letters-第44节

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　the　shop　where　you　have　placed　them　for　sale；　and　have　taken　the　　liberty　of　calling　upon　you　in　order　to　return　you　our　thanks　for　　the　treasure　you　have　brought　us。　　I　hope　you　can　furnish　us　with　　the　Old　Testament　also。'　　I　replied　that　I　was　sorry　to　inform　him　　that　at　present　it　was　entirely　out　of　my　power　to　comply　with　his　　wish；　as　I　had　no　Old　Testaments　in　my　possession；　but　did　not　　despair　of　procuring　some　speedily；　from　England。　　He　then　asked　me　　a　great　many　questions　concerning　my　Biblical　travels　in　Spain；　and　　my　success；　and　the　views　entertained　by　the　Society　in　respect　to　　Spain；　adding　that　he　hoped　I　should　pay　particular　attention　to　　the　Asturias；　which　he　assured　me　was　the　best　ground　in　the　　Peninsula　for　our　labour。　　After　about　half…an…hour's　conversation；　　he　suddenly　said　in　the　English　language；　'Good　night；　sir；'　　wrapped　his　cloak　around　him；　and　walked　out　as　he　had　come。　　His　　companions；　who　had　hitherto　not　uttered　a　word；　all　repeated；　　'Good　night；　sir；'　and　adjusting　their　cloaks　followed　him。

In　order　to　explain　this　strange　scene　I　must　inform　you　that　this　　morning　I　visited　the　petty　bookseller　of　the　place；　Longoria；　and　　having　arranged　preliminaries　with　him　I　sent　him　in　the　evening　a　　package　of　forty　Testaments；　all　I　possess；　with　some　　advertisements。　　At　the　time　he　assured　me　that；　though　he　was　　willing　to　undertake　the　sale；　there　was　nevertheless　not　a　　prospect　of　success；　as　a　whole　month　had　elapsed　since　he　had　sold　　a　book　of　any　description；　on　account　of　the　uncertainty　of　the　　times　and　the　poverty　which　pervaded　the　land。　　I　therefore　sat　　down　to　write　this　letter　much　dispirited；　this　incident　has；　　however；　admonished　me　not　to　be　cast　down　when　things　look　　gloomiest；　as　the　hand　of　the　Lord　is　generally　then　most　busy：　　　that　men　may　learn　to　perceive　that　whatever　good　is　accomplished　　is　not　theirs　but　His。

I　shall　quit　Oviedo　in　a　few　days；　but　whither　I　shall　now　direct　　my　course　I　have　not　determined。　　It　would　be　easy　for　me　to　reach　　Santander；　which　is　but　thirty　leagues　＇distant＇　and　the　road　　tolerably　free　from　accidents；　but　the　state　of　affairs　at　Madrid　　gives　me　considerable　uneasiness；　for　I　remember　that　Madrid　is　the　　depot　of　our　books；　and　I　am　apprehensive　that　in　the　revolutions　　and　disturbances　which　at　present　seem　to　threaten　it；　our　whole　　stock　may　perish。　　True　it　is　that　in　order　to　reach　Madrid　I　　should　have　to　pass　through　the　midst　of　the　Carlist　hordes；　who　　would　perhaps　slay　or　make　me　prisoner；　but　I　am　at　present　so　much　　accustomed　to　perilous　adventure；　and　have　hitherto　experienced　so　　many　fortunate　escapes；　that　the　dangers　which　infest　the　route　　would　not　deter　me　a　moment　from　venturing。　　But　there　is　no　　certain　intelligence；　and　Madrid　may　be　in　safety　or　on　the　brink　　of　falling；　perhaps　a　few　hours　will　inform　us；　when　I　shall　at　　once　decide。　　My　next　letter　will　therefore　be　either　from　　Santander　or　the　capital　of　Spain。

