letters-第59章

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write　to　the　following　effect：…

Mr。　Graydon　must　leave　Spain；　or　the　Bible　Society　must　publicly　　disavow　that　his　proceedings　receive　their　encouragement；　unless　　they　wish　to　see　the　Sacred　Book；　which　it　is　their　object　to　　distribute；　brought　into　universal　odium　and　contempt。　　He　has　　lately　been　to　Malaga；　and　has　there　played　precisely　the　same　part　　which　he　acted　last　year　at　Valencia；　with　the　addition　that　in　　printed　writings　he　has　insulted　the　Spanish　Government　in　the　most　　inexcusable　manner。　　A　formal　complaint　of　his　conduct　has　been　　sent　up　from　Malaga；　and　a　copy　of　one　of　his　writings。　　Sir　George　　blushed　when　he　saw　it；　and　informed　Count　Ofalia　that　any　steps　　which　might　be　taken　towards　punishing　the　author　would　receive　no　　impediment　from　him。

I　shall　not　make　any　observation　on　this　matter　further　than　　stating　that　I　have　never　had　any　other　opinion　of　Mr。　Graydon　than　　that　he　is　insane　…　insane　as　the　person　who　for　the　sake　of　　warming　his　own　hands　would　set　a　street　on　fire。　　Sir　George　said　　to…day　that　he；　Graydon；　was　the　cause　of　my　harmless　shop　being　　closed　at　Madrid　and　also　of　my　imprisonment。　　The　Society　will　of　　course　communicate　with　Sir　George　on　the　subject：　　I　wash　my　hands　　of　it。

I　remain；　dear　Sir；　most　truly　yours；

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　17th　May；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　May　28；　1838）　MADRID；　May　17；　1838。

EXCUSE　the　haste　in　which　my　last　letter　was　written；　it　doubtless　　seemed　somewhat　incoherent；　I　will　now　endeavour　to　be　more　　explicit。　　Moreover；　since　sending　it；　I　have　had　an　interview　of　　nearly　two　hours　with　Count　Ofalia；　and　have　much　that　is　new　to　　communicate。　　But　previously　to　stating　what　is　likely　to　afford　　pleasure　and　satisfaction；　I　must　proceed　to　disburden　myself　of　　what　I　heard　with　the　greatest　pain；　and　which　I　communicate　with　　sorrow　and　reluctance。

Sir　George　Villiers　and　Mr。　Southern；　first　Secretary　of　Legation；　　were　the　persons　who　first　informed　me　of　what　has　taken　place　at　　Malaga。　　It　appears　that　Mr。　Graydon　arrived　there　a　short　time　　before　my　imprisonment　at　Madrid；　and　instead　of　endeavouring　to　　circulate　the　Scriptures　in　a　quiet　and　reasonable　manner；　such　as　　becomes　a　gentleman　and　a　Christian；　and　such　as　had　been　　recommended　to　me　previous　to　my　late　long　journey　in　the　north　of　　Spain　and　which　I　have　always　endeavoured　to　follow；　he　had　　recourse　to　means　the　most　improper　and　disreputable；　very　similar　　to　those　which　he　is　said　to　have　followed　in　all　the　other　towns　　which　he　has　visited。　　In　order　to　excite　curiosity　and　cause　a　　sensation；　he　published　advertisements　and　handbills　replete　with　　the　lowest　abuse　of　the　Spanish　clergy　and　Government；　and　　containing　his　own　private　opinions　concerning　religion。　　However；　　not　contented　with　this；　he　had　the　cruelty　…　I　will　not　call　it　　baseness　…　to　speak　of　MYSELF；　with；　whom　he　asserted　that　he　was　　co…operating　in　every　point；　and　that　all　he　was　doing　was　under　　the　sanction　of　the　Bible　Society。

Intelligence　of　these　proceedings　was　of　course　sent　to　Madrid；　　with　one　of　the　handbills；　which　I　have　not　seen；　but　of　which　Mr。　　Southern；　a　literary　and　accomplished　gentleman；　has　said　that　its　　abusive　virulence　is　only　to　be　equalled　by　its　stupidity　and　　folly。　　Sir　George　Villiers；　though　very　unwell；　was　deeply　engaged　　in　my　affair；　and　exchanging　official　notes　with　the　Government。　　　He　had　just　informed　Count　Ofalia　that　unless　full　and　summary　　satisfaction　were　afforded　me；　he　should　demand　his　passports；　and　　write　to　the　commanders　of　all　the　English　ships　of　war　engaged　in　　furnishing　assistance　to　Spain；　commanding　them　to　suspend　　operations　forthwith。　　Suddenly　Count　Ofalia　arrived　at　the　　Embassy；　and　flinging　down　on　the　table　one　of　Graydon's　handbills；　　exclaimed：　　'Peruse　that；　and　then　tell　me；　as　a　Cavalier　and　a　　gentleman；　and　the　Envoy　of　a　powerful　and　enlightened　nation；　　whether　you　can　any　longer　uphold　the　cause　of　your　friend　in　　prison；　and　persist　in　saying　that　he　has　been　cruelly　and　unjustly　　treated。　　You　see　that　he　is　in　the　closest　connexion　with　an　　individual　whose　conduct　every　civilised　man　must　reprobate；　it　　being　a　most　flagrant　breach　of　common　decency　and　order。'

