LI B RAR.Y OF THE U N IVLR.SITY Of ILLINOIS 823 H4l3s V.2 'i?^ Return this book on or before the Latest Date stamped below. University of Illino;» Library 1^ L161— H-II TH£ SPANISH OUTLAW. A TALE, TOLJl, THE SPANISH OUTLAW, A TALE, BY WILLIAM HERBERT, Esa. IN FOUR VOLUMES, VOL. IL LONDON : FRINTED FOR JT. F. HUGHES, WIGMORE- STREET;, CAVENDISH-SQUARE, 1807, »i»nl«d by R. W1LK5, Cbwicwy-lan*, , -a 3 V, % THE SPANISH OUTLAW. LETTER I. Josephine de Suza to Francisco Sancha, 18 July, 17— XX O W greatly are we endebted to you, my kind god-father, for all your care and generous offers. There are som^ persons from whom I would rather receive the greatest insult than a single maravedis ; but from you, my dear sir, I should accept them as freely as I would accept them from my father. Each proof that you give me of the goodness of your heart, seems an additional tie which binds me to you. I know that you would be displeased by our rejecting these marks of your gene- voL. II. B rosity ; 2 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. rosity ; and the excess of gratitude I owe you, will not permit me to refuse any thing for fear I should distress you by so doing. My aunt, if I remember right, wrote to you at the time that we had received from the Jew four thousand piastres, part in ready-money, and the remainder in bilh cf exchange. When my father left us, he persisted in taking no more than half this sum, saying " that two thousand piastres would take him a good way, and that when they were expended, God, who gives nourishment to the birds of the air, would not refuse it to him." He left us one thousand piastres in ready-money, and a bill of exchange on Madrid for another. He took those which were drawn on Cadiz, Marseilles, and Leghorn, making nourishment THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 3 together the two thousand piastres which he consented to take. You will see by this, my dear sir, that my aunt and I am rich at present, and that w^ith the help of what we get by our business^ although from our inaptitude its produce is but small, there is no necessity for our troubling you on the score of our wants. I now come to the remainder of our adventure. — As we knov/ that this unjust sentence would extend, as is the custom on such occasions, .to the confiscation of property, my aunt said that she would not have to reproach herself with the least neglect ; that the King was too good and just to wish to reduce an unhappy orphan to beggary, and that it became us there- fore to appeal to his clemency, and peti- B-2 tioa 4 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. tion him to remit that part of the sentence in my favour. She accordingly drew up a petition, which I copied; we dressed our- selves in black, that mournful habit agree- ing best with our distressed condition,) and hired a coach to St. Ildephonso. And when the king was returning from mass, we threw ourselves at his feet, and I with a trembling hand, presented my petition, — -Ah i dear sir, we were repulsed with cruelty; we were looked at with a contempt, with an indignation, which rendered those moments the m.ost painful which in all our misery we have yet experienced. To see the warm zeal with which mankind come forward to manifest their abhorrence of, and deal their vengeance on such as bear an appearance of guilt, one would suppose THE SPANISH OUTLAW. O suppose them all good and virtuous. To £ee the presumptuous stubbornness with which they sometimes persuade themselves that the innocent are guilty, one would suppose them all infallible. I could no longer bear this general barbarity ; shame, anger, and confusion, disordered my whole frame : I tried in vain to vent my abhorrence against the false judgement and cruelty of mankind ; the v/ords expired oh my lips, my knees sunk under me, and I fainted. I know not how long I remained in this situa- tion, but on opening my eyes again, I per- ceived the saaie two gentlemen whom we had seen at Buen Retiro. I know not how nor why they were there ; but we certainly never spoke of this unhappy journey to any body. They appeared to be the only two of the many witnesses to our B 3 shame, 6 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. . shame, who tock any interest in my fate 5 and their attention I believe was deemed criminal, for I soon heard a voice exclaim, that it was the King's pleasure they should retire. They immediately went away, repenting perhaps that they had possessed the courage to shew compassion to the unfortunate. That sentiment, my dear godfather, which is due even to the male- factor who expiates his crimes by the sword of justice, is denied us j we know it by the experience of this dreadful inci- dent. Can we be sunk deeper in the abyss of shame and misery ? Since this scene, which I confess has impressed me with no very favourable opi- nion of mankind in general, we have nei- ther seen nor heard of these young men, except from you. A short THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 7 A short time before the adventure of Buen Retiro, we met with one of a very- different nature : As we were going one evening about five o'clock^, from the Place- Major, my aunt happening to turn her head, observed Fernando a few steps be- hind us : we immediately turned into the first street we found to the right 5 he doubled his pace, and my aunt soon observed him In the same street, upon which we turned di- rectly into the first on the left, and pre- sently he was there too. '^ There can be no doubt," said my aunt^ " but that this young man follows us in the hope of discovering where we live : we must put an end to this persecution." We then went into the shop of a mercer, whom we knew nothing of, and vi^ho had never seen us B 4 before. 8 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. before. My aunt asked to see some mus- lins ; being always dissatisfied with those which they shewed her, and taking advan- tage of the time the mercer took in fold- ing up and unfolding his parcels, to look from the shop-door into the street, where she iound Fernando fixed to the place in which she had left. him. At length my aunt made her purchase^ and we left the shop. When he sav7 us approach, he appeared as if he wished to get out of our way, but my aunt called to him twice by his name, and so loud that he could not pretend not to have heard her. He came to us in a very respectful manner, and asked us if he had the good fortune to be able to serve us in any way ? " You are pursuing a conduct, Signor,*' said my aunt to him, «alto. THE SPANISH OUTLAW, 9 " altogether unworthy of a gentleman. if you were a spy belonging to the Inqui- sition, you could only act in this man- ner." — " If you knew, madam," replied Fernando, '* the purity of my inten- tions. . . /' — " We neither know nor wish to know any thing about them," said my aunt; " and I must take the liberty to tell you, that you could not have chosen a more improper method of making us acquaint* ed , with them, than the ridiculous trick which you now have recourse to."— " But, madam., condescend to point out a method !' — " Ncx sir, nothing is farther from our desii^i." ~" Indulge me but with four minutes conversation," — " Pray, sir, cease your importunities, we wish to hear nothing that you can have to say." — " Is £5 it 10 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. it possible! How am I to account "for your refusing a favor tome which yon would bestow on the meanest of mankind? And you miss," added Fernando, looking at me, " do you confirm this dire decree?*' — ^ I did flatter myself," replied I, " that the respect which you owe to my aunt would have been sufficient to make you comply with her request," — " What then must I do ; what do you require of me r^' — " We require, "^ said my aunt, " that you will suffer us to pursue our way^ with- out following us as you did just now ; and that you will never think of introducing yourself into our house without having first obtained our consent. If we should ever be disposed to grant you the audience you desire, be assured we shall ea^ly find means THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 11 means to inform you so."' — " May I then hope, madam," said Fernando^ turning to- wards me, " that on these conditions you will deign to grant me your forgiveness, and a share in your esteem ?'' — '' Both my aunt and myself,'* I answered^ " would be grieved that you should forfeit the good opinion we had formed of you at Buen Retiro." — " Ah! preserve it al- ways, madam 1" exclaimed he, '' what would I not do, to prove myself deserving of it \ I obey, I leave you with the hope that I shall one day be blessed with the means of declaring the sentiments of my heart." He then left us, and finding that we took the street to the right, he turned into that on the left. My aunt thought that he would perhaps have the curiosity B 6 to< 12 THE STANISH OUTLAW. to go to the shop which he saw us come out of, but he did not seem to have an Idea of it ; he v/ent on without once looking behind, and we lost sight of him entirely. About eight days after, when we had been hearing mass at St. James's church, we met him just by the Holy-water^ with the young man whom you say is the son of the one-eyed Jev/, and is called Wan- derghen. They both stopped short on seeing us. The latter presented the holy water to my aunt, ' and Fernando offered some to me, but we both refused it from them, took some ourselves, and hastened out of the church. The two young men ran to us, and presented their hand to help us down the steps, but we took no notice of them. Fernando then THE SPANISH OUTLAV/. 13 then came nearer to me, and said In a low tone but sufficiently loud for my aunt to hear him : '' What turn^ madam, have you affixed to the sentence you have pro- no'.mced against me? What proof do you exact of my profound respect and implicit obedience to your will ? Is it possible that you still can doubt it." — '' Yes/* replied my aunt, bluntly. — '' But in Heaven's name !'' said Fernando, *' what can I do then to satisfy you ?" — " You should keep your word/* answered my aunt, '' and then we should not have met you here." — " I understand you," replied Fer- nando; " but you do me wrong, madam: I protest upon my honour, and by all that is sacredj that it was entirely by accident." " For Heaven's sake, sir, do not swear j you have ]4 TKE SPANISH OUTLAW. have but one way to prove that you say true, which is, to leave us instantly, and take the opposite street to that we enter. Upon my word Signor/' continued my aunt, ^' you carry matters too far ; you will oblige us to quit Madiid : you make it quite irksome to us to live in it,"^ — " And yet," said Wanderghen, immedi- ate drawing very near to me, " my friend Fernando possesses every requisite to make life pleasing to the lady, if she would condescend to be a Httle kind.*' — *•' We\\ well," said my aunt, taking hold of my hand, " we have listened to you long enough: Adieu^ Signor, each to our proper way ; we go this, go you that." They obeyed, and went the contrary way to that we took. But what was our sur- prize THE SPANISH OUTL '>W. 15 prize on reaching home, when taking out my pocket handkerchief, I let fall a letter we both looked at it for some time, with- out daring to touch it. At length my aunt took it up ; it was unsealed, and its contents were as follow : " To Miss Josephine. " My friend Fernando burns with love for you> and if you are as wise as you are handsome, you will not refuse to allay the fury of the flame ; you will not persist in a cruel reserve, which can never tend to your benefit. There is a time for even/ thing, and you would not surely be one of those who sufter their lovers to sigh after them a whole year, without deigning to allow them to kiss their hand. « Come> N 16 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. '^ Come, madam, with your aunt, to partake of a collation in my garden at the Alcala. If you wi:h it, Fernando shall not be present ; he shall not even know of this interview if you are averse to it ; but it is indispensably necessary that it should take place, as it is the only way of arranging matters to the satisfaction of all parties. You cannot mistake the way, it is the last house on the right of the street. If you have any answer to write, send it to the same address ; but I must assure you before-hand, that it will be to no purpose to make it a negative one. Here is an intrigue which I have begun, and I never begin any without bringing it to a successful end. Such is the sacred maxim and invariable rule of your servant, "Solomon Wanderghen/' THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 17 You may imagine, my dear god-father, how gready we were incensed at the in- solence of this Wanderghen, who had dared to write to me in such impertinent terms, and to make my pocket the re- ceptacle for the insulting freedoms of his pen. " This Fernando,*' said I to my auat> '^ must be also a bad man, for no other can be connected with Solomon Wanderghen, the son of an infamous usurer.'