letters-第51节

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e　writer's　opinion　　that　he　may　be　usefully　employed　in　DISTRIBUTING　the　Scriptures；　　and　in　preparing　the　way　for　a　future　mission。　　Well　and　good！　　But　　my　friends　at　home；　discreet　as　I　know　them　to　be；　will　doubtless　　be　anxious　to　be　informed　by　virtue　of　what　correspondence　or　　communication　with　me　does　Mr。　Rule　now　write　from　Valencia；　　consigning　to　my　hands　this　person；　whom　I　have　never　seen；　and　　whom　I　know　not；　although；　as　I　have　stated　on　a　former　occasion；　I　　have　received　two　letters　from　him；　to　one　of　which　I　returned　a　　cautious　and　guarded　answer。

Mr。　Rule　suddenly　arrived　at　Madrid；　upon　some　business　connected　　with　the　Society　to　which　he　belongs；　he　called　upon　me；　and　I；　　upon　learning　from　him　that　he　was　a　perfect　stranger　in　Madrid；　　without　friends　or　acquaintances；　received　him　with　the　hospitality　　which　the　Scripture　enjoins；　and　which　I　continued　during　his　stay　　in　the　capital；　a　period　of　about　ten　days。　　In　the　course　of　our　　conversations　he　spoke　to　me　of　the　peculiar　hardships　of　the　case　　of　Pascual　Marin　of　Valencia；　who；　as　he　informed　me；　had　been　　induced；　partly　by　conviction；　and　partly　by　persuasion；　to　secede　　from　his　own　Church；　but　who　not　having　received　from　England　the　　assistance　which　he　had　been　led　to　expect；　was　in　danger　of　　perishing；　with　his　mother；　in　the　streets　of　Valencia；　he　having　　lost　the　benefice　which　constituted　their　support。　　Whereupon　　through　the　medium　of　Mr。　Rule　I　sent　him　500　REALS　on　my　own　　account；　without；　however；　directly　or　indirectly　pledging　myself　　to　do　anything　more　in　his　behalf；　or　to　attempt　to　engage　the　　Bible　Society　to　do　so。

Mr。　Rule　left　Madrid　for　Valencia；　and　on　his　departure　informed　me　　that　it　was　his　firm　intention　to　carry　Marin　with　him　to　　Gibraltar；　to　which　resolution　I；　of　course；　made　no　objection；　as　　I　conceived　that　it　was　a　matter　with　which　I　had　little　or　no　　connection；　and　in　which　it　would　be　advisable　not　to　involve　　myself；　more　especially　on　account　of　the　peculiar　state　of　the　　affairs　at　Madrid　with　which　the　Society　had　done　me　the　honour　to　　entrust　me。

I　was　aware　that　in　my　situation　peculiar　caution　in　every　step　was　　necessary　and　indispensable；　and　after　Mr。　Rule's　departure　I　　harboured　not　the　slightest　surmise　that　my　attentions　to　himself；　　or　the　slight　conversation　which　I　had　held　with　him　respecting　　Marin；　could　possibly　tend　to　compromise　me　in　any　point。　　I　was；　　however；　mistaken。

In　the　name　of　all　that　is　singular；　what　does　Mr。　Rule　mean；　　without　the　courtesy　of　asking　my　permission；　by　sending　this　man　　to　me　at　Madrid？　　Assist　in　preparing　the　way　for　a　mission！　　Very　　probably；　but　that　mission　will　be　my　own；　over　the　frontiers；　　under　an　escort　of　lancers。　　Assist　in　distributing　the　Scriptures！　　　Probably　again；　but　it　will　be　to　the　wild　winds　of　Madrid；　when　　they　are　torn　to　pieces　by　the　common　hangman　in　the　Plaza　Mayor；　　and　cast　into　the　air。　　I　must　confess　that　I　am　vexed　and　grieved　　that　as　fast　as　I　build　up；　some　intemperate　friend　rushes　forward；　　and　by　his　perhaps　well…meant　zeal　casts　down　and　destroys　what　has　　cost　me　much　labour。