Oviedo　is　picturesquely　situated　between　two　mountains；　Morcin　and　　Naranco；　the　former　is　very　high　and　ragged；　and　during　the　　greatest　part　of　the　year　is　covered　with　snow；　the　sides　of　the　　latter　are　cultivated　and　planted　with　vines。　　The　town　itself　　possesses　nothing　very　remarkable　with　the　exception　of　the　　cathedral；　the　tower　of　which　is　very　high；　and　is　perhaps　the　　purest　specimen　of　Gothic　architecture　at　present　in　existence。　　　The　interior　of　the　edifice　is　neat　and　appropriate　but　simple　and　　unadorned；　for　I　observed　but　one　picture；　the　Conversion　of　St。　　Paul。　　One　of　the　chapels　is　a　cemetery；　in　which　rest　the　bones　of　　eleven　Gothic　kings；　whose　souls　I　trust　in　Christ　have　been　　accepted。

I　will　now　conclude　in　the　words　of　Heber：


'From　Greenland's　icy　mountains；　From　India's　coral　strand　…　Where　Afric's　sunny　fountains　Roll　down　the　yellow　sand　…　From　many　an　ancient　river；　From　many　a　palmy　plain；　They　call　us　to　deliver　Their　land　from　error's　chain。'


Most　truly　yours；

G。　B。

P。S。　…　Morning　＇Sept。＇　30th；　twenty　Testaments　have　been　sold。



LETTER：　1st　November；　1837



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Nov。　13；　1837）　MADRID；　NOVR。　1；　1837。　CALLE　SANTIAGO；　No。　16　PISO　3RO。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　In　my　last　letter；　from　Oviedo　in　the　　Asturias；　I　stated　that　my　next　would　be　dated　either　from　　Santander　or　the　capital　of　Spain。　　I　arrived　yesterday　at　Madrid；　　but　I　previously　visited　Santander；　which　I　reached　with　my　usual　　good　fortune；　without　accident；　after　a　fatiguing　journey　of　six　　days。　　When　there；　I　found　to　my　great　sorrow　that　the　two　hundred　　Testaments　which　I　had　ordered　to　be　sent　from　Madrid　were　not　　come；　and　I　supposed　that　they　had　either　been　seized　on　the　way　by　　the　Carlists　or　that　my　letter　had　miscarried。　（2）　　I　then　thought　　of　applying　to　England　for　a　supply；　but　I　abandoned　the　idea　for　　two　reasons；　first；　that　I　should　have　to　remain　idly　loitering　at　　Santander　for　at　least　a　month　before　I　could　receive　them　…　a　　place　where　every　article　is　so　dear　that　my　expenses　with　the　　strictest　economy　would　have　amounted　to　nearly　two　pounds　PER　　DIEM；　secondly；　that　I　was　very　unwell；　and　unable　to　procure　　medical　advice　at　Santander：　　for；　to　tell　the　truth；　ever　since　I　　left　Corunna　I　have　been　afflicted　with　a　terrible　dysentery；　and　　latterly　with　an　ophthalmia；　the　result　of　the　other　malady。

