Adventure stories; Spain -- History -- Ferdinand and Isabella, 1479-1516 -- Fiction
His right hand being still helpless, this he did with his left, and so
awkwardly that the small doubloon he took hold of slipped from his
fingers and fell on to the floor. Forgetting that he had not
re-fastened the belt, he bent down to pick it up, whereon a number of
gold pieces of various sorts, perhaps twenty of them, fell out and
rolled hither and thither on the ground. Peter, watching, saw the
landlord and the other men in the room exchange a quick and significant
glance. They rose, however, and assisted to find the money, which the
host returned to Castell, remarking with an unpleasant smile, that if
he had known that his guests were so rich he would have charged them
more for their accommodation.
“Of your good heart I pray you not,” answered Castell, “for that is all
our worldly goods,” and even as he spoke another gold piece, this time
a large doubloon, which had remained in his clothing, slipped to the
floor.
“Of course, Señor,” the host replied as he picked this up also and
handed it back politely, “but shake yourself, there may still be a coin
or two in your doublet.” Castell did so, whereon the gold in his belt,
loosened by what had fallen out, rattled audibly, and the audience
smiled again, while the host congratulated him on the fact that he was
in an honest house, and not wandering on the mountains, which were the
home of so many bad men.
Having pocketed his money with the best grace he could, and buckled his
belt beneath his robe, Castell and Peter sat down at a table a little
apart, and asked if they could have some supper. The host assented, and
called to the Moorish servant to bring food, then sat down also, and
began to put questions to them, of a sort which showed that their guide
had already told all their story.
“How did you learn of our shipwreck?” asked Castell by way of answer.
“How? Why, from the people of the marquis, who stopped here to drink a
cup of wine when he passed to Granada yesterday with his company and
two señoras. He said that the San Antonio had sunk, but told us nothing
of your being left aboard of her.”
“Then forgive us, friend, if we, whose business is of no interest to
you, copy his discretion, as we are weary and would rest.”
“Certainly, Señors—certainly,” replied the man; “I go to hasten your
supper, and to fetch you a flask of the wine of Granada worthy of your
degree,” and he left them.
A while later their food came—good meat enough of its sort—and with it
the wine in an earthenware jug, which, as he filled their horn mugs,
the host said he had poured out of the flask himself that the crust of
it might not slip. Castell thanked him, and asked him to drink a cup to
their good journey; but he declined, answering that it was a fast day
with him, on which he was sworn to touch only water. Now Peter, who had
said nothing all this time, but noted much, just touched the wine with
his lips, and smacked them as though in approbation while he whispered
in English to Castell:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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