letters-第44章

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d　is　averted　　from　the　land　of　his　fathers；　and　whilst　he　waves　in　his　hand　a　　species　of　flag；　he　seems　to　be　summoning　his　race　from　their　　unfruitful　region　to　other　climes　where　a　richer　field　is　open　to　　their　industry　and　enterprise。

I　spoke　to　several　of　these　men　respecting　the　all…important　　subject　of　religion；　but　'I　found　their　hearts　blunted；　and　with　　their　ears　they　heard　heavily；　and　their　eyes　were　closed。'　　There　　was　one　in　particular　to　whom　I　showed　the　New　Testament　and　　addressed　for　a　considerable　time。　　He　listened；　or　seemed　to　　listen；　patiently；　taking　occasional　copious　draughts　from　an　　immense　jug　of　whitish　wine　which　stood　between　his　knees。　　After　I　　had　concluded；　he　said：　　'To…morrow　I　set　out　for　Lugo；　whither　I　　am　told　yourself　are　going。　　If　you　wish　to　send　your　chest；　I　have　　no　objection　to　take　it　at　so　much　（naming　an　extravagant　price）。　　　As　for　what　you　have　told　me；　I　understand　little　of　it　and　believe　　not　a　word　of　it；　but　in　respect　to　the　books　which　you　have　shown　　me；　I　will　take　three　or　four。　　I　shall　not　read　them；　it　is　true；　　but　I　have　no　doubt　that　I　can　sell　them　at　a　higher　price　than　you　　demand。'

So　much　for　the　Maragatos。

It　was　four　o'clock　of　a　beautiful　morning　that　we　sallied　from　　Astorga；　or　rather　from　the　suburbs　in　which　we　had　been　lodged；　we　　directed　our　course　to　the　north　in　the　direction　of　Galicia。　　　Leaving　the　mountain　Telleno　on　our　left；　we　passed　along　the　　eastern　skirts　of　the　land　of　the　Maragatos　over　broken　uneven　　ground；　enlivened　here　and　there　by　small　green　valleys　and　runs　of　　water。　　Several　of　the　Maragato　women　mounted　on　donkeys　passed　us　　on　their　way　to　Astorga　whither　they　were　carrying　vegetables；　we　　saw　others　in　the　fields　handling　their　rude　ploughs　drawn　by　lean　　oxen；　we　likewise　passed　through　a　small　village　in　which　we　　however　saw　no　living　soul。　　Near　this　village　we　entered　the　high　　road　which　leads　direct　from　Madrid　to　Corunna；　and　at　last　having　　travelled　near　four　leagues　we　came　to　a　species　of　pass　formed　on　　our　left　by　a　huge　lumpish　hill　（one　of　those　which　descend　from　　the　great　mountain　Telleno）；　and　on　our　right　by　one　of　　considerably　less　altitude。　　In　the　middle　of　this　pass　which　was　　of　considerable　breadth；　a　noble　view　opened　itself　to　us。　　Before　　us；　at　the　distance　of　about　a　league　and　a　half；　rose　the　mighty　　frontier　chain　of　which　I　have　spoken　before；　its　blue　sides　and　　broken　and　picturesque　peaks　still　wearing　a　thin　veil　of　the　　morning　mist；　which　the　fierce　rays　of　the　sun　were　fast　　dispelling。　　It　seemed　an　enormous　barrier　threatening　to　oppose　　our　further　progress；　and　it　reminded　me　of　the　fables　respecting　　the　children　of　Magog；　who　are　said　to　reside　in　remotest　Tartary　　behind　a　gigantic　wall　of　rocks　which　can　only　be　passed　by　a　gate　　of　steel　a　thousand　cubits　in　height。

We　shortly　after　arrived　at　Manzanal；　a　village　consisting　of　　wretched　huts；　and　exhibiting　every　sign　of　poverty　and　misery。　　It　　was　now　time　to　refresh　ourselves　and　horses；　and　we　accordingly　　put　up　at　a　kind　of　VENTA；　the　last　habitation　in　the　village；　　where；　though　we　found　barley　for　the　animals；　we　had　much　　difficulty　in　procuring　anything　for　ourselves。　　I　was　at　last　　fortunate　enough　to　obtain　a　large　jug　of　milk；　for　there　were　　plenty　of　cows　in　the　neighbourhood　feeding　in　a　picturesque　valley　　which　we　had　passed　by；　in　which　there　was　abundance　of　grass　and　　trees　and　a　run　of　water　broken　by　tiny　cascades。　　The　jug　might　　contain　about　half　a　gallon；　but　I　emptied　it　in　a　few　minutes；　for　　the　thirst　of　fever　was　still　burning　within　me　though　I　was　　destitute　of　appetite。　　The　VENTA　had　something　the　appearance　of　a　　German　baiting　house。　　It　consisted　of　an　immense　stable；　from　　which　was　partitioned　a　kind　of　kitchen　and　a　place　where　the　　family　slept。　　The　master；　a　robust　young　man；　lolled　on　a　large　　solid　stone　bench　which　stood　within　the　door。　　He　was　very　　inquisitive　respecting　news；　but　I　could　afford　him　none；　whereupon　　he　became　communicative；　and　gave　me　the　history　of　his　life；　the　　sum　of　which　was　that　he　had　been　a　courier　in　the　Basque　　provinces；　but　about　a　year　since　had　been　despatched　to　this　　village　where　he　kept　the　post…house。　　He　was　an　enthusiastic　　liberal；　and　spoke　in　bitter　terms　of　the　surrounding　population；　　who；　he　said；　were　all　Carlists　and　friends　of　the　friars。　　I　paid　　little　attention　to　his　discourse；　for　I　was　looking　at　a　Maragato　　lad　of　about　fourteen　who　served　in　the　house　as　a　kind　of　ostler。　　　I　asked　the　master　if　we　were　still　in　the　land　of　the　Maragatos；　　but　he　told　me　that　we　had　left　it　behind　nearly　a　league；　and　that　　the　lad　was　an　orphan；　and　was　serving　until　he　could　rake　up　a　　sufficient　capital　to　become　an　ARRIERO。　　I　addressed　several　　questions　to　the　boy；　but　the　urchin　looked　sullenly　in　my　face；　　and　either　answered　by　monosyllables　or　was　doggedly　silent。　　I　　asked　him　if　he　could　read：　　'Yes；'　said　he；　'as　much　as　that　black　　brute　of　yours　who　is　tearing　down　the　manger。'

