letters of two brides-第9章

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the　cause　of　my　beloved　Spain　wrecked　in　Andalusia；　than　I　wrote　to
the　steward　of　my　Sardinian　estate　to　make　arrangements　for　my　escape。
Some　hardy　coral　fishers　were　despatched　to　wait　for　me　at　a　point　on
the　coast；　and　when　Ferdinand　urged　the　French　to　secure　my　person；　I
was　already　in　my　barony　of　Macumer；　amidst　brigands　who　defy　all　law
and　all　avengers。

The　last　Hispano…Moorish　family　of　Granada　has　found　once　more　the
shelter　of　an　African　desert；　and　even　a　Saracen　horse；　in　an　estate
which　comes　to　it　from　Saracens。　How　the　eyes　of　these　brigandswho
but　yesterday　had　dreaded　my　authoritysparkled　with　savage　joy　and
pride　when　they　found　they　were　protecting　against　the　King　of　Spain's
vendetta　the　Duc　de　Soria；　their　master　and　a　Henarezthe　first　who
had　come　to　visit　them　since　the　time　when　the　island　belonged　to　the
Moors。　More　than　a　score　of　rifles　were　ready　to　point　at　Ferdinand　of
Bourbon；　son　of　a　race　which　was　still　unknown　when　the　Abencerrages
arrived　as　conquerors　on　the　banks　of　the　Loire。

My　idea　had　been　to　live　on　the　income　of　these　huge　estates；　which；
unfortunately；　we　have　so　greatly　neglected；　but　my　stay　there
convinced　me　that　this　was　impossible；　and　that　Queverdo's　reports
were　only　too　correct。　The　poor　man　had　twenty…two　lives　at　my
disposal；　and　not　a　single　/real/；　prairies　of　twenty　thousand　acres；
and　not　a　house；　virgin　forests；　and　not　a　stick　of　furniture！　A
million　piastres　and　a　resident　master　for　half　a　century　would　be
necessary　to　make　these　magnificent　lands　pay。　I　must　see　to　this。

The　conquered　have　time　during　their　flight　to　ponder　their　own　case
and　that　of　their　vanquished　party。　At　the　spectacle　of　my　noble
country；　a　corpse　for　monks　to　prey　on；　my　eyes　filled　with　tears；　I
read　in　it　the　presage　of　Spain's　gloomy　future。

At　Marseilles　I　heard　of　Riego's　end。　Painfully　did　it　come　home　to　me
that　my　life　also　would　henceforth　be　a　martyrdom；　but　a　martyrdom
protracted　and　unnoticed。　Is　existence　worthy　the　name；　when　a　man　can
no　longer　die　for　his　country　or　live　for　a　woman？　To　love；　to
conquer；　this　twofold　form　of　the　same　thought；　is　the　law　graven　on
our　sabres；　emblazoned　on　the　vaulted　roofs　of　our　palaces；
ceaselessly　whispered　by　the　water；　which　rises　and　falls　in　our
marble　fountains。　But　in　vain　does　it　nerve　my　heart；　the　sabre　is
broken；　the　palace　in　ashes；　the　living　spring　sucked　up　by　the　barren
sand。

Here；　then；　is　my　last　will　and　testament。

Don　Fernand；　you　will　understand　now　why　I　put　a　check　upon　your　ardor
and　ordered　you　to　remain　faithful　to　the　/rey　netto/。　As　your　brother
and　friend；　I　implore　you　to　obey　me；　as　your　master；　I　command。　You
will　go　to　the　King　and　will　ask　from　him　the　grant　of　my　dignities
and　property；　my　office　and　titles。　He　will　perhaps　hesitate；　and　may
treat　you　to　some　regal　scowls；　but　you　must　tell　him　that　you　are
loved　by　Marie　Heredia；　and　that　Marie　can　marry　none　but　a　Duc　de
Soria。　This　will　make　the　King　radiant。　It　is　the　immense　fortune　of
the　Heredia　family　which　alone　has　stood　between　him　and　the
accomplishment　of　my　ruin。　Your　proposal　will　seem　to　him；　therefore；
to　deprive　me　of　a　last　resource；　and　he　will　gladly　hand　over　to　you
my　spoils。

You　will　then　marry　Marie。　The　secret　of　the　mutual　love　against　which
you　fought　was　no　secret　to　me；　and　I　have　prepared　the　old　Count　to
see　you　take　my　place。　Marie　and　I　were　merely　doing　what　was　expected
of　us　in　our　position　and　carrying　out　the　wishes　of　our　fathers；
everything　else　is　in　your　favor。　You　are　beautiful　as　a　child　of
love；　and　are　possessed　of　Marie's　heart。　I　am　an　ill…favored　Spanish
grandee；　for　whom　she　feels　an　aversion　to　which　she　will　not　confess。
Some　slight　reluctance　there　may　be　on　the　part　of　the　noble　Spanish
girl　on　account　of　my　misfortunes；　but　this　you　will　soon　overcome。

Duc　de　Soria；　your　predecessor　would　neither　cost　you　a　regret　nor　rob
you　of　a　maravedi。　My　mother's　diamonds；　which　will　suffice　to　make　me
independent；　I　will　keep；　because　the　gap　caused　by　them　in　the　family
estate　can　be　filled　by　Marie's　jewels。　You　can　send　them；　therefore；
by　my　nurse；　old　Urraca；　the　only　one　of　my　servants　whom　I　wish　to
retain。　No　one　can　prepare　my　chocolate　as　she　does。