* My aunt only laughed at my passion. " You see now, on the other hand,'' said she, '^^that Fernando is the friend of Don Carlos, who appears to be very well brought up. Young men at college and school are in a manner forced to have so many ac- quaintances, and suffer themselves to be so easily seduced by them ; and it is very likely 38 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. likely Fernando may be intimate with Wanderghen^, without having a thorough knowledge of his character. In justice to Fernando, it must be confessed that his appearance is prepossessing, and I cannot think, that his heart is at all depraved. It may happen that we may find occasion some day to expose to Fernando this pre- tended friend, for which reason I do not think it advisable to burn this letter, but to let it remain unanswered, and pre- serve it as an evidence. With this design she shut it up in her drawer, These^ dear sir, are the only opportu- nities which we have unintentionally given them to speak of us. The obscure and retired manner in which we live, gives us no reason to suppose they can discover us, I THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 19 US, but what you tell us concerning Ani- brose^ and particularly of his intimacy with this wretched Wanderghen, has caused us great uneasiness. We have made no alteration in our behaviour to- wards him, and what will appear to you very astonishing, that his zeal and affec- tion for us seem stronger than ever : in speaking of our misfortunes he even sheds tears. Whether it be a trick of hypo- viisy, or the effects of remorse, I am at a loss to conjecture. Signor San Domingo has been this morning to see my aunt, and has quieted my fears ; he promised me that he would take av/ay her fever, but he says it may be some time before her recovery is effected, owing to his patient's uncommon debility. He 20 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. He told her, that if shew as desirous of a speedy cure, she must observe all his di- rections. ** Besides the remedies," said he^ *' administered to people in your condition, it is necessary to have recourse to strong and frequent doses of mirth and cheer- fulness ; and I will administer one myself every time I visit you.** He certainly kept his woi'd this first time^ for he said so many droll things, that* once or twice my aunt could not forbe. ' laughing at them, and she actually found herself better when he had left her. He would not accept a fee ; as soon I began to speak of it, he smiled, and asked me if his black suit frightened me, and ii I wanted to drive him away? *^'I will come and see your aunt every day while her fever continues,' ' saii;. THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 21 «aid he^ "and when It is gone, I will ask for my reward^ and then perhaps you will not give it me ? In the mean time^ leave all that for me and my friend Sancha to settle ; I have an account ith him that has been going on for these t:i years^ he has filled my house with folios i can never read, but I take them notwithstanding; it makes me appear learned, but it is a knowledge that will prove very expen- sive, for I must pay for it all some time. I will pay these visits in redution of my debt J v/ithout prejudice to the salary you will allow me my pretty child j you under- stand. Heaven grant tRat the ship David arrive save, and that we may soon have news from my father j that I may know where to join him. P. S. I 22 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. ^ *-^ P. S. I forgot to say that my aunt absolutely refuses to have a nurse. I did not insist upon it, because she takes very willingly whatever I give her; and it might not be the same with a stranger, besides as she sleeps tolerably well in the night, my task is not very fatiguing; LETTER 11. Francisco Sancha to jQsephine cle Suza* I CAN say nothing, my dear god- daughter, on the subject of your ren- contres at St. Ildephonso and at church j but the following circumstance may per- haps account for that on the Place-Major. You remember, no doubt, passing my shop one evening with your aunt ; I was at THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 25 at my door, and of course bowed to you^ and you returned the salutation. It hap- pened at that time/^that Fernando, Carlos^ and Astucia^ were all together in my shop. The first came up to me, and said to me very earnestly: " Sancha^ do jou know those ladies there ?" — "I cannot deny but I know something of them/' re- plied I. Upon which he immediately ran out of the shop. L observed he followed you, and was somewhat alarmed at itj but your aunt certainly extricated her- self from the perplexity with much dex- terity. On the same evening, Signor As- tucia said, that he knew you likewise, and that you were as beautiful as an angel. Don Carlos said I should oblige him greatly by telling him where you lived. 24 THE S1>ANISH OUTLAW. lived. I told him in a jocose manner, that I should be very cautious how I satis- fied hiiu y that I did not like to endanger his peace j that young men of his age were like those combustible materials which take fire with a single spark. He smiled, and confessed that he had designs upon you, but that they were very far from being offensive. Astucia added, that my pleasantry was very unseasonable^ and that I did wrong to acton the reserve with Don CarloSa who had perhaps a right to de- mand the information which he had been content to request so politely ; and there the conversation ended. The following day, when Fernando paid me his accustomed visit, he seemed much disturbed, and spoke of you with ^uch THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 25 much passion, and as a man greatly cap- tivated with your beauty. He untreated I would tell him who you were, and where you lived ; swore that he should die with grief if I refused ; and that all he wanted was to play his guitar under your window. I answered, that I did not believe that you were partial to serenades, and that all his prayers could not draw the secret from me. All these occurrences, however, must convince you, my dear god-daughter, you cannot take too many precautions, or be too much upon your guard. Never go out unveiled ; continXie to dissemble with Ambrose, I am exceeding glad that your aunt is getting better j she will derive great be- voL. n. • c nefit 26 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. nefit from the advice and directions of San Domingo : he is a man of great experience. It is true that he is some- thing in my debt ; he is attacked with the bibliomania^ and people with this dis- temper frequently purchase more reme- dies than they can conveniently pay for. But we are upon too friendly a footing to have any difficulty in settling our ac- counts. I hope soon to have some good news to tell of your father, and that he will have found an asylum where you may cheer him with your presence. LETTER THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 27 LETTER II. Don Pedro de Massarena to Don Juan Spinoletto. Naplos, 30 July, 1'7 — I HAVE been again reduced to the necessity^ my ever honoured brother, of dismissing another of your protegees^ I mean Signor Balbuena, whose fme hand-writing, I must confess, prevailed on me much more to accept him^ than the testimony you were pleased to give in his favour. If he returns to Madrid, and you think proper to continue your protec- tion towards him, y^ouhave assuredly a right so to do, but it may be rendering a service^ both to him and yourself, to apprize you c 2 that 28 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. that he is much more calculated for a place in a tavern, than in the office of an am- bassador. I have now before me^ Signor^ no less than three-and-fifty letters, which I have received from you since my arrival here, all of which are importuning me to find places for a set of people that you get together from, 1 know not where. If you go on so, I shall have no time to attend to the affairs of the King. My whole days will be taken up in reading your letters of recommendation, and giving audience to, and dismissing persons who you think fit to send to me. Permit me to say, now we are on this subject, that this indis- criminate patronage, and this profusion of recommendatory letters^, commit your judgement, THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 29 judgement, make you appear ridiculous in the eyes of the world, and injure the de- serving few, who may chance to be found among the herd for whom you interest yourself. I have seen myself in the offices at the Escurial and Madrid, that when your name appeared at the bottom of a letter, it was thrown aside without peru- sal, and this laconic ''answer given to the person in whose favour it was written, '' It is impossible j'* and if you continue to load me with epistles, and ask more places of me by every post than are in the gift of the prime minister himself, I shall be obliged to pursue the same me- thod. Allow me once more to tell you^ Signor, that this mad inclination you en- c 3 courage. so THE SPANISH OUTLAW. courage, to be the absolute ruler of my- self and my family, will at length become intolerable. It is surely enough for you to be master of my house at Madrid j for Heaven's sake let me do something at Naples, otherwise you will force me to ask for an ambassadorship at Pekin, to avoid the troop of adventurers who daily beset me, in consequence of the hopes which you are pleased to give them ; and that I may not have my ears assailed night and day with — Do7i Juan de Sp'mO" leito requires ; Don Juan de Spinoletta expects ; and Don Juan de Sp'moletto has desired. Good G — -, sir, never in- terrupt you in the career of your pleasures ; play your castanets and tambour till you have put to silence all the nightingales of Aranjuez ; THE SPANISH OUTLAW. SI Aranjuez ; I shall not object to it ; but in return^ pray indulge me with a little peace in the pursuit of my business. I do not blame, your friendship for your sister, nor the ascendancy you have acquired over her mind ; far from it ; unity among rela- tions is a duty, and docs honour to all who give an example of it ; and I would myself use my utmost endeavours, if it were necessary, to strengthen your attach- ment to Signor Massarena ; but cannot you be at peace v/ith her, without waging war against me ? I am very grateful for the liberal intentions you have been pleas- ed to express towards my son Don Carlos; but is it reasonable that I should sacrifice the comfort of my life to promises and expectations ? You may perhaps suppose, c 4 Signor^ 52 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. Signer^ that I am out of temper ; not at all. You complain always ; it is but just, therefore^ that I should be permittrd to complain for once. At the same time that I censure the unnecessary and ridiculous airs which you give way to, and which injures you greatly in the estimation of those select societies, which you do not sufficiently frequent; I am free to ac- knowledge your magnificence, your liber- ality, and that noble spirit, which distin- guish most of your proceedings. In order to convince you that my con- duct towards you, and the remarks I make, are influenced solely by my desire to prove that I am always in the right, and that you are as constantly in the wrong ; I will condescend so far as to enter upon my de- fence' THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 33 fence upon a point in which you appear to take a most unaccountable interest, I mean my friendship for the Texadofa- mily. You shall know then^ Signor, that on the death of my father, whose mode of life was not very provident, and who, in- stead of amassing riches during his go- vernment