第110章

Barbarous country, IO LO CREO: neither oil nor olives, bread nor barley.You have been at Cordova.Vaya; oblige me, cavalier, by taking this cigar."In this manner we proceeded for several hours, up hill and down dale, but generally at a very slow pace.The soldiers who escorted us from time to time sang patriotic songs, breathing love and attachment to the young Queen Isabel, and detestation of the grim tyrant Carlos.One of the stanzas which reached my ears, ran something in the following style:-"Don Carlos is a hoary churl, Of cruel heart and cold;But Isabel's a harmless girl, Of only six years old."At last the day began to break, and I found myself amidst a train of two or three hundred people, some on foot, but the greater part mounted, either on mules or the pony mares: Icould not distinguish a single horse except my own and Antonio's.A few soldiers were thinly scattered along the road.The country was hilly, but less mountainous and picturesque than the one which we had traversed the preceding day; it was for the most part partitioned into small fields, which were planted with maize.At the distance of every two or three leagues we changed our escort, at some village where was stationed a detachment.The villages were mostly an assemblage of wretched cabins; the roofs were thatched, dank, and moist, and not unfrequently covered with rank vegetation.There were dunghills before the doors, and no lack of pools and puddles.

Immense swine were stalking about, intermingled with naked children.The interior of the cabins corresponded with their external appearance: they were filled with filth and misery.

We reached Lugo about two hours past noon: during the last two or three leagues, I became so overpowered with weariness, the result of want of sleep and my late illness, that I was continually dozing in my saddle, so that I took but little notice of what was passing.We put up at a large posada without the wall of the town, built upon a steep bank, and commanding an extensive view of the country towards the east.

Shortly after our arrival, the rain began to descend in torrents, and continued without intermission during the next two days, which was, however, to me but a slight source of regret, as I passed the entire time in bed, and I may almost say in slumber.On the evening of the third day I arose.

There was much bustle in the house, caused by the arrival of a family from Coruna; they came in a large jaunting car, escorted by four carabineers.The family was rather numerous, consisting of a father, son, and eleven daughters, the eldest of whom might be about eighteen.A shabby-looking fellow, dressed in a jerkin and wearing a high-crowned hat, attended as domestic.They arrived very wet and shivering, and all seemed very disconsolate, especially the father, who was a well-looking middle-aged man."Can we be accommodated?" he demanded in a gentle voice of the man of the house; "can we be accommodated in this fonda?""Certainly, your worship," replied the other; "our house is large.How many apartments does your worship require for your family?""One will be sufficient," replied the stranger.

The host, who was a gouty personage and leaned upon a stick, looked for a moment at the traveller, then at every member of his family, not forgetting the domestic, and, without any farther comment than a slight shrug, led the way to the door of an apartment containing two or three flock beds, and which on my arrival I had objected to as being small, dark, and incommodious; this he flung open, and demanded whether it would serve.

"It is rather small," replied the gentleman; "I think, however, that it will do.""I am glad of it," replied the host."Shall we make any preparations for the supper of your worship and family?""No, I thank you," replied the stranger, "my own domestic will prepare the slight refreshment we are in need of."The key was delivered to the domestic, and the whole family ensconced themselves in their apartment: before, however, this was effected, the escort were dismissed, the principal carabineer being presented with a peseta.The man stood surveying the gratuity for about half a minute, as it glittered in the palm of his hand; then with an abrupt VAMOS!

he turned upon his heel, and without a word of salutation to any person, departed with the men under his command.

"Who can these strangers be?" said I to the host, as we sat together in a large corridor open on one side, and which occupied the entire front of the house.

"I know not," he replied, "but by their escort I suppose they are people holding some official situation.They are not of this province, however, and I more than suspect them to be Andalusians."In a few minutes the door of the apartment occupied by the strangers was opened, and the domestic appeared bearing a cruse in his hand."Pray, Senor Patron," demanded he, "where can I buy some oil?""There is oil in the house," replied the host, "if you want to purchase any; but if, as is probable, you suppose that we shall gain a cuarto by selling it, you will find some over the way.It is as I suspected," continued the host, when the man had departed on his errand, "they are Andalusians, and are about to make what they call gaspacho, on which they will all sup.Oh, the meanness of these Andalusians! they are come here to suck the vitals of Galicia, and yet envy the poor innkeeper the gain of a cuarto in the oil which they require for their gaspacho.I tell you one thing, master, when that fellow returns, and demands bread and garlic to mix with the oil, Iwill tell him there is none in the house: as he has bought the oil abroad, so he may the bread and garlic; aye, and the water too for that matter."