letters-第67节

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eon　of　the　village。　　This　personage；　　having　just　completed　his　dinner；　was　seated　in　an　arm…chair　within　　his　doorway　when　Vitoriano　made　his　appearance。　　He　was　a　man　of　　about　thirty…five；　of　a　savage；　truculent　countenance。　　On　　Vitoriano's　offering　him　a　Testament　he　took　it　into　his　hand　to　　examine　it；　but　no　sooner　did　his　eyes　glance　over　the　title…page　　than　he　burst　into　a　loud　laugh；　exclaiming：　　'Ha；　ha；　Don　Jorge　　Borrow；　the　English　heretic；　we　have　encountered　you　at　last。　　　Glory　to　the　Virgin　and　the　Saints！　　We　have　long　been　expecting　　you　here；　and　at　length　you　have　arrived。'　　He　then　enquired　the　　price　of　the　book；　and　on　being　told　three　REALS；　he　flung　down　　two；　and　rushed　out　of　the　house　with　the　Testament　in　his　hand。　　　Vitoriano　now　became　alarmed；　and　determined　upon　leaving　the　place　　as　soon　as　possible。　　He　therefore　hurried　back　to　the　POSADA；　and　　having　paid　for　the　barley　which　his　pony　had　consumed；　went　into　　the　stable；　and　placing　the　pack…saddle　on　the　animal's　back　was　　about　to　lead　it　forth　when　the　ALCALDE　of　the　village；　the　　surgeon；　and　twelve　other　men；　some　of　whom　were　armed　with　　muskets；　suddenly　presented　themselves。　　They　instantly　made　　Vitoriano　prisoner；　and；　after　seizing　the　books　and　laying　an　　embargo　on　the　pony；　proceeded　amidst　much　abuse　to　drag　their　　captive　to　what　they　denominated　their　prison；　a　low　damp　apartment　　with　a　little　grated　window；　where　they　locked　him　up　and　left　him。　　　At　the　expiration　of　three　quarters　of　an　hour　they　again　appeared；　　and　conducted　him　to　the　house　of　the　curate；　where　they　sat　down　　in　conclave；　the　curate　who　was　a　man　stone…blind　being　president；　　whilst　the　sacristan　officiated　as　secretary。　　The　surgeon　having　　stated　his　accusation　against　the　prisoner；　namely；　that　he　had　　detected　him　in　the　fact　of　selling　a　version　of　the　Scriptures　in　　the　vulgar　tongue；　the　curate　proceeded　to　examine　Vitoriano；　　asking　him　his　name　and　place　of　residence　…　to　which　he　replied　　that　his　name　was　Vitoriano　Lopez；　and　that　he　was　a　native　of　　Villa　Seca　in　the　Sagra　of　Toledo。　　The　curate　then　demanded　what　　religion　he　professed；　and　whether　he　was　a　Mahometan　or　freemason；　　and　received　for　answer　that　he　was　a　Roman　Catholic。　　I　must　here　　state　that　Vitoriano；　though　sufficiently　shrewd　in　his　way；　is　a　　poor　old　labourer　of　sixty…four；　and　until　that　moment　had　never　　heard　of　Mahometans　or　freemasons。　　The　curate　becoming　now　　incensed；　called　him　a　TUNANTE　or　scoundrel；　and　added；　'You　have　　sold　your　soul　to　a　heretic；　we　have　long　been　aware　of　your　　proceedings；　and　those　of　your　master。　　You　are　the　same　Lopez；　　whom　he　last　year　rescued　from　the　prison　of　Villallos；　in　the　　province　of　Avila。　　I　sincerely　hope　that　he　will　attempt　to　do　the　　same　thing　here。'　　'Yes；　yes；'　shouted　the　rest　of　the　conclave；　　'let　him　but　venture　here；　and　we　will　shed　his　heart's　blood　on　　our　stones。'　　In　this　manner　they　went　on　for　nearly　half…an…hour；　　at　last　they　broke　up　the　meeting　and　conducted　Vitoriano　once　more　　to　his　prison。