at Peru, had contracted debts there to a most alarming amount, I suc- ceeded to an estate loaded with incum- brances, and found twenty l^w-suits to prosecute before any further proceeding could be had j so that it was the decided opinion of the men of business whom I consulted; that I ought to give up the es- tate, and be content with a small inhe- ritance that had been settled upon me. c 5 You 34f THE SPANISH OUTLAW. You may readily imagine that, had I been reduced to that, I should not now, in all probability, been the husband of your dear sister, whom I married two years ^fter my father's death. My better stars ordained that^ before I made a final choice^ I should apply to Gonzalez Texado, who enjoyed among the lawyers a high and well earned reputation. Texado plunged into the labyrinth with a courage worthy of a hero, he cleared up this chaos with a perseverance and knowledge approaching to a miracle ; and in six months the twenty law-suits were tried, and one only of very little consequence was lost, Texado, who was entirely regardless of his own affairs, used such care and method in mine, that I am indebted to his generous cares, to his / indefatigable THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 3^ indefatigable labours, for my father's whole estate free from all deductions* You must either allow, Signor, that in- gratitude is a virtue, or that it became ihe to seek every opportunity to prove to Texado that I was far from it. This is not the only circumstance which attached me to him. From frequently seeing him^ and consulting him on my affairs, I be- came so much enamoured of the society of this virtuous and enlightened man, that it became essential to my happiness. I never proceeded in any affair without his advice, and what he advised me to do always proved to be what I ought to have done; so that he has been literally the founder, the sole founder of my fortune ; and Signora Massarena cannot have for- gotten;, c6 36 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. gotten^ that it is to this good man we owe the happiness of our union. I did not then inquire^ Signor, if Texado was of noble ancestors; I only considered his merit, and the obligations that I owed him, and thus we became intimate friends. He had a son at the same time as myself. Texado's child was nursed by the wife of one of my servants, and mine by a woman in the same village, so that the two children became acquainted from the breast. As they grew up, they became inseparable, and any thing might be obtained from either of them by threatening to deprive him for an hour of the company of his little friend. I have always been an advocate for a public education 5 I have always been averse to that THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 37 that which insulates the pupil ; which is conducted in the presence of a mother, who spoils him ; of a father who has no leisure to attend to him ; and of servants who undo all that the instructor has done. As soon as they had passed their child- hood, the two children were placed in the same school ; and from school they went to the same college, and had the same master 5 as they advanced in age, they evinced a sympathy, and an affinity of temper, which astonished their master • When young Texado had the first place, Don Carlos had the second 5 when the former had the second, the other had the first. It was the same with respect to the annual prizes, whoever had not the first, was sure to obtain the second. They were 58 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. were two names interwoven together, twa branches blended together, and never to be seen separate. On leaving college, Carlos came home, Texado was designed for his father's profession ; but the dif- ference of the parents did not prevent them seeing each other every day, and staying together as long as their new studies would allow them. Now it does not become me^ Signor^ to disjoin what God has so well joined. Your dear sister says, that when a debt is paid, nothing is owing. This ri- diculous expression escaped her no doubt in one of her vapourish fits, and you will, I am persuaded, point out the folly of it to her, and remind her that there are some services which money can never pay* THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 39 pay. Suppose^ for instance, that by some accident you had fallen into the middle of the sea, and were on the point of being drowned; and suppose that at that very moment, a man should be found kind and courageous enough to brave the danger, and should rescue you from the merciless waves, and bring you safe to shore : Can you imagine that a share^ that even one half of your fortune, could recompence such a service ? Very well } this is precisely Don Carlos's situation with young Texado. If you do not know it' already, inquire into the adventure of Buen Retiro. I am indebted to the fa« ther for my fortune, and perhaps my existence ; I am indebted to his son for the preservation of my own. If these be not 40 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. not motives suiHcIently powerful to bind them for ever, there is an end to all gratitude, to all morality^ and every social virtue. Gonzalez Texado's extreme dis- interestedness, or, if you please^ his in- difference in all matters v^^here his personal interest alone was concerned, deprived me of opportunities, in his life-time, of serving him as I wished. During his last illness, I was with him every day; and a few hours before his death he addressed me in terms which are deeply impressed upon my memory, and were nearly as follow: " Your friendship for me, my dear don Pedro, spreads a sweet calm over my dying moments. One only care lies heavy upon my heart, which I will now impart THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 41 impart to you, because you alone can ad- minister relief. I have reason to fear that my affairs are in a very disordered state, and I now repent that my childrens' in» terest occupied my attention much less than that of my clients. What may^, per- haps, add to the difficulties arising from the confusion of my affairs, is^ that my son is at present too young to acquire immediately that public confidence which I have lived in the enjoyment of. 1 he boy has many amiable qualities, which I have observed in him with infinite pleasure. 1 flattered myself that he would arrive at the same eminence v/hich I have had the fortune to attain to, and that he would be possessed of a better fortune ; I relied on his talents and good will, to place his mother and sisters 42 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. Sisters beyond the reach of want. I re- gret his youth, his consequent inexpe- rience;, the easiness of his temper, and his natural disposition to devote himself wholly to such as seem to love him most. I know, besides, that there are traits in his character which subject him to be sur- prised into improper actions, unless he is guided by others until his reason is more matured. I am afraid that his mother, in her impatience for the time when he may prove useful to his family, may even re- tard that time, by forcing him into a pro- fession in which the knowledge he has yet acquired will do him but little service, and the duties of which he would but ill perform if he had reason to think he em- braced it from necessity. «^ If THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 43 " If I could die in the assurance, my dear Pedro, that you would transfer to the son that friendship which you have shewn to his father, my separation from all that I hold dear would be far less painful. I entreat you then, by the long and constant intimacy that has existed be- tween us, that you will grant me one proof more of that tender interest which I have always observed you to take in all that concerned me. Until my son ar- rives at this wished-for period, when he may be of advantage to his family, do not lose sight of him ; cover him with your kind protection in all his wanderings, and notwithstanding what may be said of them, do not despair of placing and keeping him in the road to that indepen- dence 44 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. dencc which he ought to share with his mother and his sisters. This is the last favour which your friend, your dying friend Texado^ will ever ask of you : Will you grant it ?'* After speaking thus, he paused in anxious expectation for my answer. I did not keep him long In suspence ; but concealing the grief with which his situa- tion filled me, and assuming a tranquil look and unshaken tone, I answered him ■—to this effect : *' At this awful moment, when^ after so long and strict an intimacy, we are going to part for ever ; at this awful moment, when you are encompassed by the wings of death, every attendant circumstance commands respect, and assumes a cha- racter THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 45 racter of serious importance, and engage- ments entered into become doubly bind- ing. — Listen to those I make with you. You commit your son to my friendship ; — you wish me to cherish him, and to do him all the good jn my power. — The will of a dying man is sacred ; — May I be loaded with the opprobrium of mankind, and the curses of heaven^ if I do not fulfil your's! — I accept the trust which you commit to my charge, and will always watch over him. I promise, in the pre- sence of that God who is about to judge you, and reward you for the good you have done on earth, that as long as I con- sider my interference unnecessary to your son, I will neither check his most trifling wishes, nor his more fixed inclinations; but 46 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. but as soon as I shall think he stands In need of a guide, I will take him under my own care, — I will treat liim as my own son, — and 1 will not leave him till he has established a comfortable condition for himself and his family ! — Such, my best of friends, is the promise I give you: Banish then all disquiet from your heart : Let no remaining sorrow disturb the tran- quillity of your soul : Accomplish your sacrifice with resignation ; and do not suffer fancied cares to deprive you in your last moments of that serenity which^ from the purity of your conscience you have ever lived in the enjoyment of. In the midst of the sorrows which the loss of you will bring upon me, I shall always receive comfort from the pleasing re- flection THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 47 flection that I can so well fulfil your wishes towards your son, that when we meet again j I shall find you contented with my conduct, ''^ — '' Heaven be prais- ed !'' exclaimed ihe virtuous Texado^ ^^ I die content. Farewell^ then, my dear Don Pedro •, — Leave me, ere I leave you; — to •witness your friend *s last sigh would be painful and profitless ; — and it is proper that I should now devote my thoughts to the account I am about to give of a life, which I could surrender without regret, if in surrendering it you were not pre- sent to my mind.'