Before I Had Finished Supper - During Which Both Himself
And All His Family Were Present, Surrounding The Little Table At
Which I Sat, And Observing My Every Motion, Particularly The Manner
In Which I Handled My Knife And Fork And Conveyed The Food To My
Mouth - He Commenced Talking Politics:
"I am of no particular
opinion, Don Jorge," said he, for he had inquired my name in order
that he might address me in a suitable manner; "I am of no
particular opinion, and I hold neither for King Carlos nor for the
Chica Isabel:
Nevertheless, I lead the life of a dog in this
accursed Christino town, which I would have left long ago, had it
not been the place of my birth, and did I but know whither to
betake myself. Ever since the troubles have commenced, I have been
afraid to stir into the street, for no sooner do the canaille of
the town see me turning round a corner, than they forthwith
exclaim, 'Halloo, the Carlist!' and then there is a run and a rush,
and stones and cudgels are in great requisition: so that unless I
can escape home, which is no easy matter, seeing that I weigh
eighteen stone, my life is poured out in the street, which is
neither decent nor convenient, as I think you will acknowledge, Don
Jorge! You see that young man," he continued, pointing to a tall
swarthy youth who stood behind my chair, officiating as waiter; "he
is my fourth son, is married, and does not live in the house, but
about a hundred yards down the street. He was summoned in a hurry
to wait upon your worship, as is his duty: know, however, that he
has come at the peril of his life: before he leaves this house he
must peep into the street to see if the coast is clear, and then he
must run like a partridge to his own door. Carlists! why should
they call my family and myself Carlists? It is true that my eldest
son was a friar, and when the convents were suppressed betook
himself to the royal ranks, in which he has been fighting upwards
of three years; could I help that? Nor was it my fault, I trow,
that my second son enlisted the other day with Gomez and the
royalists when they entered Cordova. God prosper him, I say; but I
did not bid him go! So far from being a Carlist, it was I who
persuaded this very lad who is present to remain here, though he
would fain have gone with his brother, for he is a brave lad and a
true Christian. Stay at home, said I, for what can I do without
you? Who is to wait upon the guests when it pleases God to send
them. Stay at home, at least till your brother, my third son,
comes back, for, to my shame be it spoken, Don Jorge, I have a son
a soldier and a sergeant in the Christino armies, sorely against
his own inclination, poor fellow, for he likes not the military
life, and I have been soliciting his discharge for years; indeed, I
have counselled him to maim himself, in order that he might procure
his liberty forthwith; so I said to this lad, Stay at home, my
child, till your brother comes to take your place and prevent our
bread being eaten by strangers, who would perhaps sell me and
betray me; so my son staid at home as you see, Don Jorge, at my
request, and yet they call me a Carlist?"
"Gomez and his bands have lately been in Cordova," said I; "of
course you were present at all that occurred: how did they comport
themselves?"
"Bravely well," replied the innkeeper, "bravely well, and I wish
they were here still. I hold with neither side, as I told you
before, Don Jorge, but I confess I never felt greater pleasure in
my life than when they entered the gate; and then to see the dogs
of nationals flying through the streets to save their lives - that
was a sight, Don Jorge - those who met me then at the corner forgot
to shout 'Halloo, Carlista!' and I heard not a word about
cudgelling; some jumped from the wall and ran no one knows where,
whilst the rest retired to the house of the Inquisition, which they
had fortified, and there they shut themselves up. Now you must
know, Don Jorge, that all the Carlist chiefs lodged at my house,
Gomez, Cabrera, and the Sawyer; and it chanced that I was talking
to my Lord Gomez in this very room in which we are now, when in
came Cabrera in a mighty fury - he is a small man, Don Jorge, but he
is as active as a wild cat and as fierce. 'The canaille,' said he,
'in the Casa of the Inquisition refuse to surrender; give but the
order, General, and I will scale the walls with my men and put them
all to the sword'; but Gomez said, 'No, we must not spill blood if
we can avoid it; order a few muskets to be fired at them, that will
be sufficient!' And so it proved, Don Jorge, for after a few
discharges their hearts failed them, and they surrendered at
discretion: whereupon their arms were taken from them and they
were permitted to return to their own houses; but as soon as ever
the Carlists departed, these fellows became as bold as ever, and it
is now once more, 'Halloo, Carlista!' when they see me turning the
corner, and it is for fear of them that my son must run like a
partridge to his own home, now that he has done waiting on your
worship, lest they meet him in the street and kill him with their
knives!"
"You tell me that you were acquainted with Gomez: what kind of man
might he be?"
"A middle-sized man," replied the innkeeper; "grave and dark.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 66 of 218
Words from 66969 to 67982
of 222596
