letters-第50章

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th　the　　strictest　economy　would　have　amounted　to　nearly　two　pounds　PER　　DIEM；　secondly；　that　I　was　very　unwell；　and　unable　to　procure　　medical　advice　at　Santander：　　for；　to　tell　the　truth；　ever　since　I　　left　Corunna　I　have　been　afflicted　with　a　terrible　dysentery；　and　　latterly　with　an　ophthalmia；　the　result　of　the　other　malady。

I　therefore　determined　on　returning　to　Madrid。　　To　effect　this；　　however；　seemed　almost　impossible。　　Parties　of　the　army　of　Don　　Carlos；　which　in　a　partial　degree　had　been　routed　in　Castile；　were　　hovering　about　the　country　through　which　I　should　have　to　pass；　　more　especially　that　part　called　'The　Mountains；'　so　that　all　　communication　had　ceased　between　Santander　and　the　southern　　districts。　　Nevertheless　I　determined　to　trust；　as　usual；　in　the　　Almighty　and　to　venture。　　I　purchased；　therefore；　a　small　horse　and　　sallied　forth　with　Antonio；　notwithstanding　I　was　so　unwell　as　to　　be　scarcely　able　to　support　myself。　　I　wished　to　have　written　to　　you　from　Santander；　but　I　was　exceedingly　dispirited　and　could　not　　collect　my　thoughts。　　Before　departing；　I　of　course　entered　into　　conference　with　the　booksellers　as　to　what　they　should　do　in　the　　event　of　my　finding　an　opportunity　of　sending　them　a　stock　of　　Testaments　from　Madrid；　and　having　arranged　things　to　my　　satisfaction　I　committed　myself　to　Providence。　　I　will　not　dwell　　long　on　this　journey　of　three　hundred　miles。　　We　were　in　the　midst　　of　the　fire；　yet；　strange　to　say；　escaped　without　a　hair　being　　singed；　robberies；　murders；　and　all　kinds　of　atrocity　were　　perpetrated　before；　behind；　and　on　both　sides　of　us；　but　not　so　　much　as　a　dog　barked　at　US；　though　in　one　instance　a　plan　had　been　　laid　to　intercept　us。　　About　four　leagues　from　Santander；　whilst　we　　were　baiting　our　horses　at　a　village　hostelry；　I　saw　a　fellow　run　　off　after　having　held　a　whispering　conversation　with　a　boy　who　was　　dealing　out　barley　to　us。　　I　instantly　enquired　of　the　latter　what　　the　man　had　said　to　him；　but　only　obtained　an　evasive　answer。　　It　　appeared　afterwards　that　the　conversation　was　about　ourselves。　　Two　　or　three　leagues　further　on　there　was　an　inn　and　village；　where　we　　had　proposed　staying；　and　indeed　had　expressed　our　intention　of　　doing　so；　but　on　arriving　there；　finding　that　the　sun　was　still　far　　from　its　bourn；　I　determined　to　proceed　further；　expecting　to　find　　a　resting…place　at　the　distance　of　a　league；　though　I　was　mistaken；　　finding　none　until　we　reached　Montaneda；　nine　leagues　and　a　half　　from　Santander；　where　was　stationed　a　small　detachment　of　soldiers。　　　At　the　dead　of　night　we　were　aroused　from　our　sleep　by　a　cry　that　　the　'factious'　were　not　far　off。　　A　messenger　had　arrived　from　the　　ALCALDE　of　the　village　where　we　had　previously　intended　staying；　　who　stated　that　a　party　of　Carlists　had　just　surprised　that　place；　　and　were　searching　for　an　English　spy　whom　they　supposed　to　be　at　　the　inn。　　The　officer　commanding　the　soldiers；　upon　hearing　this；　　not　deeming　his　own　situation　a　safe　one；　instantly　drew　off　his　　men；　falling　back　on　a　stronger　party　stationed　in　a　fortified　　village　near　at　hand；　as　for　ourselves　we　saddled　our　horses　and　　continued　our　way　in　the　dark。　　Had　the　Carlists　succeeded　in　　apprehending　me；　I　should　instantly　have　been　shot；　and　my　body　　cast　on　the　rocks　to　feed　the　vultures　and　wolves。　　But　'it　was　not　　so　written'　…　said　my　man；　who　is　a　Greek　and　a　fatalist。　　The　next　　night　we　had　another　singular　escape；　we　had　arrived　near　the　　entrance　of　a　horrible　pass；　called　EL　PUERTO　DE　LA　PUENTE　DE　LAS　　TABLAS；　or　the　pass　of　the　bridge　of　planks；　which　wound　through　a　　black　and　frightful　mountain；　on　the　further　side　of　which　was　the　　town　of　Onas；　where　we　meant　to　tarry　for　the　night。　　The　sun　had　　set　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　Suddenly　a　man　with　his　face　　covered　with　blood　rushed　out　of　the　pass。　　Turn　back；　sir；'　he　　said；　'in　the　name　of　God；　there　are　murderers　in　that　pass；　they　　have　just　robbed　me　of　my　mule　and　all　I　possess；　and　I　have　hardly　　escaped　with　life　from　their　hands。'　　I　scarcely　can　say　why；　but　I　　made　him　no　answer；　and　proceeded；　indeed　I　was　so　weary　and　unwell　　that　I　cared　not　what　became　of　me。　　We　entered　…　the　rocks　rose　　perpendicularly　right　and　left；　entirely　intercepting　the　scanty　　twilight；　so　that　the　darkness　of　the　grave；　or　rather　the　　blackness　of　the　valley　of　the　shadow　of　death；　reigned　around　us；　　and　we　knew　not　where　we　went；　but　trusted　solely　to　the　instinct　　of　the　horses；　who　moved　on　with　their　heads　close　to　the　ground。　　　The　only　sound　which　we　heard　was　the　splash　of　a　stream　which　　tumbled　down　the　pass。　　I　expected　every　moment　to　feel　a　knife　at　　my　throat；　but　…　IT　WAS　NOT　SO　WRITTEN。　　We　threaded　the　pass　　without　meeting　a　human　being；　and　within　three　quarters　of　an　hour　　after　the　time　we　entered　it；　we　found　ourselves　within　the　POSADA　　of　the　town　of　Onas；　which　was　filled　with　troops　and　armed　　peasants　expecting　an　attack　from　the　grand　Carlist　army；　which　was　　near　at　hand。