* Such, Signer, wa5 my last farewell of poor Texado, and such the promise I made him. Judge now, if I could do less for his son than I have done. Do not say 48 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. say I do too much ; by so saying you would give me an opinion of you I should be sorry to, entertain. Follies and absur- dities may be overlooked; they even serve to divert, but no one can discover with indifference the defects of the heart. In a word, having placed young Tex- ado in the situation it became me, in pur- suance of my promise to his father that I would watch over him, I have taken him in my own care, and I will not leave him till I have made him what he should be. My superintendence will be as profitable to him, as Astucia's can be to my son. As you still continue to interest yourself for this Astucia, as you carry on a corres- pondence with himj and as he is now the only protegee that you have in my house, it THE SPANISH OUTLAW, 4^ It Is to your honour, and I have a right to require of you^ that he in no way disho- nours your protection. I am not unrea- sonable ; I do not exact a difficult task of him : I desire only that he instruct his pupil in geography, history, a*"d mathe- madcs ; pardcularly tactics, mechanics, and fortification : I further desire that he will introduce him into no improper houses or societies ; that he employs the utmost diligence to make him avoid every cause of quarrel ; that he teach him to reserve all his bravery for the service of his country, and to consider a bully as a coward and assassiri. On these condi- tions, which do not seem very difficult to fulfil, Astucia shall ev.joy my favour; but if he does not fulfil them, he shall VOL. ir. " D experience j50 the SPANISH OUTLAW, experience a very different treatment, from which all your protection^ my ever honoured brother, shall not secure him. Adieu, Signor, let us always be friends ^ but to be friends we must esteem each ether. Friendship and esteem are inse- parable companions. If you should judge unfavourably of my long defence, but one thing can result from it^ namely, that you will have judged erroneously; for I shall ever remain as firm and unshaken in my resolutions as in my conduct. ^ LETTER THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 51 LETTER HL Don Pedro deMassarena to Inigo Astuc^a, Naples, 31 July, 17—. AT the time when I entered the ser- vice, I was about the same age as Don Carlos is now^ and my education was ia no way superior to that he has received It was the custom of the corps^ in those times, to try the new comers. I had forined to myself rules of conduct from which I never deviated ; I did not there- fore submit to the trial 5 but, notwithstand- ing, they had sufficient proof that I had a soul worthy of a Spaniard. The war came on. It once became expedient that d2 two UNIVERSITY onumuu 52 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. two hundred men should go into a wood to surprise a party of the enemy, which was reported to be very numerous. I resolved on taking with me those who had been foremost in trying me. They followed^ but left me at the entry of the wood, and returned to the army, with- out the loss of a single man, I succeeded in my expedition so well, that I acquired the praises of all my superior officers. I remember their telling me, that the cou- rage I evinced in that action had nearly proved the salvation of the whole army. It was on this occasion that I received the wound with the sabre of which I still bear the scar on my right cheek. You sec then^ my dear Signor, that one may very well dispense with the ceremony of being trkd^ THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 53 tried^ and still see the enemy very near at hand. I am not sure if this ancient custom still prevails in the regiments; but I am thoroughly persuaded that it could only have originated among monsters, 1 kuow that he who tries is an assassian ; for he would not try if he did not consider him- self superior in arms to the person whom he tries \ if he were not almost certain that he should shed the blood of his ad- versary ; I know too, that a Spaniard has not too much blood to devote to his country's service, and that he ought to be jealous of reserving it for the field of battle : and, lastly, 1 know, that if Don Carlos should be tried^ and if any occur* rence takes place on that or any other oc- D 3 casion. 54 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. casion, whether a duel premeditated or accidental, which I do not approve, and contrary to the principles which i have laid down for him, I shall consider you, my dear Signor, accountable^ who are ap- pointed to take care of him» My son is accountable to his country for his blood ; and you are .accountable to me for the blood of my son. I trusty that being cau- tioned, as you now are, you will be pru- dent and dexterous enough to ' prevent any transaction of this nature, by which the religion^ honour^ and service of our country can, in the least degree, be of- fended. Should I be disappointed, you will have reason to regret it for the re- mainder of your days. Adieu, THE SPANISH aUTLAW, 55 Adieu, my dear SIgnor, strive by your •care and attention to Don Carlos, to se- cure to yourself the friendship botli of the father and the son. LETTER IV. Fernando Texado to Laurenza Cascara, NrJples, 1 Aug. 17 — ♦ HIS Excellency has been pleased to communicate to me, my good papa, the contents of your letter to him : I thank you heartily for the affection which you and my good mama still feel towards me^ and would do any thing in the world to prove to you that my love for you both is equal to yours for me. Do me the favour to de- ^>ire this Coxon to tell his master from me, D 4 that 6b THE SPANISH OUTLAW. that he is^, as you say, an imperlinent coxcomb ; and that if he presumes to talk any more of trying^ he shall have a trial with me; that i^ he were at the world's end^ I would follow him, and try to give him a lesson which should incapacitate him from trying any one after. You need not tell Don Carlos that I have given you this commission, but i shall be obliged to you to execute it. Farewell, my dear papa, my time Is so much taken up, and I have so many other letters to write, that I am deprived of the pleasure of making this longer. LETTER THE SPANISH OUTLAW, 57 LETTER V. The same to Solomon JVanderghen* Naples, 1 jiugust, 17—-, THE zeal which you manifest in my interest, my dear friend, claims my warm- est gratitude ; but I must confess to you that I sometimes fear it may carry you too far, and that you may perhaps do more for me than you ought. I still main- tain the resolution I had formed on first seeing Josephine, to possess her at any rate, and in whatever condition of life Providence has been pleased to place her; but you would plunge me into the last det.pan*5 if the earnest friendship which you bear me;, should ur^e you to any mea- D S sure S8 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. «ure which may give this adorable object the slightest reason to suppose that I do not respect as greatly as I love her. You must find out her address, but it must be by such means as she cannot take offence at. As soon as you know it, you may stop, and impart your discovery to me^ and I Villi consider of the most eligible mode of proceeding. Don Pedro im- proves ^ upon acquaintance ;. and if my Josephine, my family, and friends, were but here to keep me company^ my happiness would be complete j Naples would become the abode of delights, and Madrid would be entirely forgotten.. I have no objection to make to the mo- tives which stimulate you to the career of arms 5 but I am fearful your project will be THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 59 be attended with obstacles, which may prove extremely perplexing. I will cer- tainly write to Don Carlos on the subject by this very post ; at the same time I will tell you, with that candour which ought to exist between friends, that I shall confine myself to the mere repre- sentation of your request without urging it. It would not be proper for me to bias him in an affair of this nature : there are certainly rules relative to the disposal of commissions which I am not acquainted with ; and it would be inde- corous and ridiculous in me to require 4 Don Carlos to attend to my wishes, in preference to those rules. In general, my dear friend, in all affairs of a public na- ture, whatever is out of the narrow sphere nS in 60 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. in which I am placed, I have no power in promoting. If Don Carlos should grant the request which I shall lay before him, it will afford me great satisfaction, on account of the pleasure which you will receive from it ; but if, on the con- trary, he should pay no attention to it, I cannot take it ill;, because he must know much better than me the duties of his place. Adieu J my dear Wanderghen; under all other circumstances, when I have the abi- lity of proving my good- will towards you, you will find that no one of your friends loves you with more ardour or sincerity than myself. LETTER THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 61 LETTER VL Fernando Texado to Don Carlos de Massarena, Naples, 1 August, 17 — . Observe, my dear friend, that if it should come to pass, by any of these adventures, which are but too common in life, and particularly in your situation, that you should be induced to fight, I quit Naples^ Ambassador, hopes, all! I pursue to the extremity of the world the man with whom you fight, and force' him to renew the combat with me. I now give you due notice of my intention, and whether you approve it or not, I shall resolutely persist ia it. Wander- 62 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. Wanderghen wishes to enter the ser- vice, and to commence his career by the rank of lieutenant ; he would prefer your regiment to any other^ and desires me to request you to admit him. If there be no objection to his admission^ you will oblige me by procuring it; but I have given him no promise : I apprize by t^iis post that I shall only submit his request toyou'. 1 told you in my last, that Don Pedro had announced his intention of a second interview with me j and as he had given me to understand that its object was con- fined entirely to the regulation of my own personal affairs, I waited for it with no in- considerable anxiety, and no inconsider- able time. In the mean while I could not THE SPANISH OU TLAV/. 63 not perceive any change in Don Pedro's behaviour towards me^ it was as cold and reserved as ever. At length the wished- for day arrived. When the business of the morning was dispatched^, Don Pedro came up to my room, and taking the papers upon which I had been employed, he said, " Etoes Signor Texado dine at home to- day ?"— " Yes, Signor,"—- So do I ; if Signor Texado has nothing better ta do, and is disposed to chat with me a little, he will oblige me by coming to my closet after the siester ; I shall be alone," As I had taught myself to believe that this second interview would not be less agreeable than the former, I waited the hour without agitation ; I had a very good nap, and what, will not at all astonish you, is. 64 the; SPANISH outlaw. is, that I dreamt of Josephine, of you, and Don Pedro ; but what may appear to you singular is the dream which I then had: I thought that I was v/Ith you in the gal- lery at St. Iluephonso; that all on a sud- den our ears were assailed by the most alarming shrieksj and that we saw every body runaing a^;^'a7 in the greatest haste and confusion. On enquiring the cause of this disorder, a hermit came up to us, and shewed us a serpent of a most formi- dable size which was issuing from the King's apartment, and threatened to dart upon the fugitives. " Fear nothing," said the hermit to us, '* the animal will do you no harm; it is in pursuit of that young iady whom you see in black, neai, to that other wiiu is likewise in black.'