During　his　confinement　he　lived　tolerably　well；　being　in　possession　　of　money；　his　meals　were　sent　him　twice　a　day　from　the　POSADA；　　where　his　pony　remained　in　embargo。　　Once　or　twice　he　asked　　permission　of　the　ALCALDE；　who　visited　him　every　night　and　morning　　with　his　armed　guard；　to　purchase　pen　and　paper；　in　order　that　he　　might　write　to　Madrid；　but　this　favour　was　peremptorily　refused　　him；　and　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　village　were　forbidden　under　　terrible　penalties　to　afford　him　the　means　of　writing；　or　to　convey　　any　message　from　him　beyond　the　precincts　of　the　place；　and　two　　boys　were　stationed　before　the　window　of　his　cell　for　the　purpose　　of　watching　everything　which　might　be　conveyed　to　him。　　It　happened　　one　day　that　Vitoriano；　being　in　need　of　a　pillow　for　his　head；　　sent　word　to　the　people　of　the　POSADA　to　send　him　his　ALFORJAS　or　　saddle…bags；　which　they　did。　　In　these　bags　there　chanced　to　be　a　　kind　of　rope　or；　as　it　is　called　in　Spanish；　SOGA；　with　which　he　　was　in　the　habit　of　fastening　his　satchel　to　the　pony's　back。　　The　　urchins　seeing　an　end　of　this　rope　hanging　from　the　ALFORJAS　　instantly　ran　to　the　ALCALDE　to　give　him　information。　　Late　at　　evening　the　ALCALDE　again　visited　the　prisoner；　at　the　head　of　his　　twelve　men　as　usual。　　'BUENAS　NOCHES；'　said　the　ALCALDE。　　'BUENAS　　NOCHES　TENGA　USTED；'　replied　Vitoriano。　　'For　what　purpose　did　you　　send　for　the　SOGA　this　afternoon？'　demanded　the　functionary。　　'I　　sent　for　no　SOGA；'　said　the　prisoner；　'I　sent　for　my　ALFORJAS　to　　serve　as　a　pillow；　and　it　was　sent　in　them　by　chance。'　　'Thou　art　a　　false　malicious　knave；'　retorted　the　ALCALDE；　'you　intend　to　hang　　yourself；　and　by　so　doing　ruin　us　all；　as　your　death　would　be　laid　　to　our　door。　　Give　me　the　SOGA。'　　No　greater　insult　can　be　offered　　to　a　Spaniard；　than　to　tax　him　with　an　intention　of　committing　　suicide。　　Poor　Vitoriano　flew　into　a　violent　rage；　and　after　　calling　the　ALCALDE　several　uncivil　names；　he　pulled　the　SOGA　from　　his　bags；　and　flinging　it　at　his　head；　told　him　to　take　it　home　and　　use　it　for　his　own　neck。

At　length　the　people　of　the　POSADA　took　pity　on　the　prisoner；　　perceiving　that　he　was　very　harshly　treated　for　no　crime　at　all。　　　They　therefore　determined　to　afford　him　an　opportunity　of　informing　　his　friends　of　his　situation；　and　accordingly　sent　him　a　pen　and　　inkhorn；　concealed　in　a　loaf　of　bread；　and　a　piece　of　writing…　paper；　pretending　that　the　latter　was　intended　for　cigars。　　So　　Vitoriano　wrote　the　letter；　but　now　ensued　the　difficulty　of　　sending　it　to　its　destination；　as　no　person　in　the　village　dare　　have　carried　it　for　any　reward。　　The　good　people；　however；　　persuaded　a　disbanded　soldier　from　another　village；　who　chanced　to　　be　at　Fuente　La　Higuera　in　quest　of　work；　to　charge　himself　with　　it；　promising　that　I　would　pay　him　well　for　his　trouble。　　The　man；　　watching　his　opportunity；　received　the　letter　from　Vitoriano　at　the　　window；　and　it　was　he　who；　after　travelling　on　foot　all　night；　　delivered　it　to　me　in　safety　at　Madrid。