Things　are　beginning　to　assume　a　more　favourable　aspect。　　I　have　　opened　my　shop　once　more；　though　not　at　present　for　the　sale　of　　Testaments。　　The　priests　are　frantic；　and　through　the　medium　of　one　　or　other　of　the　Ministers；　are　continually　giving　me　trouble；　but　　Sir　George　Villiers　has　vowed　to　protect　me；　and　has　stated　so　　publicly；　and　he　is　every　day　acquiring　more　and　more　influence　　here。　　He　has　gone　so　far　as　to　state　to　Ofalia　and　Gamboa；　that　　provided　I　be　allowed　to　pursue　my　plans　without　interruption；　he　　will　be　my　bail　（FIADOR）　and　answerable　for　everything　I　do；　as　he　　does　me　the　honour　to　say　that　he　knows　me；　and　that　he　can　confide　　in　MY　discretion。　　Therefore　let　me　call　upon　my　beloved　and　　respected　friends　at　home；　as　they　love　their　Lord　and　the　credit　　of　His　cause；　to　offer　no　encouragement　to　any　disposed　'to　run　the　　muck'　（it　is　Sir　George's　expression）　against　the　religious　or　　political　INSTITUTIONS　of　Spain；　to　keep　clear　of　the　EXALTADO　or　　republican　party；　and　to　eschew　tracts；　with　political　　frontispieces；　concerning　any　UNCERTAIN　future　dispensation；　but　to　　confine　themselves　strictly　and　severely　to　the　great　work　of　　propagating　the　Word　which　sooner　or　later　is　doomed　to　　christianise　the　entire　world。

I　hope　I　shall　be　excused　the　freedom　of　these　observations；　when　　it　is　reflected　that　I；　being　the　Agent　of　the　Bible　Society；　have　　to　answer　to　those　who　protect　me　here　for　all　that　is　done　in　any　　part　of　Spain　under　the　sanction　of　the　Society。

Concerning　Marin　and　what　is　to　be　done　in　his　respect；　I　feel　　myself　after　much　reflection　and　private　prayer　totally　incompetent　　to　offer　a　suggestion。　　He　can　be　of　no　possible　service　to　me　in　　Madrid；　but　the　contrary。　　One　thing；　however；　is　evident；　that；　　thanks　to　particular　individuals；　we　are　to　a　certain　extent　　compromised。

I　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　most　truly　yours；

G。　B。



LETTER：　23rd　April；　1838



To　the　Rev。　Andrew　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　May　3rd；　1838）　MADRID；　APRIL　23；　1838；　CALLE　SANTIAGO。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　have　to　acknowledge　the　receipt　of　your　　letter　of　the　10th　inst。　and　also　my　friend　Mr。　Jackson's　of　the　　5th；　containing　the　resolution　of　the　Committee　in　my　respect；　　which　I　shall　of　course　attend　to。

My　reason　for　troubling　you　with　these　lines　is　an　apprehension　　that　my　late　communication　has　not　been　understood　by　you；　for　　there　is　something　in　the　tone　of　your　reply　which　has　made　me　　rather　unhappy；　though　I　can　easily　conjecture　that　at　the　time　you　　wrote　it　you　were　labouring　under　a　considerable　pressure　of　　business。　　Had　you　paid　a　little　more　attention　to　my　letter；　you　　would　have　perceived　that　it　was　written　unwillingly　on　my　part；　　but　Mr。　Rule　thought　his　province　had　been　invaded。　　As　for　myself　　I　wish　to　say　nothing；　but　it　will　be　as　well　to　remind　you　that　　all　the　difficulty　and　danger　connected　with　what　has　been　　accomplished　in　Spain　have　fallen　to　my　share；　I　having　been　　labouring　on　the　flinty　rock　and　sierra；　and　not　in　smiling　meadows　　refreshed　by　sea　breezes。　　I　hoped　in　Seville　and　other　towns　of　　Andalusia　to　have　secured　the　sale　of　more　Testaments　than　it　is　　probable　that　I　shall　be　able　to　do　in　Spain　proper；　where　I　was　　afraid　that　my　efforts　had　not　been　appreciated；　but　if　my　good　　friend　Mr。　Graydon　has　preceded　me　to　those　regions　let　him　remain　　there　and　let　no　one　interrupt　him。　　I　hope　in　the　Lord　that　he　　will　be　permitted　to　prosper。　　When　you　write　to　him；　present　my　　cordial　regards；　and　assure　him　that　at　all　times　I　shall　be　happy　　to　hear　from　him。