* What THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 65 What was our surprize on discovering that the young lady and the other, where Jose^ phiae and her aunt ! As soon as Josephine perceived me, she ran tome with open arms, as if to shield herself in mine, and make a bulwark of my body. Just as she was on the point of reaching me, the serpent made a horrible hissing and darted furiously at her, winding itself in several folds round her. I seized the monster by the neck, and squeezed it tightly, whilst you, with your sword, cut the folds of his body, which fell piece-meal on the floor, without Josephine receiving the slightest hurt. The images which present themselves to us in dreams, are sometimes very absurd and unaccount- able J and I cannot now forbear laugh- ing, when I think on the resemblance, the 66 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. the physiognomy of this serpent appeared to me to bear to Astucia^s. Just as you had killed the brute, I heard four o'clock strike, and found neither the serpent, nor Josephine, nor you, nor the hermit j I saw clearly that I was not at St. lide- phonso, but at Naples, and that it was my time to attend on Don Pedro ; to whom I accordingly went, with my head full of the nonsense I had just been dreaming of. I found him as before, stretched in his arm-chair, with one leg upon the other ; having several letters on his table which were open, one of which he had then in his hand, which I observed to be your writing. His hat was oif ; he made a slight inclination v/hen I entered, and pointed THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 67 pointed to the chair on the other side of the table. I took my seat ; he laid down the letter^ and addressed me as follows. *' It is now time, Signor Texado, that you should be able to tell if you know me^ and can like me. But whether yau know me or not, whether you like me or not, will prove of very little importance to me. I apprize you of this, that you may regulate your behaviour, your plans and expectations accordingly. You will allow that I cannot deal more honestly with you, I have dragged you from Madrid ; it was my duty to do so. You are now with me, and v/ith me you shall remain, whether you will or no, till I determine otherwise. Who has given me this au- thority over you? If I had not it, I would not 68 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. ' not exert it. I was the friend of your deceased father^ as much as one man can be the friend of another : If you do not know his last request, I do ; but I am not bound to give you an account of it ; it becomes you to be persuaded, that what- ever I do is well done, and that no one is privileged to find faults Let us proceed to another point. You are Don Carios'sfriendj and if you do not remain so, the fault will be your own ; all the blame will be on your side ; and this would be so much the more grievous to you, as his love for you would suffer no abatement, I am thoroughly acquainted with his character ; it depends on you to preserve this union, w^hich was formed between you, from your birth, to the hour of THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 69 of your death. Two men are friends, Signor Texado, when every thing is common between them; friendship is a union which will admit, when the interest, of one or both requires it, of the separation of persons, but never of fortunes. If you entertain any other notions of friendship, they are false. I only consider thera fdends between whom all is equal, the purse among the rest ; who join in one common stoci^, without considering which of the tv/o contributes more largely to it. Don Carlos's fortune is your's^ as that which you may one day arrive at will be his. You are brothers, and as long as you look upon each other as such, it is my vash and desire to make no greater difference 70 THE SPANISH OUTLAW - difference in my treatment of you^ than there is betwixt your ages." Here, my dear friend, I could contain myself no longer, but throwing myself at your father's feet, I said, ''Oh, sir ! what man can be compared to you 1 how unjustly did I think of you ! — I do not merit the hundredth part of the bounty which you see given upon me. What ! to have Don Carlos for a brother! To haveyou, sir, for a father! — I am unworthy such goodness ... It is more than I can bear."—" Yes/* replied Don Pedro, somewhat moved, raising me up, and making a sign for me to resume my seat ; " Yes, Fernando, yes ! I am your father, as 1 am Don Carlos's j I have the same affection THE SPANISH OUTLAW. ?! affection for you • . . I have the same au- thority over you, and I shall use It as becomes me. But, let me proceed to some questions to which you will answer^ if you please, without ambiguity, and without concealment. If truth were not in your heart, and In your mouthy or if you had the baseness to dissemble with me, you would have reason to repent it.— Hear me then." The following dialogue then took place between Don Pedro and myself. — " Do you know one Solomon Wanderghen ?" *» Yes,Signor." "Well/' « Very well?*' '' What is the nature of your connection with him?" "Intimate." ''As intimate a8 with Don Carlos ?'* "' It is not the same kind of friendship. If I were obliged 72 THE SPANISH OUTLAW*- obliged to lose either of them, I would rather lose Wanderghen. I could console myself for his loss, but never for the loss of Don Carlos,'* " Has esteem any share in this connection ?** " Why, Signor, I have never had any cause to think ill of Wanderghen j I never knew him commit an action whichr, could challenge my censure.'* **" What are the motives which attach you to him ?" " He has a great deal of wit, a strong natural under- standing, enriched with much useful knowledge ; he is even an author j at least he has written some works which are as yet in manuscript, but which he intends to publish.'' '^ What is the nature of/ the knowledge he has acquired ?" " His studies have been more particularly di- rected THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 73 rected to mathematics^ and the arts of government.'* — '^ Oh, oh! this is sublime. And pray, where did he learn the arts of government ?*' '* From history and ob- servation.** — " I understand, I understand you ; his are speculations, political ro- uiances. — And his hearty, what do you think of it?'* ^-1 believe it to be ex- ceeding good.*' — ^' Has he given you any proofs of it ?*' " Yes_, Signor." — '' Per- sonal ?"— .^* Personal.**— « Of what kind ? " I have always found his purse open to mOj when I have had occasion to apply to it." — '' That is to say, you have borrowed mojiey of him. Have you borrowed much ?" «' In all fifty piastres." — " Have you repaid them ?** " Not yet.*' — "Has he ever asked you for them?" VOL. n. E Never!*' 74 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. *' Never !" — "' Where did you form this connection ?" " At college, where I found him when I entered, in the study of the law." .*' He intends then being a barrister, or a magistrate^ I sup- posed ?" ''He has just changed his mind ; he wishes to enter the service^ and has solicited a lieutenancy in Don Carlos's regiment." " In Don Carios's regiment! I did not know that. Is he of any family ?'^ " I do not know any thing of his ancestors." " Yv'ho is his father." '^ A man who seemsHo have amassed considerable riches, either as a banker or a m.crchant, but does noterjoy.a very good reputation,, M least among the lower orders of people, among whom he is not so well known by his proper name, as by a ludicrous nick- name." *V What is that nickname?" THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 75 ^' The one-eijed Jew,'^ " I don't remem- ber it. Is he really blind of one eye ?" '' Yes, quite." " What is his proper name ?" '^ Moses Wanderghen.'' " I don't remember it. Moses and Solomon ! Those are certainly very pretty names ; but they partake of Judaism. Wander- ghen is not a Spanish name. Are they Catholics?" *^I imagine the son is^ be- cause he has taken his degrees." *' That is no reason ; there ars many admitted both to the bar and the bench, and even to some holy oiFices, ^vho are but amphi- bious beings, Vv ho are Catholics in public. and Jews in private. This wonder is mora common in Spain and Portugal than is generally believed. They make a pretext for a journey to Bourdeaux, to Metz, or E 2 Avignon ; 70 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. Avignon j ihey get circumcised there, and return amongst us, to exercise offices which require them to be sworn to, and openly profess the Catholic religion. Has Solomon Wanderghen been in either of these three cities ?" ^' He certainly told me, when he had left college, that he had been a journey to Avignon." ^' Very well ; I would bet that on his leaving college he got himself circumcised in the synagogue at Avignon. Be always on your guard, Fernando^ with men who have two religions. Solomon Wanderghen shall have no lieutenancy in my son's regiment, I assure you* And so much for him. — Do you know Astucia?" "Very little." *' What is your opinion of him ?** " Having seen him but very seldom, and ~ always THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 77 always in Don Carlos's company, and never having had any particular conver- sation^ I have not been able to form any." *' Do you consider him your friend r" ^' The thought never entered my head.'^ '' What does Don Carlos think of him ?'* " He never spoke of him to me, either well or ill." " Do you know my brother- in-law, Don Juan de Spinoletto ?" " No, Signer." '• But you have seen him, havn't you ?" '' Three or four times at your house ; but he has never spoke to me, nor I to him ; 1 only know him by sight." — '^ And the Signora Massarena ?'' *^ I met with a gracious reception from h^r when I had the honour to be intro- duced to her, and on the few occasions when I have been permitted to visit her." 1 3 *' you 7b THE SFAKISH OUTLAW* " you must get into her good graces when you happen to be at Madrid ; it is not very difficult : you have only to con- dole with her on the ill state of her health. —1 have now told you the secrets of my family. Disclose to me those of your's. I understand you have a very pretty sister who wishes to become a nun.'* '' It was ill contemplation when I came away." ''Is she iiot influenced in this choice by some considerations which may have been sug- gested to her,, that by so doing she would ameliorate the condition of her elder sister? In a word, is it her ovv'n and hrst desire to devote herself to perpetual seclusions. Heaven asks none but willing sacrifices. If you have the slightest gi^ound to suppose that your sisrer is in any way compelled, you . THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 7^ you should hold yourself bound to have it explained. You must be aware what a misfortune it would be if But, you do not answer." " It is very difficiilt, Signor, for me to give you a direct answer to that question, because I may possibly entertain an opinion on the subject, which may prove at variance with the fact. My mother asserts that Rosolia is disposed to the holy state ; Rosolia, for her part, declares that she has no v/ish beyond a convent. How can I presume to contra- dict them both ? 1 sincerely believe, that upon a strict investigation^ it v/ould be found that my mother has a partiality fo-r my elder sister ; but, on the other hand, truth obliges me to say, that Rosolia appears discontented at home, and pleased E 4 only so THE SPANISH OUTLAW. only in her convent I have always ob- served, that at home she is weary and melancholy, and at the convent she is all life and miith." — ''Come, Fernando, you are inclined to be mysterious on this point 5 and, I dare venture to say, that you would not be quite so reserved with Carlos and Wanderghen. Tell me, do you know this writing ?" Don Pedro then gave me the copy of a letter which you had written to my mother from Anduxar. I had scarcely cast my eyes upon it, when I found that it was copied by my dear Rosolla. I could not forbear kissing her pretty characters, and exclaiming : Ah ! it is my dear little sister Rosolia's wriiing." *^ Her own ?" de- manded Don Pedro. " Her own.'* '* Fernando, THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 81 " Fernando^ your dear little sister writes a better hand than you. There is not a woman in all Spain who can wTite so well. Poor Texado/' continued he, in a lower tone, '^ what a pretty family God has given you! What amiable children! Who but must love them 1" — Don Pedro, who be- lieved [ was intent upon the letter, thought that I did not hear this ex- pression of his sensibilityj but it did not escape me ! My eager heart devoured it. I even perceived the tears fall from his eyes as he said these last words. He took out his handkerchief, and pretended to wipe his forehead, in order to conceal them. — What a father you have in him, Don Carlos ! Fie is surely more than human 1 How little, how despicable do I E 3 appear 82 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. appear before him!— "^^^least, continued Don Ptdro, " she writes better than Don :g' Carlos ; for the letters he writes always abound in errors of orthography ; and I see in this, that though it has evidently been written in haste, that they are all con- nected. Read, read this long letter, Fernando; it is yourself whom it con- cerns.'* How can I possibly describe to yoa, my dear Carlos, the sensations I experi- enced at every paragraph I read. But when I came to the story of the gallery at St.Ildephonso, of which I had not the most distant recollection^, and which brought to my mind the dream I had just had, I stood motionless, with my eyes rivetted to the paper. It is really true then^ that I saw THE SPANL^H OUTLAW. S3 saw this picture of Josephine and her aunt dressed in mourning, prostrate at the King^s feet. What power could have gained ascendancy over the feelings of my soulj and plunged me into the darkness of insensibility ? Ah ! doubtless I ought to return thanks to Heaven, that it was so, for had I been awake to their situation, I mi^^jht have committed some dreadful outra< and therefore made a bow, and was preparing to leave Don Pedro, when he called THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 101 called me back : '* Hark ye^ Fernando !'