Well！　we　reached　Burgos　in　safety；　we　reached　Valladolid　in　safety；　　we　passed　the　Guadarama　in　safety；　and　now　we　are　safely　housed　in　　Madrid。　　People　say　we　have　been　very　lucky；　Antonio　says；　'It　was　　so　written'；　but　I　say；　'Glory　be　to　the　Lord　for　His　mercies　　vouchsafed。'

I　did　not　find　matters　in　a　very　prosperous　state　in　Madrid。　　Few　　copies　of　the　New　Testament　have　been　sold；　yet　what　else　could　be　　rationally　expected　in　these　latter　times？　　Don　Carlos　with　a　large　　army　has　been　at　the　gates；　plunder　and　massacre　were　expected；　and　　people　have　been　too　much　occupied　in　planning　to　secure　their　　lives　and　property　to　have　much　time　to　devote　to　reading　of　any　　description。　　I　have　had　an　interview　with　Dr。　Usoz；　and　have　just　　received　a　most　interesting　letter　from　him；　replete　with　　patriotism　and　piety；　amongst　other　things　he　says；　'only　　circumstances　and　the　public　poverty　are　the　cause　of　the　works　not　　having　met　with　sale　at　Madrid。'　　Of　this　letter　I　shall　send　a　　translation。　　It　contains　some　remarks　respecting　Father　Scio's　　version；　which　I　consider　to　be　of　high　importance；　and　humbly　　recommend　to　the　attention　of　the　Committee。

But　I　am　at　present　in　Madrid；　and　am　thus　enabled　to　superintend　　in　person　the　measures　calculated　to　secure　the　sale　of　the　work。　　　I　shall　forthwith　cause　a　thousand　advertisements　to　be　printed　and　　affixed　from　time　to　time　in　every　part　of　the　city。　　I　shall　　likewise　employ　colporteurs　to　vend　them　in　the　streets；　and　shall　　perhaps　establish　a　stall　or　small　shop；　where　Testaments　and　　Testaments　alone　will　be　sold。　…　No　exertion　of　which　I　am　capable　　will　be　spared；　and　if　'the　Word　of　the　Lord'　become　not　speedily　　better　known　at　Madrid；　it　will　be　because　the　Lord　in　His　　inscrutable　wisdom　does　not　so　will　it。

Whilst　in　the　northern　provinces　I　ordered　a　hundred　copies　to　be　　despatched　from　Madrid　to　each　of　the　three　great　towns；　Valencia；　　Seville；　and　Cadiz；　with　advertisements；　I　am　glad　to　be　able　to　　state　that　advice　has　been　received　that　the　books　have　reached　　their　destination。　　At　the　commencement　of　the　coming　year　it　is　my　　intention　to　visit　those　parts；　for　no　work　seems　to　prosper　in　　Spain　which　is　not　closely　attended　to　by　the　master。　　Whilst　at　　Valladolid　I　ordered　all　the　copies　which　remained　unsold　of　the　　second　supply　to　be　sent　to　Burgos；　and　I　am　now　going　to　despatch　　a　third　fifty　to　the　former　town；　and　a　still　larger　quantity　to　　Oviedo；　those　which　I　carried　thither　having　been　all　sold　during　　my　short　stay。

In　a　few　days　it　is　my　intention　to　commit　to　the　press　Luke　in　　Basque　and　in　Rommany；　the　latter　of　which　versions　I　propose　to　　carry　with　me　to　Andalusia　and　Valencia；　the　two　provinces　which　　most　abound　with　the　Rommany…Chai；　of　whom；　by　the　way；　I　found　no　　trace　in　Old　Castile；　Galicia；　or　the　Asturias。　　As　for　the　Basque　　version；　it　is　probable　that　even　in　Madrid　it　will　not　be　without　　demand；　as　many　Biscayans　residing　there　will　doubtless　be　eager　to　　read　the　Gospel　when　placed　within　their　reach　in　their　native　　tongue。

I　will　now　conclude　by　begging　pardon　for　all　errors　of　commission　　and　omission。　　I　am　a　frail　foolish　vessel；　and　hav