I　was　now　relieved　from　my　anxiety；　and　had　no　fears　for　the　　result。　　I　instantly　went　to　a　friend　who　is　in　possession　of　large　　estates　about　Guadalajara；　in　which　province　Fuente　La　Higuera　is　　situated；　who　furnished　me　with　letters　to　the　Civil　Governor　of　　Guadalajara　and　all　the　principal　authorities；　and　at　Antonio's　　request；　I　despatched　him　upon　the　errand　of　the　prisoner's　　liberation。　　He　first　directed　his　course　to　Fuente　La　Higuera；　　where　entering　the　ALCALDE'S　house　he　boldly　told　him　what　he　had　　come　about。　　The　ALCALDE；　expecting　that　I　was　at　hand　with　an　army　　of　Englishmen　for　the　purpose　of　rescuing　the　prisoner；　became　　greatly　alarmed；　and　instantly　despatched　his　wife　to　summon　his　　twelve　men。　　However；　on　Antonio's　assuring　him　that　there　was　no　　intention　of　having　recourse　to　violence；　he　became　more　tranquil。　　　In　a　little　time　Antonio　was　summoned　before　the　conclave　and　its　　blind　sacerdotal　president。　　They　at　first　attempted　to　frighten　　him；　by　assuming　a　loud　bullying　tone　and　talking　of　the　necessity　　of　killing　all　strangers；　and　especially　the　detested　Don　Jorge　and　　his　dependents。　　Antonio；　however；　who　is　not　a　person　apt　to　allow　　himself　to　be　easily　terrified；　scoffed　at　their　threats；　and　　showing　them　his　letters　to　the　authorities　of　Guadalajara　said　　that　he　should　proceed　there　on　the　morrow　and　denounce　their　　lawless　conduct；　adding　that　he　was　a　Turkish　subject；　and　that　　should　they　dare　to　offer　him　the　slightest　incivility　he　would　　write　to　the　Sublime　Porte；　in　comparison　with　whom　the　best　kings　　in　the　world　were　but　worms；　and　who　would　not　fail　to　avenge　the　　wrongs　of　any　of　his　children；　however　distant；　in　a　manner　too　　terrible　to　be　mentioned。　　He　then　returned　to　his　POSADA。　　The　　conclave　now　proceeded　to　deliberate　among　themselves；　and　at　last　　determined　to　despatch　their　prisoner　on　the　morrow　to　Guadalajara；　　and　deliver　him　into　the　hands　of　the　Civil　Governor。

Nevertheless；　in　order　to　keep　up　a　semblance　of　authority；　they　　that　night　placed　two　men　armed　at　the　door　of　the　POSADA　where　　Antonio　was　lodged；　as　if　he　himself　were　a　prisoner；　these　men　as　　often　as　the　clock　struck　the　hours；　shouted；　'AVE　MARIA！　　Death　to　　the　heretics！'　　Early　in　the　morning　the　ALCALDE　presented　himself　　at　the　POSADA；　but　before　entering　he　made　an　oration　at　the　door　　to　the　people　in　the　street　saying　amongst　other　things：　　　'Brethren；　these　are　the　fellows　who　have　come　to　rob　us　of　our　　religion。'　　He　then　went　into　Antonio's　apartment；　and　after　　saluting　him　with　great　politeness　said　that　as　a　royal　or　high　　mass　was　about　to　be　celebrated　that　morning；　he　had　come　to　invite　　him　to　go　to　church　with　him；　whereupon　Antonio；　though　by　no　means　　a　mass…goer；　rose　and　accompanied　him；　and　remained　two　hours；　as　　he　told　me；　on　his　knees　on　the　cold　stones　to　his　great　　discomfort；　the　eyes　of　the　whole　congregation　being　fixed　upon　him　　during　the　time。

After　mass　and　breakfast；　he　departed　for　Guadalajara；　Vitoriano　　having　been　already　despatched　there　under　a　guard。　　On　his　arrival　　he　presented　his　letters　to　the　individuals　for　whom　they　were　　i