I　therefore　determined　on　returning　to　Madrid。　　To　effect　this；　　however；　seemed　almost　impossible。　　Parties　of　the　army　of　Don　　Carlos；　which　in　a　partial　degree　had　been　routed　in　Castile；　were　　hovering　about　the　country　through　which　I　should　have　to　pass；　　more　especially　that　part　called　'The　Mountains；'　so　that　all　　communication　had　ceased　between　Santander　and　the　southern　　districts。　　Nevertheless　I　determined　to　trust；　as　usual；　in　the　　Almighty　and　to　venture。　　I　purchased；　therefore；　a　small　horse　and　　sallied　forth　with　Antonio；　notwithstanding　I　was　so　unwell　as　to　　be　scarcely　able　to　support　myself。　　I　wished　to　have　written　to　　you　from　Santander；　but　I　was　exceedingly　dispirited　and　could　not　　collect　my　thoughts。　　Before　departing；　I　of　course　entered　into　　conference　with　the　booksellers　as　to　what　they　should　do　in　the　　event　of　my　finding　an　opportunity　of　sending　them　a　stock　of　　Testaments　from　Madrid；　and　having　arranged　things　to　my　　satisfaction　I　committed　myself　to　Providence。　　I　will　not　dwell　　long　on　this　journey　of　three　hundred　miles。　　We　were　in　the　midst　　of　the　fire；　yet；　strange　to　say；　escaped　without　a　hair　being　　singed；　robberies；　murders；　and　all　kinds　of　atrocity　were　　perpetrated　before；　behind；　and　on　both　sides　of　us；　but　not　so　　much　as　a　dog　barked　at　US；　though　in　one　instance　a　plan　had　been　　laid　to　intercept　us。　　About　four　leagues　from　Santander；　whilst　we　　were　baiting　our　horses　at　a　village　hostelry；　I　saw　a　fellow　run　　off　after　having　held　a　whispering　conversation　with　a　boy　who　was　　dealing　out　barley　to　us。　　I　instantly　enquired　of　the　latter　what　　the　man　had　said　to　him；　but　only　obtained　an　evasive　answer。　　It　　appeared　afterwards　that　the　conversation　was　about　ourselves。　　Two　　or　three　leagues　further　on　there　was　an　inn　and　village；　where　we　　had　proposed　staying；　and　indeed　had　expressed　our　intention　of　　doing　so；　but　on　arriving　there；　finding　that　the　sun　was　still　far　　from　its　bourn；　I　determined　to　proceed　further；　expecting　to　find　　a　resting…place　at　the　distance　of　a　league；　though　I　was　mistaken；　　finding　none　until　we　reached　Montaneda；　nine　leagues　and　a　half　　from　Santander；　where　was　stationed　a　small　detachment　of　soldiers。　　　At　the　dead　of　night　we　were　aroused　from　our　sleep　by　a　cry　that　　the　'factious'　were　not　far　off。　　A　messenger　had　arrived　from　the　　ALCALDE　of　the　village　where　we　had　previously　intended　staying；　　who　stated　that　a　party　of　Carlists　had　just　surprised　that　place；　　and　were　searching　for　an　English　spy　whom　they　supposed　to　be　at　　the　inn。　　The　officer　commanding　the　soldiers；　upon　hearing　this；　　not　deeming　his　own　situation　a　safe　one；　instantly　drew　off　his　　men；　falling　back　on　a　stronger　party　stationed　in　a　fortified　　village　near　at　hand；　as　for　ourselves　we　saddled　our　horses　and　　continued　our　way　in　the　dark。　　Had　the　Carlists　succeeded　in　　apprehending　me；　I　should　instantly　have　been　shot；　and　my　body　　cast　on　the　rocks　to　feed　the　vultures　and　wolves。　　But　'it　was　not　　so　written'　…　said　my　man；　who　is　a　Greek　and　a　fatalist。　　The　next　　night　we　had　another　singular　escape；　we　had　arrived　near　the　　entrance　of　a　horrible　pass；　called　EL　PUERTO　DE　LA　PUENTE　DE　LAS　　TABLAS；　or　the　pass　of　the　bridge　of　planks；　which　wound　through　a　　black　and　frightful　mountain；　on　the　further　side　of　which　was　the　　town　of　Onas；　where　we　meant　to　tarry　for　the　night。　　The　sun　had　　set　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　Suddenly　a　man　with　his　face　　covered　with　blood　rushed　out　of　the　pass。　　Turn　back；　sir；'　he　　said；　'in　the　name　of　God；　there　are　murderers　in　that　pass；　they　　have　just　robbed　me　of　my　mule　and　all　I　possess；　and　I　have　hardly　　escaped　with　life　from　their　hands。'　　I　scarcely　can　say　why；　but　I　　made　him　no　answer；　and　proceeded；　indeed　I　was　so　weary　and　unwell　　that　I　cared