letters-第25章

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　upon　the　night　which　had　so　long　cast　its　dreary　　shadow　over　the　regions　of　the　Alemtejo。

The　day　after　this　interesting　event；　which　was　Saturday；　I　had　　more　conversation　with　the　man　from　Palmella。　　I　asked　him　if　in　　his　journeys　he　had　never　been　attacked　by　robbers；　he　answered　　'No；'　for　that　he　generally　travelled　in　company　with　others；　　'however；'　said　he；　'were　I　alone　I　should　have　little　fear；　for　I　　am　well　protected。'　　I　said　that　I　supposed　he　carried　arms　with　　him。　　'No　other　arms　than　this；'　said　he；　and　he　pulled　out　a　long；　　desperate…looking　knife　of　English　manufacture；　like　that　with　　which　every　Portuguese　peasant　is　provided；　and　which　I　should　　consider　a　far　more　efficient　weapon　than　a　dagger。　　'But；'　said　　he；　'I　do　not　place　much　confidence　in　the　knife。'　　I　then　enquired　　in　what　were　his　hopes　of　protection。　　'In　this；'　he　replied；　and　　unbuttoning　his　waistcoat　he　showed　me　a　small　bag；　attached　to　his　　neck　by　a　silken　string。　　'In　this　bag　is　an　ORACAM　（or　prayer）；　　written　by　a　person　of　power；　and　as　long　as　I　carry　it　about　me　no　　ill　can　befall　me。'　　Curiosity　is　one　of　the　leading　features　of　my　　character；　and　I　instantly　said　that　to　be　allowed　to　read　the　　prayer　would　give　me　great　pleasure。　　'Well；'　he　replied；　'you　are　　my　friend；　and　I　would　do　for　you　what　I　would　do　for　few　others。　　　I　will　show　it　you。'　　He　then　asked　me　for　my　penknife　and　　proceeded　to　unrip　the　bag；　and　took　out　of　it　a　large　piece　of　　paper　closely　folded　up。　　I　hurried　with　it　to　my　chamber；　and　　commenced　the　examination　of　it。　　It　was　scrawled　over　in　a　very　　illegible　hand；　and　was　moreover　much　stained　with　perspiration；　so　　that　I　had　considerable　difficulty　in　making　myself　master　of　its　　contents；　but　at　last　I　accomplished　the　following　literal　　translation　of　the　charm；　which　was　written　in　bad　Portuguese；　but　　which　struck　me　at　the　time　as　being　the　most　remarkable　　composition　I　had　ever　seen。


THE　CHARM


'Just　Judge　and　divine　Son　of　the　Virgin　Maria；　who　wast　born　at　　Bethlehem；　a　Nazarene；　and　who　wast　crucified　in　the　midst　of　all　　Jewry！　　I　beseech　Thee；　O　Lord；　by　virtue　of　Thy　sixth　day　that　the　　body　of　me；　Francisco；　be　not　caught　nor　put　to　death　by　the　hands　　of　Justice！　　Pazes　teco　（pax　tecum）；　pazes　Cristo。　　May　you　receive　　peace；　said　Christ　to　His　disciples。　　If　the　accursed　Justice　　should　distrust　me；　or　have　its　eye　on　me；　in　order　to　take　me；　or　　to　rob　me；　may　it　have　an　eye　which　shall　not　see　me；　may　it　have　a　　mouth　which　shall　not　speak　to　me；　may　it　have　an　ear　which　shall　　not　hear　me；　may　it　have　a　hand　which　shall　not　seize　me；　may　it　　have　a　foot　which　shall　not　overtake　me；　for　may　I　be　armed　with　　the　arms　of　Saint　George；　may　I　be　covered　with　the　cloak　of　　Abraham；　and　embarked　in　the　ark　of　Noah；　so　that　it　can　neither　　see　me；　nor　hear　me；　nor　draw　the　blood　from　my　body！　　I　also　　conjure　Thee；　O　Lord；　by　those　three　blessed　crosses　…　by　those　　three　blessed　chalices　…　by　those　three　blessed　clergymen　…　by　　those　three　consecrated　hosts；　that　Thou　give　me　that　sweet　company　　which　Thou　gavest　the　Virgin　Maria；　from　the　gates　of　Bethlehem　　even　unto　the　portals　of　Jerusalem；　that　I　may　go　and　come　with　　peace　and　joy　with　Jesus　Christ；　Son　of　the　Virgin　Maria；　the　　prolific；　yet　nevertheless　the　eternal　Virgin　Maria　our　Lady。'

The　woman　of　the　house　and　her　daughter　had　similar　bags　tied　to　　their　necks；　containing　charms；　which　they　said　prevented　the　　witches　having　power　to　harm　them。　　The　belief　in　witchcraft　is　　very　prevalent　amongst　the　peasantry　of　the　Alemtejo；　and　I　believe　　of　other　provinces　of　Portugal。　　This　is　one　of　the　relics　of　the　　monkish　system；　the　aim　of　which　in　all　countries　where　it　has　　existed；　or　does　exist；　seems　to　be　to　besot　the　minds　of　the　　people　that　they　may　be　the　more　easily　plundered　and　misled。　　The　　monks　of　the　Greek　and　Syriac　Churches　likewise　deal　in　this　kind　　of　ware；　which　they　know　to　be　poison；　but　which；　as　it　brings　them　　a　price　and　fosters　delusion　by　which　they　are　maintained　in　luxury　　and　idleness；　they　would　rather　vend　than　the　wholesome　drug。

