Adventure stories; Spain -- History -- Ferdinand and Isabella, 1479-1516 -- Fiction
At length everything was settled, and as their host, Father Henriques,
had not yet appeared, they determined to depart without bidding him
farewell, leaving some money in acknowledgment of his hospitality and
as a gift to his church. Whilst they were handing it over to the
servant, however, together with a fee for herself, the priest joined
them, unshaven, and holding his hand to his tonsured head whilst he
explained, what was not true, that he had been celebrating some early
Mass in the church; then asked whither they were going.
They told him, and pressed their gift upon him, which he accepted,
nothing loth, though its liberality seemed to make him more urgent to
delay their departure. They were not fit to travel; the roads were most
unsafe; they would be taken captive by the Moors, and thrown into a
dungeon with the Christian prisoners; no one could enter Granada
without a passport, he declared, and so forth, to all of which they
answered that they must go.
Now he appeared to be much disturbed, and said finally that they would
bring him into trouble with the Marquis of Morella—how or why, he would
not explain, though Peter guessed that it might be lest the marquis
should learn from them that this priest, his chaplain, had been
plundering the ship which he thought sunk, and possessing himself of
his jewels. At length, seeing that the man meant mischief and would
stop them in some fashion if they delayed, they bade him farewell
hastily, and, pushing past him, mounted the mules that stood outside
and rode away with their guide.
As they went they heard the priest, who now was in a rage, abusing the
barber who had sold them the beasts, and caught the words “Spies,”
“English señoras,” and “Commands of the Marquis,” so that they were
glad when at length they found themselves outside the town, where as
yet few were stirring, and riding unmolested on the road to Granada.
This road proved to be no good one, and very hilly; moreover, the mules
were even worse than they had thought, that which Peter rode stumbling
continually. Now they asked the youth, their guide, how long it would
take them to reach Granada; but all he answered them was:
“Quien sabe?” (Who knows?) “It depends upon the will of God.”
An hour later they asked him again, whereon he replied:
Perhaps to-night, perhaps to-morrow, perhaps never, as there were many
thieves about, and if they escaped the thieves they would probably be
captured by the Moors.
“I think there is one thief very near to us,” said Peter in English,
looking at this ill-favoured young man, then added in his broken
Spanish, “Friend, if we fall in with robbers or Moors, the first one
who dies will be yourself,” and he tapped the hilt of his sword.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account