A Barking Of Dogs Speedily Reached My Ears, And We Seemed To
Be Approaching Some Town Or Village.
In effect we were close to
Cacabelos, a town about five miles distant from Villafranca.
It was near eleven at night, and I reflected that it would be far
more expedient to tarry in this place till the morning than to
attempt at present to reach Villafranca, exposing ourselves to all
the horrors of darkness in a lonely and unknown road. My mind was
soon made up on this point; but I reckoned without my host, for at
the first posada which I attempted to enter, I was told that we
could not be accommodated, and still less our horses, as the stable
was full of water. At the second, and there were but two, I was
answered from the window by a gruff voice, nearly in the words of
the Scripture: "Trouble me not; the door is now shut, and my
children are with me in bed; I cannot arise to let you in."
Indeed, we had no particular desire to enter, as it appeared a
wretched hovel, though the poor horses pawed piteously against the
door, and seemed to crave admittance.
We had now no choice but to resume our doleful way to Villafranca,
which, we were told, was a short league distant, though it proved a
league and a half. We found it no easy matter to quit the town,
for we were bewildered amongst its labyrinths, and could not find
the outlet. A lad about eighteen was, however, persuaded, by the
promise of a peseta, to guide us: whereupon he led us by many
turnings to a bridge, which he told us to cross, and to follow the
road, which was that of Villafranca; he then, having received his
fee, hastened from us.
We followed his directions, not, however, without a suspicion that
he might be deceiving us. The night had settled darker down upon
us, so that it was impossible to distinguish any object, however
nigh. The lightning had become more faint and rare. We heard the
rustling of trees, and occasionally the barking of dogs, which last
sound, however, soon ceased, and we were in the midst of night and
silence. My horse, either from weariness, or the badness of the
road, frequently stumbled; whereupon I dismounted, and leading him
by the bridle, soon left Antonio far in the rear.
I had proceeded in this manner a considerable way, when a
circumstance occurred of a character well suited to the time and
place.
I was again amidst trees and bushes, when the horse stopping short,
nearly pulled me back. I know not how it was, but fear suddenly
came over me, which, though in darkness and in solitude, I had not
felt before. I was about to urge the animal forward, when I heard
a noise at my right hand, and listened attentively. It seemed to
be that of a person or persons forcing their way through branches
and brushwood.
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