed! Caballero, did you never hear of the
valley of the Batuecas? Many books have been written about that
valley and those people. Caballero, I am proud of yonder hills;
and were I independent, and without wife or children, I would
purchase a burra like that of your own, which I see is an excellent
one, and far superior to mine, and travel amongst them till I knew
all their mysteries, and had seen all the wondrous things which
they contain."

Throughout the day I pressed the burra forward, only stopping once
in order to feed the animal; but, notwithstanding that she played
her part very well, night came on, and I was still about two
leagues from Talavera. As the sun went down, the cold became
intense; I drew the old Gypsy cloak, which I still wore, closer
around me, but I found it quite inadequate to protect me from the
inclemency of the atmosphere. The road, which lay over a plain,
was not very distinctly traced, and became in the dusk rather
difficult to find, more especially as cross roads leading to
different places were of frequent occurrence. I, however,
proceeded in the best manner I could, and when I became dubious as
to the course which I should take, I invariably allowed the animal
on which I was mounted to decide. At length the moon shone out
faintly, when suddenly by its beams I beheld a figure moving before
me at a slight distance. I quickened the pace of the burra, and
was soon close at its side. It went on, neither altering its pace
nor looking round for a moment. It was the figure of a man, the
tallest and bulkiest that I had hitherto seen in Spain, dressed in
a manner strange and singular for the country. On his head was a
hat with a low crown and broad brim, very much resembling that of
an English waggoner; about his body was a long loose tunic or slop,
seemingly of coarse ticken, open in front, so as to allow the
interior garments to be occasionally seen; these appeared to
consist of a jerkin and short velveteen pantaloons. I have said
that the brim of the hat was broad, but broad as it was, it was
insufficient to cover an immense bush of coal-black hair, which,
thick and curly, projected on either side; over the left shoulder
was flung a kind of satchel, and in the right hand was held a long
staff or pole.

There was something peculiarly strange about the figure, but what
struck me the most was the tranquillity with which it moved along,
taking no heed of me, though of course aware of my proximity, but
looking straight forward along the road, save when it occasionally
raised a huge face and large eyes towards the moon, which was now
shining forth in the eastern quarter.