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.
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