The　Sunday　morning　was　fine；　and　the　plain　before　the　church　of　the　　Convent　of　San　Francisco　was　thronged　with　people　going　to　mass　or　　returning。　　After　having　performed　my　morning　devotions　and　　breakfasted；　I　went　down　to　the　kitchen。　　The　fine　girl　Geronima　　was　seated　by　the　fire。　　I　asked　if　she　had　heard　mass；　she　　replied；　'No；'　and　that　she　did　not　intend　to　hear　it。　　Upon　my　　inquiring　her　motive　for　absenting　herself；　she　replied　that；　since　　the　friars　had　been　expelled　from　their　churches　and　convents；　she　　had　ceased　to　attend　mass　or　to　confess　herself；　for　that　the　　Government　priests　had　no　spiritual　power；　and　consequently　she　　never　troubled　them。　　She　said　the　friars　were　holy　men　and　　charitable；　for　that　every　morning　those　of　the　convent　over　the　　way　had　fed　forty　poor　persons　with　the　remains　of　their　meals　of　　the　preceding　day；　but　that　now　these　people　were　allowed　to　　starve。　　I　replied　that　the　friars　who　had　lived　upon　the　dainties　　of　the　land　could　well　afford　to　bestow　a　few　bones　on　the　poor；　　and　that　their　doing　so　was　not　the　effect　of　charity；　but　merely　a　　part　of　their　artful　policy；　by　which　they　hoped　to　secure　to　　themselves　friends　in　time　of　need。　　The　girl　then　said　that　as　it　　was　Sunday　I　should　perhaps　like　to　see　some　of　her　books；　and　　without　waiting　for　a　reply　she　produced　them。　　They　consisted　　principally　of　popular　stories　and　lives　and　miracles　of　saints；　　but　amongst　them　was　a　translation　of　Volney's　RUINS　OF　EMPIRES。　　I　　inquired　how　she　became　possessed　of　this　book；　she　said　that　a　　young　man；　a　great　Constitutionalist；　had　given　it　her　some　months　　since　and　had　pressed　her　much　to　read　it；　telling　her　that　it　was　　the　best　book　in　the　world。　　Whereupon　I　told　her　that　the　author　　of　the　book　in　question　was　an　emissary　of　Satan　and　an　enemy　of　　Jesus　Christ　and　the　souls　of　mankind；　that　he　had　written　it　with　　the　sole　view　of　bringing　all　religion　into　contempt；　and　that　he　　had　inculcated　therein　the　doctrine　that　there　was　no　future　state　　nor　rewards　for　the　righteous　nor　punishments　for　the　wicked。　　She　　made　no　reply；　but　going　into　another　room；　returned　with　her　apron　　full　of　dry　brushwood　and　faggot；　all　of　this　she　piled　upon　the　　fire；　and　produced　a　bright　blaze。　　She　then　took　the　book　from　my　　hand；　and　placed　it　upon　the　flaming　pile；　then　sitting　down；　took　　her　rosary　out　of　her　pocket；　and　told　her　beads　till　the　volume　　was　consumed。　　This　was　an　AUTO…DA…FE；　in　the　true　sense　of　the　　word。

On　the　Monday　and　Tuesday　I　paid　my　usual　visits　to　the　fountain；　　and　likewise　rode　about　the　neighbourhood　for　the　purpose　of　　circulating　tracts。　　I　dropped　a　great　many　in　the　favourite　walks　　of　the　people　of　Evora；　as　I　felt　rather　dubious　of　their　accepting　　them　had　I　proffered　them　with　my　own　hands；　whereas　if　they　found　　them　on　the　ground；　I　thought　that　curiosity　might　induce　them　to　　pick　them　up　and　examine　them。　　I　likewise　on　the　Tuesday　evening　　paid　a　farewell　visit　to　my　friend　Don　Azveto；　as　it　was　my　　intention　to　leave　Evora　on　the　Thursday　following；　in　which　view　I　　had　engaged　a　cabriolet　of　a　man　who　informed　me　that　he　had　served　　as　a　soldier　in　the　GRANDE　ARMEE　of　Napoleon；　and　had　been　present　　throughout　the　Russian　campaign。　　He　looked　the　image　of　a　　drunkard；　his　face　was　covered　with　carbuncles；　and　his　breath　　impregnated　with　the　fumes　of　strong　waters。　　He　wished　much　to　　converse　with　me　in　French；　in　the　speaking　of　which　language；　it　　seems；　he　prided　himself　much；　but　I　refused；　and　told　him　to　speak　　the　language　of　the　country；　or　I　would　hold　no　discourse　with　him。

Wednesday　was　stormy；　with　occasional　rain。　　On　coming　down　I　found　　that　my　friend　from　Palmella　had　departed；　but　several　　CONTRABANDISTAS　had　arrived　from　Spain。　　They　were　mostly　fine　　fellows；　and；　unlike　the　two　I　had　seen　the　previous　week；　who　were　　of　much　lower　degree；　were　chatty　and　communicative；　they　spoke　　their　native　language　and　no　other；　and　seemed　to　hold　Portuguese　　in　great　contempt；　their　magnificent　Spanish　tones　were　heard　to　　great　advantag