The Bible in Spain Volume I Part 11

"I am going to Talavera," said I, "as I suppose you are yourself."

"I am going thither, so are you, _bueno_."

The tones of the voice which delivered these words were in their way quite as strange and singular as the figure to which the voice belonged.

They were not exactly the tones of a Spanish voice, and yet there was something in them that could hardly be foreign; the p.r.o.nunciation also was correct, and the language, though singular, faultless. But I was most struck with the manner in which the last word, _bueno_, was spoken.

I had heard something like it before, but where or when I could by no means remember. {154} A pause now ensued, the figure stalking on as before with the most perfect indifference, and seemingly with no disposition either to seek or avoid conversation.

"Are you not afraid," said I at last, "to travel these roads in the dark?

It is said that there are robbers abroad."

"Are you not rather afraid," replied the figure, "to travel these roads in the dark?-you who are ignorant of the country, who are a foreigner, an Englishman?"

"How is it that you know me to be an Englishman?" demanded I, much surprised.

"That is no difficult matter," replied the figure; "the sound of your voice was enough to tell me that."

"You speak of voices," said I; "suppose the tone of your own voice were to tell me who you are?"

"That it will not do," replied my companion; "you know nothing about me-you can know nothing about me.

"Be not sure of that, my friend; I am acquainted with many things of which you have little idea."

"_Por exemplo_," said the figure.

"For example," said I, "you speak two languages."

The figure moved on, seemed to consider a moment and then said slowly, "_Bueno_."

"You have two names," I continued; "one for the house, and the other for the street; both are good, but the one by which you are called at home is the one which you like best."

The man walked on about ten paces, in the same manner as he had previously done; all of a sudden he turned, and taking the bridle of the _burra_ gently in his hand, stopped her. I had now a full view of his face and figure, and those huge features and Herculean form still occasionally revisit me in my dreams. I see him standing in the moonshine, staring me in the face with his deep calm eyes. At last he said-

"Are you then _one of us_?"

It was late at night when we arrived at Talavera. We went to a large gloomy house, which my companion informed me was the principle _posada_ of the town. We entered the kitchen, at the extremity of which a large fire was blazing. "Pepita," {156a} said my companion to a handsome girl who advanced smiling towards us, "a _brasero_ and a private apartment.

This cavalier is a friend of mine, and we shall sup together." We were shown to an apartment, in which were two alcoves containing beds. After supper, which consisted of the very best, by the order of my companion, we sat over the _brasero_, and commenced talking.

_Myself_.-Of course you have conversed with Englishmen before, else you could not have recognized me by the tone of my voice.

_Abarbenel_. {156b}-I was a young lad when the war of the Independence broke out, and there came to the village in which our family lived an English officer, in order to teach discipline to the new levies. He was quartered in my father's house, where he conceived a great affection for me. On his departure, with the consent of my father, I attended him through both the Castiles, partly as companion, partly as domestic. I was with him nearly a year, when he was suddenly summoned to return to his own country. 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.

{157a} 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 h.o.a.rds of my forefathers. The greater part is buried underground; 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; {157b} 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 coa.r.s.e, 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?

_Abarbenel_.-To Toledo, where I ply my trade occasionally of _longanizero_. I love to wander about, though I seldom stray far from home. Since I left the Englishman my feet have never once stepped beyond the bounds of New Castile. I love to visit Toledo, and to think of the times which have long since departed. I should establish myself there, were there not so many accursed ones, who look upon me with an evil eye.

_Myself_.-Are you known for what you are? Do the authorities molest you?

_Abarbenel_.-People of course suspect me to be what I am; but as I conform outwardly in most respects to their ways, they do not interfere with me. True it is that sometimes, when I enter the church to hear the ma.s.s, they glare at me over the left shoulder, as much as to say-"What do you here?" And sometimes they cross themselves as I pa.s.s by; but as they go no further, I do not trouble myself on that account. With respect to the authorities, they are not bad friends of mine. Many of the higher cla.s.s have borrowed money from me on usury, so that I have them to a certain extent in my power; and as for the low _alguazils_ and _corchetes_, they would do anything to oblige me, in consideration of a few dollars which I occasionally give them; so that matters upon the whole go on remarkably well. Of old, indeed, it was far otherwise; yet, I know not how it was, though other families suffered much, ours always enjoyed a tolerable share of tranquillity. The truth is, that our family has always known how to guide itself wonderfully. I may say there is much of the wisdom of the snake amongst us. We have always possessed friends; and with respect to enemies, it is by no means safe to meddle with us, for it is a rule of our house never to forgive an injury, and to spare neither trouble nor expense in bringing ruin and destruction upon the heads of our evil-doers.

_Myself_.-Do the priests interfere with you?

_Abarbenel_.-They let me alone, especially in our own neighbourhood.

Shortly after the death of my father one hot-headed individual endeavoured to do me an evil turn; but I soon requited him, causing him to be imprisoned on a charge of blasphemy, and in prison he remained a long time, till he went mad and died.

_Myself_.-Have you a head in Spain, in whom is vested the chief authority?

_Abarbenel_.-Not exactly. There are, however, certain holy families who enjoy much consideration; my own is one of these-the chiefest, I may say.

My grandsire was a particularly holy man; and I have heard my father say, that one night an archbishop came to his house secretly, merely to have the satisfaction of kissing his head.

_Myself_.-How can that be? What reverence could an archbishop entertain for one like yourself or your grandsire?

_Abarbenel_.-More than you imagine. He was one of us, at least his father was, and he could never forget what he had learned with reverence in his infancy. He said he had tried to forget it, but he could not; that the _ruah_ was continually upon him, and that even from his childhood he had borne its terrors with a troubled mind, till at last he could bear himself no longer; so he went to my grandsire, with whom he remained one whole night; he then returned to his diocese, where he shortly afterwards died, in much renown for sanct.i.ty.

_Myself_.-What you say surprises me. Have you reason to suppose that many of you are to be found amongst the priesthood?

_Abarbenel_.-Not to suppose, but to know it. There are many such as I amongst the priesthood, and not amongst the inferior priesthood either; some of the most learned and famed of them in Spain have been of us, or of our blood at least, and many of them at this day think as I do. There is one particular festival of the year at which four dignified ecclesiastics are sure to visit me; and then, when all is made close and secure, and the fitting ceremonies have been gone through, they sit down upon the floor and curse.

_Myself_.-Are you numerous in the large towns?

_Abarbenel_.-By no means; our places of abode are seldom the large towns; we prefer the villages, and rarely enter the large towns but on business.

Indeed, we are not a numerous people, and there are few provinces of Spain which contain more than twenty families. None of us are poor, and those among us who serve, do so more from choice than necessity, for by serving each other we acquire different trades. Not unfrequently the time of service is that of courtship also, and the servants eventually marry the daughters of the house.

We continued in discourse the greater part of the night; the next morning I prepared to depart. My companion, however, advised me to remain where I was for that day. "And if you respect my counsel," said he, "you will not proceed farther in this manner. To-night the diligence will arrive from Estremadura, on its way to Madrid. Deposit yourself therein; it is the safest and most speedy mode of travelling. As for your animal, I will myself purchase her. My servant is here, and has informed me that she will be of service to us. Let us, therefore, pa.s.s the day together in communion, like brothers, and then proceed on our separate journeys."

We did pa.s.s the day together; and when the diligence arrived I deposited myself within, and on the morning of the second day arrived at Madrid.

CHAPTER XII.