I　hope　nothing　in　my　last　letter；　in　which　I　forwarded　Mr。　R's　　communication；　will　be　taken　in　bad　part。　　I　repeat　that　I　was　　grieved　to　have　Marin　saddled　upon　me；　in　a　place　where　I　am　　surrounded　by　spies　and　persecuted　by　many　and　vindictive　enemies。　　　The　idea；　however；　of　his　having　gone　back　to　Rome　is　preposterous；　　the　Bishop　of　Jaen　having　assured　Mr。　R。　that　he　had　turned　a　deaf　　ear　to　all　the　promises　which　had　been　made　to　him；　with　the　view　　of　inducing　him　to　recant。　　He　has　not　yet　made　his　appearance。

I　remain；　my　dear　Sir；　yours；

GEORGE　BORROW。

P。S。　…　You　have　never　had　the　urbanity　to　acknowledge　the　receipt　　of　my　Gypsy　Gospel。　　In　the　Spanish　newspapers　it　has　been　called　a　　great　accession　to　the　literature　of　Spain。



LETTER：　26th　April；　1838



To　Mr。　William　Hitchin　（ENDORSED：　recd。　May　8；　1838）　MADRID；　APRIL　26；　1838。

I　TAKE　the　liberty　of　herewith　sending　you　my　accompt。　　It　is　still　　an　imperfect　one；　the　printing　of　the　Basque　Gospel　not　being　　charged　for；　which　I　have　not　defrayed；　together　with　some　other　　items；　for　which　I　am　indebted　to　my　printer；　who；　having　lately　　fought　a　duel；　is　laid　up　with　his　wounds；　and　cannot　for　the　　present　transact　business。　　I　have　charged　here；　as　you　will　　observe；　for　the　translation　of　the　Basque　St。　Luke；　an　item；　which　　I　sent　in；　in　a　former　accompt；　but　which　appears　to　have　been　　overlooked　in　your　favour　of　Decr。　28；　1837。　　Independent　of　the　　Despatch；　I　have　charged　for　the　hire　of　a　room　as　a　general　depot　　for　the　Scriptures。　　I　am　afraid　to　place　my　whole　stock　in　the　　shop；　owing　to　the　continual　persecution　to　which　I　am　subjected；　　notwithstanding　I　enjoy　powerful　protection。　　Only　last　week　a　band　　of　ALGUAZILS　rushed　into　the　premises　and　seized　25　copies　of　the　　Gospel　of　St。　Luke　in　Rommany　which　I　had　advertised。　　To　the　　present　accompt　of　the　money　which　I　have　disbursed；　you　will　　please　to　add　the　previous　one　of　Novr。　1837；　which　I　sent　in；　　which　will　enable　you　to　see　how　I　stand。

I　hope　the　Financial　Committee　and　yourself　will　excuse　any　　inaccuracies；　supposing　I　have　fallen　into　any；　respecting　money　　drawn；　as　I　am　much　busied　in　negociations；　and　have　lately　been　so　　harassed　by　vexatious　proceedings；　that　I　believe　my　mind　has　　somewhat　suffered。　　However；　glory　to　God；　the　Society's　shop　is　　open　AT　MADRID；　though　we　are　not　allowed　to　advertise　and　though　　it　be　but　a　small　taper　burning　amongst　Egyptian　darkness。　　I　hope