During　our　brief　revolution；　my　life　of　unremitting　toil　was　reduced
to　the　barest　necessaries；　and　these　my　salary　was　sufficient　to
provide。　You　will　therefore　find　the　income　of　the　last　two　years　in
the　hands　of　your　steward。　This　sum　is　mine；　but　a　Duc　de　Soria　cannot
marry　without　a　large　expenditure　of　money；　therefore　we　will　divide
it。　You　will　not　refuse　this　wedding…present　from　your　brigand
brother。　Besides；　I　mean　to　have　it　so。

The　barony　of　Macumer；　not　being　Spanish　territory；　remains　to　me。
Thus　I　have　still　a　country　and　a　name；　should　I　wish　to　take　up　a
position　in　the　world　again。

Thank　Heaven；　this　finishes　our　business；　and　the　house　of　Soria　is
saved！

At　the　very　moment　when　I　drop　into　simple　Baron　de　Macumer；　the
French　cannon　announce　the　arrival　of　the　Duc　d'Angouleme。　You　will
understand　why　I　break　off。　。　。　。

October。

When　I　arrived　here　I　had　not　ten　doubloons　in　my　pocket。　He　would
indeed　be　a　poor　sort　of　leader　who；　in　the　midst　of　calamities　he　has
not　been　able　to　avert；　has　found　means　to　feather　his　own　nest。　For
the　vanquished　Moor　there　remains　a　horse　and　the　desert；　for　the
Christian　foiled　of　his　hopes；　the　cloister　and　a　few　gold　pieces。

But　my　present　resignation　is　mere　weariness。　I　am　not　yet　so　near　the
monastery　as　to　have　abandoned　all　thoughts　of　life。　Ozalga　had　given
me　several　letters　of　introduction　to　meet　all　emergencies；　amongst
these　one　to　a　bookseller；　who　takes　with　our　fellow…countrymen　the
place　which　Galignani　holds　with　the　English　in　Paris。　This　man　has
found　eight　pupils　for　me　at　three　francs　a　lesson。　I　go　to　my　pupils
every　alternate　day；　so　that　I　have　four　lessons　a　day　and　earn　twelve
francs；　which　is　more　than　I　require。　When　Urraca　comes　I　shall　make
some　Spanish　exile　happy　by　passing　on　to　him　my　connection。

I　lodge　in　the　Rue　Hillerin…Bertin　with　a　poor　widow；　who　takes
boarders。　My　room　faces　south　and　looks　out　on　a　little　garden。　It　is
perfectly　quiet；　I　have　green　trees　to　look　upon；　and　spend　the　sum　of
one　piastre　a　day。　I　am　amazed　at　the　amount　of　calm；　pure　pleasure
which　I　enjoy　in　this　life；　after　the　fashion　of　Dionysius　at　Corinth。
From　sunrise　until　ten　o'clock　I　smoke　and　take　my　chocolate；　sitting
at　my　window　and　contemplating　two　Spanish　plants；　a　broom　which　rises
out　of　a　clump　of　jessaminegold　on　a　white　ground；　colors　which　must
send　a　thrill　through　any　scion　of　the　Moors。　At　ten　o'clock　I　start
for　my　lessons；　which　last　till　four；　when　I　return　for　dinner。
Afterwards　I　read　and　smoke　till　I　go　to　bed。

I　can　put　up　for　a　long　time　with　a　life　like　this；　compounded　of　work
and　meditation；　of　solitude　and　society。　Be　happy；　therefore；　Fernand；
my　abdication　has　brought　no　afterthoughts；　I　have　no　regrets　like
Charles　V。；　no　longing　to　try　the　game　again　like　Napoleon。　Five　days
and　nights　have　passed　since　I　wrote　my　will；　to　my　mind　they　might
have　been　five　centuries。　Honor；　titles；　wealth；　are　for　me　as　though
they　had　never　existed。

Now　that　the　conventional　barrier　of　respect　which　hedged　me　round　has
fallen；　I　can　open　my　heart　to　you；　dear　boy。　Though　cased　in　the
armor　of　gravity；　this　heart　is　full　of　tenderness　and　devotion；　which
have　found　no　object；　and　which　no　woman　has　divined；　not　even　she
who；　from　her　cradle；　has　been　my　destined　bride。　In　this　lies　the
secret　of　my　political　enthusiasm。　Spain　has　taken　the　place　of　a
mistress　and　received　the　homage　of　my　heart。　And　now　Spain；　too；　is
gone！　Beggared　of　all；　I　can　gaze　upon　the　ruin　of　what　once　was　me
and　speculate　over　the　mysteries　of　my　being。

Why　did　life　animate　this　carcass；　and　when　will　it　depart？　Why　has
that　race；　pre…eminent　in　chivalry；　breathed　all　its　primitive　virtues
its　tropical　love；　its　fiery　poetryinto　this　its　last　offshoot；　if
the　seed　was　never　to　burst　its　rugged　shell；　if　no　stem　was　to　spring
forth；　no