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. "I would I had him here,
then should my chulee and his carlo become better acquainted."
"And what are you doing here yourself," I demanded, "in this wild
place, amidst these thickets?"
"I am expecting a messenger down yon pass," said the Gypsy; "and
till that messenger arrive I can neither go forward nor return. It
is on business of Egypt, brother, that I am here."
As he invariably used this last expression when he wished to evade
my inquiries, I held my peace, and said no more; the animals were
fed, and we proceeded to make a frugal repast on bread and wine.
"Why do you not cook the game which I brought?" I demanded; "in
this place there is plenty of materials for a fire."
"The smoke might discover us, brother," said Antonio, "I am
desirous of lying escondido in this place until the arrival of the
messenger."
It was now considerably past noon; the gypsy lay behind the
thicket, raising himself up occasionally and looking anxiously
towards the hill which lay over against us; at last, with an
exclamation of disappointment and impatience, he flung himself on
the ground, where he lay a considerable time, apparently
ruminating; at last he lifted up his head and looked me in the
face.
Antonio. - Brother, I cannot imagine what business brought you to
this country.
Myself. - Perhaps the same which brings you to this moor - business
of Egypt.
Antonio. - Not so, brother; you speak the language of Egypt, it is
true, but your ways and words are neither those of the Cales nor of
the Busne.
Myself. - Did you not hear me speak in the foros about God and
Tebleque? It was to declare his glory to the Cales and Gentiles
that I came to the land of Spain.
Antonio. - And who sent you on this errand?
Myself. - You would scarcely understand me were I to inform you.
Know, however, that there are many in foreign lands who lament the
darkness which envelops Spain, and the scenes of cruelty, robbery,
and murder which deform it.
Antonio. - Are they Calore or Busne?
Myself. - What matters it? Both Calore and Busne are sons of the
same God.
Antonio. - You lie, brother, they are not of one father nor of one
Errate. You speak of robbery, cruelty, and murder. There are too
many Busne, brother; if there were no Busne there would be neither
robbery nor murder. The Calore neither rob nor murder each other,
the Busno do; nor are they cruel to their animals, their law
forbids them. When I was a child I was beating a burra, but my
father stopped my hand, and chided me. "Hurt not the animal," said
he; "for within it is the soul of your own sister!"
Myself. - And do you believe in this wild doctrine, O Antonio?
Antonio. - Sometimes I do, sometimes I do not. There are some who
believe in nothing; not even that they live! Long since, I knew an
old Caloro, he was old, very old, upwards of a hundred years, - and
I once heard him say, that all we thought we saw was a lie; that
there was no world, no men nor women, no horses nor mules, no olive
trees. But whither are we straying? I asked what induced you to
come to this country - you tell me the glory of God and Tebleque.
Disparate! tell that to the Busne. You have good reasons for
coming, no doubt, else you would not be here. Some say you are a
spy of the Londone, perhaps you are; I care not. Rise, brother,
and tell me whether any one is coming down the pass."
"I see a distant object," I replied; "like a speck on the side of
the hill."
The Gypsy started up, and we both fixed our eyes on the object:
the distance was so great that it was at first with difficulty that
we could distinguish whether it moved or not. A quarter of an
hour, however, dispelled all doubts, for within this time it had
nearly reached the bottom of the hill, and we could descry a figure
seated on an animal of some kind.
"It is a woman," said I, at length, "mounted on a grey donkey."
"Then it is my messenger," said Antonio, "for it can be no other."
The woman and the donkey were now upon the plain, and for some time
were concealed from us by the copse and brushwood which intervened.
They were not long, however, in making their appearance at the
distance of about a hundred yards. The donkey was a beautiful
creature of a silver grey, and came frisking along, swinging her
tail, and moving her feet so quick that they scarcely seemed to
touch the ground. The animal no sooner perceived us than she
stopped short, turned round, and attempted to escape by the way she
had come; her rider, however, detained her, whereupon the donkey
kicked violently, and would probably have flung the former, had she
not sprung nimbly to the ground. The form of the woman was
entirely concealed by the large wrapping man's cloak which she
wore.