* said he j '*' People who take snufF ought to have a proper sniifF-box ; if Fierbrac, the secretary of legation from France, should see that which you exhibited just now^ he would be making an epigram upon your thriftiness. Here," continued he, opening his drawer, '' are two snuff- boxes ; one for Don Carlos, and another for you.** He then placed them on the table. They were both in a little leathern bag. He took out one, and holding it to me, '* Look," said he, " this is for Don Carlos. The snufF-box, my dear friend, is simply tortoise-shell, inlaid with gold ; but what renders it of an inestimable value, is your father's portrait, which is set iu gold upon the top of it." — Solikehim, thatl F 3 exclaimed 102 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. exclaimedlmmediately Isaw it: '^'^ Heavens, what a likeness ! The mouth, the eyes, the face^, even the scar, every thing is striking : It is you, Signor ! it is nature itself!" '' Indeed,'' said Don Pedro, *' one could desire nothing of the kind more perfect. We are clever people in Spain ; but what nation caa be compared to Italy. The arts are always carried there to a wonderful perfection. Here, Fernando," continued he, *' is your own. The portrait^ perhaps, is not so good, because it was done at Madrid. — See if that snuff-box pleases you." So saying, he gave it me in- the bag. ^ I took it out, and found it to be the same kind as your's; and upon it v/as the portrait Of whom? .... of vv^hom? .... Of you, Don Carlos ! THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 103 Carlos ! of you my dear friend^ In the uniform of your regiment, with your colonel's gorget and epaulettes. '* 'TIs him^ 'tis himself, it is my friend Don Carlos !" I exclaimed. Then addressing myself to Don Pedro, " Ah, Signor 1" said I to him, " you are too good, a thousand times too good ; for I have not a thousand lives, which I fain would have, to sacrifice in your service. It is, and always must be, utterly impossible for me to express the sentiments with which your sublime virtue has inspired me. With what joy would I shed every drop of my blood, though but to give you an idea of it; and when shed, I should esteem myself still in your debt. Happy, happy Don Carlos ! to be blessed with I 4t such 104 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. such a father 1" — '' He is not happier than yourself," answered Don Pedro. — I felt most sensibly the charm of these few words, which recalled to my memory what this more than human man had before told me, that he considered me not only as your friend^ but your brother/ I was so deeply affected, that my appear- ance manifested no doubt in some degree the emotions of my heart. — " You are pale^ Fernando," said Don Pedro to me, *' open the bottle and smell at these salts." I did as he desired, and soon recovered from the weakness, vvhich^ from the fullness of my heart, was gain- ing upon me. ** I have made a good choice, then," continued Don Pedro. ^' I rejoice at the pleasure THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 105 pleasure you seem to receive from it. One trifie more will accomplish your equipment. The other day, when Fier- brac asked you at Biancavilla's, what o'clock it was by your watch, you got rid of the question by a lie, pretending that you had left it at home. You must tell no more lies. I have purchased of the king's watchmaker^ who is a very clever man, two watches; one for Djn Carlos, and another for you. Here they are : it is immaterial which of them you take, because they are exactly alike. The chains are go! J ; and the seal which hangs to each of them is likevv'ise gold, 1 have had them both en^-raved with the o letters M and T, which are the iiiitials of my son's name and your*s. I imagine the F 5 cypher ICG THE SPANISH OUTLAW. cypher will please both of you. The watches are repeaters ; in other respects they are very plain^ and nothing uncom- mon. I am pleased that you have one, because it will enable ycu to observe that order and regularity in your occupations, which is essential, in order that no part of them may be omitted, and that every thing be dispatched in its proper time. Defer all your long writings^ and your letters to your relations and friends, to those days when the duties of your office allow you leisure to attend to them. You play upon the guitar like a schoolboy ; I wish to join the violin to that instrument* I have spoken of you to Tartini. That man's talent is truly wonderful ; he is very old, and his hand shakes, but he is very THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 10? very competent to teach you, notwith- standing; and lie has promised me to give you some lessons. You can go and see him. Take advantage of your resi- dence at Naples to acquire a knowledge of all the fine arts. You will find nowhere masters so perfect, so skilful, nor so many great performances -as here. In the after- noon, after the siesta, you will oblige me, when you have nothing better to do, by playing a game at chess with me. In the evening I shall be happy to see you in the circles which I frequent, without prejudice however to your long walks : no con- straint of that point, I only wish you to vary them, for ail the environs of Naples are well worth your attention. I should like to know who has attracted your at- F 6 tentioa 108 THE SPANISH OUTLAW, tentlon so constantly for some days past at Solfaterra, and engrossed so much of your time." "Who^ Signor ? . . . . lam almost ashamed to tell you," '^ Is it any thing to be ashamed of, then?" " Not in the least ; but you will laugh at me, you will think me fooHsh." " Is it a mystery^ then, a secret that must not be known ? Is it another Josephine ?" " Oh ! far from that ; it is . . . it is a Hermit." ^'^ A Hermit!" said Don Pedro^ smiling, '' you had a great right to prophecy that I should laugh. A hermit ! So then, because Rosolia is to be a nun, you are going to turn monk ? Is this an episode to be affixed to the romance of the Incognita? or is it a new one that you wish to con- struct ? The story must be curious, no doubt J THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 109 doubt ; but it is too late to hear it now 5 1 must go out ', we will talk of ihac another day. AdieU;, Fernando 1 I have at this moment two things very much at heart ; the first is to know the real cause of the melancholy with which my letters inform me Don Carlos is affected : if you succeed in discovering it, you know your duty j whatever it be^, I must be acquainted with it the instant you know it. The second thing I require is, that you impress deeply on your heart and mind this day*s conver- sation. Do not grieve the friend nor father, if you regard their blessings and those of Heaven. Adieu 1" Such, my dear friend, was my interest- ing discourse with your father : I leave the discourse to your reflection, and the man to your adoration. You 1 10 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. You too would, no doubt, like to know who the hermit is, but I have no time to tell you now ; my letter is infinitely too long already ; that must remaia therefore for another opportunity. This Balbuena, who has caused me to have so good a lecture, leaves Naples at last. If the wind is fair, the ship sails the day after to-morrow. I have given him a few trifles for my sister Rosolia, and as I wish her to have them, and to have all of them, I should not like them to be delivered at the house. My elder sister Isabella would be for seeing and seizing ; her curiosity would tempt her to look, and the sight would tempt her to take possession, if not of all, at least of a part, and I am not willing to expose her to such a temptation 5 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. Ill a temptation ; because by not exposing her to it, I shall be assured that she can neither do wrong, nor do herself any vio- lence in abstaining from it. I have de- sired Balbuena to leave what is for Rosolia at Massarena-house, Madrid. They are all addressed to you. If you should be there wh^n the parcel reaches Madrid. ^you will oblige me by taking them your- self as soon as you can to my little Ro- soha. I know no better method of being sure that she will receive the whole punc- tually. If you should not be at Madrid, the parcel willbe left there, and you will execute my commission as soon as you are able. Farewell, my dear Carlos ; before all this took place, I loved you from my soul^ 112 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. soul, and my affection was pure and dis- interested 5 nov/ I am all pride and vanity in having for a friend the son of Don Pedro. Is it really true that you are a prey to melancholy ? Have you any ob- jection to confide the cause of it to me ? Why should you not ? I will keep your secret as a trust to be used at your dis- cretion. I will not even communicate it to Don Pedro^ for I have made no pro- mise, and notwithstanding wnat he says^ my duty does not extend so far as to tell him what you are unwilling he should know. Once more, farewell : fear less than ever that I can forget you j you are ever before my eyes. LETTER THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 113 LETTER VII. The same to Figicera Texada, Naples, 30 July, 1? — YOU will find enclosed, my dear and honoured mother, a bill of exchange for fifty-six piastres, payable at sight by Revel the banker, opposite your house. The letter of advice will reach him this day. I entreat your acceptance of this small sum as a trifling token of my affec- tion, and the first fruits of my economy^ for I am already enabled to lay by ; from which you may conceive that my situation is not so uncomfortable as I expected, and that I am much indebted to his Ex- cellency's goodness. But do not suppose, my dear mother, that what you term my Hi THE SPANISH OUTLAW. my weakness, is in the least abated. My passion for Josephine is stronger than ever, and I have greater reaeon to hope than when I first came here, that we may one day be united. I implore you not to object on your part to a union^ with- out which I must become a prey to per- petual misery and despair ; but^ on the contrary, should opportunity offer, con- tribute your kind endeavours to hasten that blessed moment. It appears to me, that with the assitance of Wander- ghen, you may do much to promote my views. One Signor Balbuena, who was for- merly a secretary here, will shortly arrive at Madrid : he is charged with a letter and a parcel for my sister Isabella. Continue r HE SPANISH OUTL AW.' 1 15 Continue your affection towards me, my dear mother, and pardon me if I cannot attend to your remonstrances upon an attachment, which you could not but approve if you but knew its object. LETTER VIIL The samQ to Isabella Texada^ hk Sisten Naples, 3 Aug. 17— I UNDERSTAND perfectly, my dear sister, that in referring me to my mother's remonstrances, you have like- wise arguments to oppose to my union with Josephine : they may be very good, but they must all be surpassed by exam- ple; — then let your precept sbe supported by your example^ and I will prove a con- vert. 116 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. vert. Do not you marry^ and I will re- main single. "Will you agree to my pro- posal? — You have nothing to say to it You blush : — Why blush ? we only blush at what we are ashamed of ; you blush because I put you to your trial ; aye, to your trial. Deal honestly with me, Isabella, and confess, that if it de- pended on you alone, you would be mar. ried to-morrow. Why do not you marry to-morrow? — I will not trouble you to answer that question ; but I can ven- ture to tell you, that you will marry as soon as you can. If marriage then is desirable for you, why should it not be the same to me ? Why should you con- demn in me what you Jo not object to for yourself? — In a word^ why in this point make any distinction between us ? I shall THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 117 I shall expect your answer ; and In the mean time I send you the wedding suit. One Signor Balbuena, who was formerly secretary here, will bring it to you. It is the softest, freshest, gayest silk^ that can be manufactured. A young French lady, who sets the fashions here, appeared at at Court in a gown of this silk a few days ago. Every body who saw it uttered cries of admiration, followed her, and en- quired the name of her mercer. She has received above a thousand visits on this subject. Her gown is the only conversa- tion at court, and throughout the city. Now you must know, my dear sister Isabella, that my earnest desire was to please you ; — lused such diligence that I got the start of all the other admirers ; and ilS THE SPANISH OUTLAW. and the merchant, who had procured the silk from the East-indies, had a^ctually no more of it than what the French lady and myself had bought of him. You have an ample quantity for two gowns. I likewise send you the sash you asked for, besides two pair of white gloves, and two of rose colour. There is not a city in the world where these gloves are so well made as at Naples. These which I send you will perfume the air for two miles round. You will also find a small pot of rouge; it will be of use to you when you are married. I always return to that point, because it is by that we must both conclude. Run now and open yoiir packet, you can finish my letter after. ^ Now 'the SPANISH OUTLAW. 