Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

village, all the people stared with marks of considerable curiosity, and with some fear. With horses trampling over the stone pavement of the principal street, and with sabres and pouches clashing and bumping as metal rang on metal, and case on case, went Captain Temple's men, searching for drink and for quarters. But the temporary wonder at, or even the fear of the Inglese soon yielded to a boisterous welcome, and to salutations, and to fraternisation, which were more emphatic and joyous than altogether beseemed the discipline of the military force. For a few leagues only separated them from the outposts of the vigilant enemy, whose patrols might be even in close vicinity-perhaps grasping rein at those shouts of reception in the village to look them up.

But in the village itself the trumpets soon sounded a halt. And the proper patrols were sent searching all along the paths; in order to feel out the precise whereabout of this unseen enemy, and to discover the meaning of the cannon-fire which was heard as the cavalry descended from the mountain to the village.

The troopers (under leave) after linking bridle and picqueting their horses in the principal street-even stabling some of them in the sheds and covered buildings amongst the neighbouring olive-plantations— sought refreshment for themselves in the village houses and booths, where they soon made themselves free. They called for the best wine which the vintners could produce; and they were scattering their money about with true martial carelessness.

At the chief inn or posada of the place there was some more important entertainment going forward. This amusement seemed provided for the better order of the people. All exhibitions of the popular order being almost exclusively in the hands of the Gipsies in Spain at that time-indeed it is greatly, also, the case at this date when Harry Wilson and his friend, Thomas Desborough, pressed in at the head of the crowd of soldiers, they were no way surprised to find the place nearly already occupied. And this place was filled with a party of Gitanos displaying all sorts of feats of

AN OLD SPANISH INN.

173

jugglery-some of which were very remarkable. The Gipsies were telling fortunes, and otherwise amusing the astonished countrypeople. Some of these Gipsies, who had an eye to business, were, during the intervals, profitably occupying their time in offering bargains with all sorts of things; and they availed of all favourable opportunities to recommend strongly their stores to more ready belief, and to more good-natured and

[graphic]

At the chief inn or posada of the place there was some more important

entertainment going forward.

leisurely notice, as the opened hearts of the entertained people grew warm. A regular catalogue of things vaunted as precious, and of goods really useful or supposed to be so, was published, pedlar-wise, by this trading part of the Gitano crew; who were as was likely, the busiest.

"Here! a bottle of your yellow wine-good let it be," called aloud Thomas Desborough. "I want to see if any of these pedlar-gentlemen have anything worth my money. We have such pedlars in England. And I intend to take something curious to my country, if the Signor Don Spaniards have anything to sell me, or to give me, or to fill my pockets with. Have any of you brown-faced gentlemen that to part with, wherewithal I can astonish mine own people? I like to make folks stare. As for Frenchmen's buttons and gorgets, they are by far too plentiful with us of the cavalry-traps and trash, and trinkets off the field, we English are sick of. Besides, such are mere spoils of -the thistle-fluff and blown poppy-leaves, as it were, of the bloody war-wheat-field. And I do not want quite to terrify my old house at home and the old folks."

war

"By Mars, my brother, whose red livery you British wear-worn worthily I would swear I have something that will please you." This was said by a very sinisterlooking Gipsy, with a face the colour of the inside of a boot and with eyes which might almost have been called green like a cat's. He wore a dark green woollen cloak, with hooks no less precious than of silver. And he looked with such a penetrating, sullen kind of glance, that he might have frightened some sensitive people. This Gipsy spoke very tolerable English. "I have that," said he to Desborough," which shall make you a man; if you are not a great one already."

"You are no beauty, if you are a man, at all events," said Desborough, looking him full in the face and loudly laughing. "You can't make me more of a man than I am, friend; for I'm in the Twenty-Third British Dragoons, and that's manhood-warrant for Sampson or for Hercules. Trooper Desborough' is my name, who has done something with the sword. But what mean you (my friend with the queer eyebrows) with your manhood-and your words ?"

"I mean that which I did say unto you," replied the . Gitano. "Know you old curious things? This is an antique medal," he went on, producing a large SILVER COIN, but much defaced and worn. "This is a coin of

[blocks in formation]

your own country-Signor Englishman-as your Consul at Cadiz, to whom I showed it, affirmed to me;

but he may be wrong. You will be brave and fortunate if you possess it. I tell it by my Gipsy powers. You disbelieve me? Stoop down and let me whisper. I have a thing to tell you."

The soldier bent his ear.

The Gitano whispered a

[graphic]

A Bolero danced at the Fête in the midst of the soldiers and people.

word or two. Desborough raised his head instantly, staring with the utmost astonishment at the Gipsy.

[ocr errors]

By all the saddles and bridles in the whole world!" cried Desborough, when he had recovered his breath, "but-Are you the devil ?"

"I scarcely look like him," said the Gipsy, smiling, "whatever truth I tell. But you will believe me, now, because you cannot help it. Buy my silver-piece. But my price is high for it."

66

High? I should think it was high, for it!" replied

Desborough, not yet recovered from his astonishment. "If it comes from such a source the thing must be miraculous; and, therefore, invaluable. But what do you name as your high price? If it be contained within the bounds of a private trooper's fortune, I'll have that odd piece of money, cost what it will."

"I tell you that it will prove of the utmost consequence to you," said the Gipsy, dubiously.

"By my horse's four shoes, then, but I must have it. If it is to be of such consequence to me, and if, through it, I am to be brave and fortunate, the sooner it is in my possession the better. For to be brave and fortunate and to command a troop is my whole wish-that is, honestly. Besides, it is a fine thing in itself, this strange old COIN! See how it glitters, and what a strange thing it is."

"I do not see it glitter," said Harry Wilson drily. So said the others.

"Not see it glitter?" echoed Desborough. "Why I cannot see for it! And I cannot move my eyes from it. You must be purblind not to see it shine so

be fools!"

-you must "Take it in your hand, then, and look closer at it," cried the Gipsy, leering.

"Don't part with it, Sixtos Quercos," said an old Zingaro, whose hair was white as wool, to the man who offered for sale this singular COIN. ""Tis precious for the strange things it can do; and it ought not to go out of our band."

"As how ?" asked Desborough, taking the COIN in his hand. At that instant a faint flash, but visible to all in the room, irradiated the chamber for a moment. And a very long time afterwards came an exceedingly distant report, as if of the low rumble of the very remotest cannon far under the horizon.

"Why this is as odd as our Merry-Andrew trumpeter, who blows on horseback on his head with his heels in the air!" called Wilson, aloud, again and again starting, in the extremity of his surprise, from his seat, but with a laugh. That gun must have been at least four leagues off, and yet we saw the flash distinctly-yes, in

[ocr errors]
« AnteriorContinuar »