This　unexpected　incident　occurring　at　such　a　critical　moment　almost　　stunned　Sir　George；　but；　recovering　himself；　he　denied　in　the　most　　positive　manner　that　I　had　any　connexion　with　Graydon；　and　asserted　　that　he　did　not　believe　the　latter　was　an　Agent　of　the　Bible　　Society；　and　that　at　all　events　he　was　quite　sure　that　he　had　acted　　in　this　case　without　its　knowledge　and　concurrence；　and　that　it　　would　be　willing　to　declare　so　in　the　clearest　and　most　　satisfactory　manner。

Count　Ofalia；　finding　Sir　George　so　positive；　said　that　since　I　had　　such　a　voucher　he　could　not　reasonably　doubt　my　innocence；　and　that　　with　respect　to　the　Society　he　supposed　that　it　too　well　understood　　its　own　interest　to　trust　its　affairs　to　a　person　whose　conduct　was　　calculated　to　bring　odium　and　misfortune　on　the　fairest　and　most　　promising　cause。　　But　Sir　George　has　subsequently　assured　me　that；　　but　for　this　unfortunate　occurrence；　he　could　have　made　much　better　　terms　for　me　with　the　Spanish　Government　than　from　that　period　he　　thought　it　politic　to　demand。

I　will　now　state　one　circumstance；　and　the　Lord　knows　how　true　it　　is。　　It　was　my　prayer　night　and　morning　in　my　dungeon　that　I　might　　hear　of　no　fresh　outbreak　of　this　man；　whose　character　I　was　but　　too　well　acquainted　with；　as　I　think　you　will　concede　when　you　call　　to　mind　my　letter　written　immediately　after　I　had　received　　intelligence　that　he　was　on　the　way　to　Andalusia。　　He　has　up　to　the　　present　moment　been　the　'Evil　Genius'　of　the　Bible　cause　in　Spain　　and　of　myself；　and　has　so　chosen　his　means　and　moments　of　operation　　that　he　has　been　almost　invariably　successful　in　shaking　to　the　　ground　every　feasible　plan　which　my　friends　and　myself　have　devised　　for　the　propagation　of　the　Gospel　in　a　STEADY　AND　PERMANENT　MANNER。　　　But　I　wish　not　to　dwell　upon　this　subject；　and　shall　only　observe　　that　his　insane　career　（for　in　charity　I　believe　him　to　be　insane）　　must　be　instantly　brought　to　a　termination。　　Sir　George　has　already　　written　him　a　letter；　in　which　I　believe　he　advises　him　to　quit　the　　country。　　Mr。　Southern　the　other　day　made　the　following　　observation；　which　I　shall　ever　remember：…

'Sir　George　Villiers　up　to　the　present　moment　has　been　disposed　to　　render　you　（meaning　myself）　every　assistance；　and　especially　the　　Bible　Society；　which　he　looks　upon　as　the　most　philanthropic　　institution　which　the　world　has　ever　known。　　Take　care；　however；　　that　he　be　not　wearied　and　disgusted。　　He　must　not　be　involved　in　　such　affairs　as　this　of　Malaga；　and　it　must　not　be　expected　that　he　　is　to　put　his　lance　in　rest　in　defence　of　every　person　who　visits　　Spain　to　insult　the　authorities；　and　who；　after　having　received　　merited　reproof　and　correction；　writes　home　to　his　friends　that　he　　is　a　martyr　in　the　holy　cause　of　religion。'

I　may　perhaps　give　offence　by　what；　I　have　written。　　I　shall　be　　grieved　if　it　prove　so。　　But　I　have　had　no　other　resource；　and　I　　have　stated　the　truth　and　what　my　conscience　commanded　me；　and　　permit　me　here　to　observe；　that　if　any　one　in　the　world　has　a　right　　to　be　thus　free　it　is　myself；　who　have　ventured　and　suffered　much　　in　Spain。

Excuse　me　now　for　speaking　one　moment　of　myself。　　Notwithstanding　I　　have　travelled　very　extensively　in　this　strange　country；　and　have　　established　many　depots　of　Testaments　most　of　which　are　flourishing　　（I　have　just　received　intelligence　from　my　correspondent　at　　Valladolid　that　forty　copies　have　been　sold　at　Burgos；　the　heart　of　　Old　Castile）；　not　one　word　of　complaint　has　been　transmitted　to　the　　Government；　and　though　I　have　suffered　so　much　persecution　in　　Madrid；　I　have　been　but　paying　（one　of　my　sources　of　information　is　　Count　Ofalia　himself）　the　account　of　others　who　seem　to　have　been　　reckless　as　to　how　much　woe　and　misery　they　might　heap　on　my　head；　　provided　they　could　play　the　part　with　impunity　which　their　own　　distempered　desires　dictated。

Now　to　pleasanter　subjects。　　Count　Ofal