Quitting　Manzanal；　we　continued　our　course；　the　ground　gradually　　descending；　we　soon　arrived　at　a　place　where　the　road　took　a　turn　　to　the　west；　though　previously　it　had　tended　due　north。　　We　now　　found　that　we　had　to　descend　the　steep　sides　of　a　deep　and　narrow　　valley　which　wound　amongst　mountains；　not　those　of　the　chain　which　　we　had　seen　before　us　and　which　we　had　left　at　our　right；　but　those　　of　the　Telleno　range；　just　before　they　unite　with　that　chain。　　　Arrived　at　the　brink　of　the　valley　we　turned　into　a　foot…path；　to　　avoid　making　a　considerable　circuit；　for　we　saw　the　road　on　the　　other　side　of　the　valley　opposite　to　us　about　a　furlong　＇distant＇；　　and　the　path　appeared　to　lead　direct　towards　it。　　We　had　not　gone　　far　before　we　met　two　Galicians　on　their　way　to　cut　the　harvests　of　　Castile。　　One　of　them　shouted；　'Cavalier；　turn　back：　　in　a　moment　　you　will　be　amongst　precipices　where　your　horses　will　break　their　　necks；　for　we　ourselves　could　scarcely　climb　them　on　foot。'　　The　　other　cried；　'Cavalier；　proceed；　but　be　careful；　and　your　horses；　　if　sure…footed；　will　run　no　great　danger；　my　comrade　is　a　fool。'　　A　　violent　dispute　instantly　ensued　between　the　two　mountaineers；　each　　supporting　his　opinion　with　loud　oaths　and　curses；　but　without　　stopping　to　see　the　result　I　passed　on。　　But　the　path　was　now　　filled　with　stones　and　huge　slaty　rocks；　on　which　my　horse　slid；　　frequently　on　his　haunches。　　I　likewise　heard　the　sound　of　water　in　　a　deep　gorge；　which　I　had　hitherto　not　perceived；　and　I　soon　saw　　that　it　would　be　worse　than　madness　to　proceed。　　I　turned　my　horse　　and　was　hastening　to　regain　the　path　which　I　had　left；　when　　Antonio；　my　faithful　Greek；　pointed　out　to　me　a　meadow；　by　which　he　　said　we　might　regain　the　high　road　much　lower　down　than　if　we　　returned　on　our　steps。　　The　meadow　was　brilliant　with　short　green　　grass；　and　in　the　middle　there　was　a　small　rivulet　of　water。　　I　　spurred　my　horse　on；　expecting　to　be　in　the　high　road　in　a　moment；　　the　horse；　however；　snorted　and　stared　wildly；　and　was　evidently　　unwilling　to　cross　the　seemingly　inviting　spot。　　I　thought　that　the　　scent　of　a　wolf　or　some　other　wild　animal　might　have　disturbed　him；　　but　was　soon　undeceived　by　his　sinking　up　to　the　knees　in　a　bog。　　　The　animal　uttered　a　shrill　sharp　neigh；　and　exhibited　every　sign　　of　the　greatest　terror；　making　at　the　same　time　great　efforts　to　　extricate　himself；　and　plunging　forward；　but　every　moment　sinking　　deeper。　　At　last　he　arrived　where　a　small　vein　of　rock　showed　　itself；　on　this　he　placed　his　fore　feet；　and　with　one　tremendous　　exertion　freed　himself　from　the　deceitful　soil；　springing　over　the　　rivulet　and　alighting　on　comparatively　firm　ground；　where　he　stood　　panting；　his　heaving　sides　covered　with　a　foamy　sweat。　　Antonio；　　who　had　been　a　terrified　observer　of　the　whole　scene；　afraid　to　　venture　forward；　returned　by　the　path　by　which　we　came　and　shortly　　afterwards　rejoined　me。　　This　adventure　brought　to　my　recollection　　the　meadow　with　its　foot…path；　which　tempted　Christian　from　the　　straight　road　to　heaven；　and　finally　conducted　him　to　the　dominions　　of　the　Giant　Despair。

NO　HAY　ATAJO　SIN　TRA