119 Now, my dear sister Isabelb., that you have examined e/.-ry thing, and are con- tent with every thiiig, and will allow that Fernando has some taste, I will tell you that I J ave thought it but fair to send a few trifles to my little Rosolia. I have not directed them to my mother's, lest I should have tempted yoa to encrease your possessions at the expence of the intended nun ; —I mean no offence. You have your share, and are content with it ; Rosolia must also have her's to herself ; besides there are some things in the lot which Don Carlos must deliver to herself, it is therefore my intention that he shall de- liver the whole contents : You will oblige me then by obtaining my mother's permission for Don Carlos to pay a visit to 120 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. to Rosolia, to render her her due. If you should refuse me this favour you will make me very angry ; and it will be a useless trick on your part, for by some means or other, Rosolia shall have the things I have destined for her. Adieu, my dear Isabella, preach as much as you please, but never lose your temper : let us always love each other. Believe me, nothing is more pleasing, nor amiable in the eyes of the world, than unity among brothers and sisters. That the brother you give me, may approach half as near to perfection as that sister I will give you^ is all I require. LETTER al^E SPANISH OUTLAW. 121 LETTER IX. The same to Rosolia Tcxada^ his sister. jSTaples, 3 August. DO you remember, my dear little Rosolia, when we used to go together every morning to my father's study, for him to give us our French lesson j and do you remember that morning when we read tlie two first stanzas of the parrot, Ver vert, and my father's saying, "•' Come, Fernando, begin, say what you have learned by heart ?" I arose from my stool, and going up to you^, who were seated in my father's lap, as proudly as if it had been a throne, I accosted you very seriously, and addressed you in these pretty verses : VOLIS, VOL. II. G 122 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. Vous, pres de qui les graces solitaires Brillent sans farid, et regnent sans fiertc Vous, dont I'esprit ne' pour la verite. Salt alller a des vertus austeres X.e goiit, les ris, i'aimable liberie, '/ Very well, very well,'* said my fa- ther; *' you speak it like a scholar of Louis ie Grand, and not like a school-boy of Salamanca ; you deserve to be rewarded for this lesson^ and I won't forget you/' For your part, the parrot was never out of your head* " You joined your little hands, and begged my father to give you a parrot as pretty as Ver vert. He an- swered you thus : ^^ When you are, I will not say wise, for you are always wise; but when you are bigger I will give you one. At present you v/ould only teach it nonsense, because you are not very learned THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 123 learned as yet ; but when you are as big as your sister Isabella, you can teach it to dance the fandango, and to play upon the harpsichord." You were no sooner upon your feet, than you ran to the wall to measure your height, then came to me, and said in transports of joy: '' Fernando, Fernando, I shall soon have the parrot , I have grown a good deal to-night ;^' and then you would stretch your little legs that you might be taller still on the mor- row. Well, my dear, good Rosolla, whom I bear in my heart, as my father bore you in his ; I have not forgotten this parrot any more than yourself. Our dear father died without keeping his promise with you. I do now what he had not time G 2 to 124 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. to do. I send you one, which for its plu- mage, tamenesSj and talents, surpasses any you have ever seen or ever can see. I bought it very young as soon as I came here j I have taken great pains to educate it, and it has exceeded my hopes. You must see and hear it to judge of its merit; it easily retains all that it is taught j it cries and laughs, it sings and whistles; it can imitate men and women, and often mixes in the conversation, frequently giving correct answers to the questions that may occur. It is sometimes so gay and droll, that be as sad as you please, you will find all your melancholy will he dispelled as snow melts in the rays of the sun, I have, observed the ambassador more than cnce;, amidst his most serious occupations, laugh THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 125 Baugh most heartily at the drollaess of: my bird. He became quite partial to it, and even signified one day that he should not be displeased if I made him a present of it. . . . " Upon my honour," said he to me, '^ I will introduce it at Court ; it will get me many friends there ; all the ladies will be mad after it/* But when he understood that I intended it for you : "■ l.tt it go," said he^, " to its destination; I should be sorry to deprive your sister of so charming a companion." In short, my dear Rosolia, we have parrots at Madrid, which by their uncommon beauty and sa- gacity, are the admiration of foreigners, who declare they never saw their equals else- where ; and I declare to you I never saw G. 3 a bird 126 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. a bird at Madrid worth half as much as this is. The packet which accompanies the par- rot contains: First, a piece of furniture called a ease, in which you will find in- struments by no means fanciful or unpro- fitable ; they are very useful for those of your sex, -and may be used in a convent .with as much propriety as in the world. You cannot find throughout Spain, waters of such a fine odour as those which are in the bottles^ for perfumes are exquisite at 'his place. Secondly; a large box of all sorts of sweetmeats and confectionary: all these delicacies are made here in the greatest perfection. Thirdly j another box, containing six pounds THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 127 pounds of Florence chocolate. You are not obliged to me for this, for the ambas- sador has given me ten times more of it than I can ever make use of. Fourthly ; a pincushion-box^ upon which I thought proper to have engraved the portrait of your brother and friend Fernando. It cost me nothing, because the ambassador had his own taken, and told me mine should be included in the bargain. Sixthly ; a small box, in which you will find a few yards of ribbon, for I believe ribbons too are worn in the holy state as well as in the worldly one. It is a ci'devant secretary of the am- bassador's who brings you all these things ; *! have desired him not to take G 4 them 128 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. them to my mother's^ but to leave them at Massarena- house ; and I have writ- ten to Don Carlos to deliver them him- self. What means he will find to execute this commission, and whether my mother and the nuns will admit 'him to a tele-, a-tete with you, remains yet to be known. I have no mind that Isabella should be prying into my packet, I commit the at. fair to Don Carlos's prudence, and to your lucky stars, for I can do no better. I have likewise entrusted to the bearer a little spaniel^ a^ pretty as any in Spaia^ and by far more sagacious 5 he is very fond and very droll. When the names of Josephine, Rosolia, Don Carlos, or Fer- nando^ are pronounced, he wags his tail, raises himself upon his hind feet, jumps, . dance§j THE SPANISH OUTLAW, 129 dances, and shows his teeth^ as if those names inspired him with delight. I have christened him P'kilo, He wears a silver collar round his neck, upon which is en- graved our cypher, that is an F arid R , which are the initials of our two names, with a C between them, being that of my friend Don Carlos. You know that Fer- nando proceeds in nothing without Carlos ; their hearts are one ; it is the same with their names ; friendship unites them in every way. I am afraid they will not suffer you to keep this dog at the con- vent. In ,that case, Don Carlos should have it, and if you should renounce your pious project, he can restore it to you. Is it true, quite true, my good little sister, thiit you persist in your resolution « 5 to 130 THi: SFANiSn OUTLAW. to become a nun ? This, as our good fa^ ther used to s? f , is no child*s play. It is an engagement for life : examine your heart thoroughly^ and tell me with your accustomed candour, the result of such examination. Do not the vexation and disgust you experience at home in- duce you to mistake for inclination to this kind of life^ that which is in fact but a dislike for the one you lead at home ? Were you situate otherwise at home, should you experience the same desire I How should you enter upon this calling but from a decided choice for it, and po- sitive indifference to every oth^r condition. Heaven expects no other. Consider this deliberately and maturely with yourself^ if you really find such to be your choice, then. TPIE SPANISH OUTLAW, 1 31 then, my dear Rosolla^ though I shall be- wail most bitterly the loss of you, I will not have to reproach myself with advising you to resist the voice which calls ,you. But if you have not such absolute prefer- ence to the holy state^ as surmounts all other considerations, should you discover that you have deceived yourself, then prithee avoid a sacrifice which would be unwelcome to heaven. Write to me immediately, and do not alarm yourself for the consequence. They may com- plain, but fear nothing, I can speak out, and make it known to all, that since my father's death I am the head of the fa- mily. In the mean time, my dear Ro- solia, promise your brother not to enter upon your noviciata rashly, it is true that does 132 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. does not bind you, but it is a khid of en^- gagement which attaches a kind of dis- grace to a retreat; and in a. matter of such consequence as this, you must be influ- enced by no false shame, by no respect for the opinions of others, i am unac- quainted with the term of what you call the probation in your community 5 but you can risk nothing, R osolia, in prolonging the time. Could your conscience be woun'ded at all by telling the superiors your trial has not been sufficient ? On the contrary, it appears to me^ that the mea^ sure would be prudent, and that your su- periors must commend it, for a few months reflection is not too much to pre- pare for the noviciate. I am THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 133 I am the more anxious that Don Carlos should see you alone, that he may point out to you a sure mode of corresponding with me. Mind you. take due advantage of it my Rosolia, and write to me often, very often. Now that we can no longer laugh and play together in our father's study, we will at least divert each, other with our letters. Communicate this to Don Carlos ; tell him too that I have not presumed to recommend the person to him with whom I have charged what you will receive, af- ter what was said to me by the Am- bassador, whose opinions and desires it would not be right to oppose. Adieu, Rosollaj remain always my dear good sister, as I will always be your dear good IS4! THE SPANISH OUTLAW. good brother, Fernando. The time^will come when we shall laugh together again. Isabella has written me a sermon, such as she used to preach to us both when we would not play at her games ; but it has not made a convert of me ; it will not prevent my giving you, sooner or later, Jo- sephine for a sister. Do as I do, let them chide on^ and only listen to the dictates of your own heart, which will always give you good advice. LETTER N THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 135 LETTER X. Don Pedro de Massarena to Don Carloj. his so?i. Naples, 6 August, 17 — . REPAIR as soon as possible to Sancha the bookseller, and deliver the enclosed letter, which is designed for him alone, so that you must not break the seal. You will promise him secrecy^ and receive his declaration, which you will communicate to me, and me only ; — lose no time in making this communication. I do not wish the Signor Astucia, nor any other person whatever, to be present at your interview. What 1S6 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. What you say as to the length of ser- vice Is perfectly j.ust ; never depart from, your rule. The sub-lieutenancies I leave entirely to your own disposal. You ought to be capable yourself of making a proper choice. Behave towards your officers with dig- nity, avoiding both haughtiness and fa- miliaritVr To your soldiers, with justice and severity. Let this be your rule of con* duct. Avoid quarelling like the plague ; never give provocation ; never be the aggressor ; but if you should be put to the test, if you should be forced to de- fend your Mfe, remember that you are a Spaniard and my son. Let the man who has the presumption but to glance at a^ sus- THE SPAN-ISH OUTLAW, 137 suspicion of your valour, have cause to regret his desperate rashness. You are given to melancholy^ Don Carlos. — No childishness. I am anxious to know the cause of it, and command you to tell it me» Do you suppose me want* ing either in affection or power to make you happy ? To imagine either would do me an injustice which would overwhelm you with remorse. You will receive fifty-six piastres from your uncle Spinoletto^ whereupon try to find Solomon Wanderghen y ask him how muchmoneyi'5 due to him from Fernando ; give to the said Solomon Wanderghen such part of the fifty-six piastres as he states to be owing ; take his receipt for the ISS THE SPANISH OtTTLAW. the same^ and keep the surplus for your friend. I know not whether Fernando is con- tent with me ; but I foresee that it will be very difScult for me to satisfy him : trou- bles multiply at every step we move : he must J however, become more rationah He is inclined to an extravagance both of thought and action, which I am not at all disposed to tolerate. Farewell, Don Carlos. If you do not impart to me the cause of your grief, you will do wrong, for you are not to learn, that to give you satisfaction, the greatest sacrifices will be as nothing to the best of fathers ; as I am the best of fathers, be thou the best of sons. LETTER THE SP ANUS II OUTLAW. I Sf^ LETTER XL The same to Francisco Sanchcu Naples, Q Augmt, 17— • I . AM informed, Signor, that you are acquainted with one Miss Josephine and her aunt. It is important to me to know the names, residence, and condi- tion of these persons. You will please, therefore, to communicate these particu- lars to Don Carlos, who will deliver this letter, and whose discretion you have no title to distrust. My demand^ Signor, will admit nei- ther of objection nor delay. If you re- fuse to give me the information you re- quire, you will have cause to repent it, for IshaU I'la THE SPANISH OUTLAW. I shall then obtain it, by means which may prove prejudicial to yourself and the persons in question. Avoid such incon- veniences ; deal honestly with me as I da with you^ I am,, &c. LETTER XII. The same to Don Juan Sphioletto. Naples^ 7 -^i^g' 17 — - YOU shall know^ Signer and ever honoured brother^ that your protegee Balbuena^ has contrived to borrow of the Secretary of Legation fifty-six piastres, which you must be aware, this same Bal- buena will never re pay. To a. Secretary of Legation, who is not at present well equipped, fifty-six piastres is a consider- able THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 141 able sum, who is not rich himself, and whose parents are poor. I do not intend that he should lose this money. You shall further know that he {the Secretary) has contracted a debt at Madrid, which must be instantly discharged, because I will never suffer any one who is with me to borrow a single maravedis. I have formed my establishment upon this prin- ciple, and with God's help I will main- tain it so. I desire that all around me should characterize the grandeur and mag- nificence of the country which I have the honour to serve ; and it would be a de- gradation to me that any one should be able to say, he has a debtor in my house. According to this determinadon, Signor and ever honoured brother, it appears either 142 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. either you or myself must pay the said fifty-six piastres. Now, I most assuredly shall not, for no consideration shall in- duce me to make reparation for the tricks of Signor Balbuena. You will therefore pay it, if you please, to my son Don Carlos^ who is commissioned by me to ask it of you. You have too much spirit, Signor, to suffer a protegee of your*s, to commit in my house such a meanness as this of Balbuena' s, and you are too generous to refuse reparation when it is made known \o you. Balbuena was taken by me on your recommendation ; you answered for him ; you became his security ; your word was pledged for his faith. A man of your rank, knows well enough the respect that h THE SPANISH OUTLAV/. 143 is due to his word. He who pledges, pays ; it is one pf the laws of honour, with which you are as well acquainted as myself. I could add^ that in robbing a young manj who from his situation and other circumstances^ is nearly allied to me, Balbuena has done me a ^personal insult, for which I might both in reason and justice demand satisfaction. I am content, however, with that which I have now required of you, and with the con- fidence with which your greatness and ge- nerosity inspire me. LETTER J44 THE SPANISH 'OUTLAW. LETTER XIII. Inigo Astucia to Don Juan Spinoletto, Madrid,^ 10 August ^ 17— . WE have been at Madrid, Signor, since yesterday morning. We left An- duxar the end of last months, and which will astonish you, we left it without fight- ing. This young Don Carlos is asto- nishing for his age ; he has a style of be- haviour which frustrates every endea- vour to quarrel with him. But we must have patience J what is delayed is not lost. The scene shall be acted at Madrid in- stead of Anduxar, and your satisfaction must be thereby increased, as it will be much more talked of. You THE SPANISH OUTLAXV. 14^ You always complain of me, and al- ways without reason, for I devote my whole person to your service. From what I can see, Signor, nothing but the image can appease you ; be appeased then, for you shall have it ; the plot is too well con- trived to fail of giving you this proof of your servant's zeal. Only moderate your impatience ; my design might fail if too hastily pursued. Believe me, I am as anxious as yourself to hear you pour forth raptures in praise of its beauty and the perfection of my taste. I have received this morning the sixty pistoles, which will enable me to transmit it to your gates. When you are in possession^ deign to grant some favours to the man who is the humble slave of your pleasures. I prefer VOL. II, H the 146 THE SPANISH OUTLAW, the consulship of Smyrna to that of Mo- rocco. Infidels for infidels. I incline more to. those of Asia than Africa^ LETTER XIV. Solomon IFandcrgken to Amhrosio Hombrenegro, Rio Bella/ 1 1 y/w^. 17— . WELL, my brave Ambrose, my dear colleague, how do matters succeed at Madrid ? Your's are going on charm* ingly. The manuscript is corrected and finished. Antexageros has written to me, that he is waiting for it with the utmost Impatience, and thai he wants to distri- bute the parts. He shall have it. Signer Ambrose, as soon as you think proper, that THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 147 that is to say, as soon as you have told me who are the fan* incognitos. As I set off to-day for my father's, direct your an- swer to Buen Retiro;.but mind that I find it there ; and that it is a satisfactory one, if not J I shall give you up ; you shall not have the manuscript,, and God knows what may happen to you. LETTER XV. The same to Moses fi'anderi^hen^ his Father, Rio Bello, llJvgu,^/, J/ — I SE r out to-day, my dear father, on my journe)' home. Every thing is settled. We have agreed upon the sum ; but they iaughod at me when I represented the man- H 2 ncr 14^ Tf3E GPANISH OUTLA"^'. ner in which you designed to pay it : they told me that nobody ever thought of buying an estate with furniture and jewels ; that it would be an age before they could be valu- ed, and another for the holders to convert them into money. They require ready-mo- ney. This difficulty ought not to be an ob- stacle to your proceeding ; it is better to begin my views of promotion by the pur- chaseof this estate. I shall have much less trouble in obtaining a lieutenancy by re- questing it in the name of the Marquis de Rio Bello^ than in that of Solomon, son of Moses Wanderghen. ^ As to the Marquisate, it is the iinest place in the world : there are seven steeples, the park is one hundred and fifty acre?, and there are fine ponds in^the enclosui:e. THE SPANISH OUTLAW. M^ enclosure, most plentifully stocked with fish ; an antique castle, with towers, moatSj bastions, and two pieces of ar- tillery ; a chase of four miles extent, and . every privilege you can think of, — -one indeed I believe to be quite peculiar to the place; which is, that the lord of the estate has a guard consisting of twelve light-horse men, richly cloathed, who, when he chooses, mount on horseback, and go in procession before him with their swords drawn. They may attend him- whereever he goes within the boundary- of the estate. How can you hesitate, my dear father,- to make a purchase like this?— there you- will be the King, and I the Priace of As- tocia.- Promise them the money they ask. li S without 150 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. without loss of time. If you do not get this estate, I shall be the most miserable of beingSj I shall be driven to despair, and blow, my bi*ains out^ for certain. And when your Solomon is no more, of what use will the heaps of gold and silver you have emassed with so much care be to you? A man of business whom I have consult- ed tells me, that you must have the King's licence to purchase this estate, owing to the report of your Judaism. I toid hira in answer, " that report lied ; that more* over I was a professed CathoHc that I had valid certificates of my being such, and that the purchase should be made in my name.'* — ' No matter,' replied the man, ^ the report extends to both father and son ; THE SPANISH OIJTI.AW. 151. •b'on ; it affects both of you ; there are none of these nice distinctions made in Spain : they will admit of none to purchases of this kind but estabhshed Christians. If you buy it without the King's Hcencc, you will have a very ti'oublesome account to settle with the Court and the Inqui- sition. Besides, you would be ruiaed with losses; you would be perpetually annoyed in our possession ; the farmers would not pay their rents ; the vassals would refuse to do you homage^ they would not do their duty towards you ; the cu- rates would pay you no respect, and per- haps would even refuse you admission to their churches.* But: do not be alarmed at all this, my good father. Aty lucky stars having pro- H 4 cured 152 THE SPANISH OUTLAW, cured such a patron as Don Juan de Spk noletto^ I will contrive to make him sa dependant on my services, that he shall get the king's licence for us, and do all. that we require of him. Resolution and perse vpranrf^ Ctin cfiVct any tiling, - • LETTER XVL TJie same to Inigo jistuoia* RioBfello, 11 Aug. \7^ I CxiME here, Signor, on business which concerns my father, and not for my pleasure, as you suppose. Whenever it is necessary for your plans, that I should, return to Madrid, I. will return immedi- ately. 1 leave this place to-day. You see TrXE SPANISH OUTLAW. 15^ S€e you cannoL be served more promptly, and I flatter myself that when occasion requires, I shall experience the same zeal on your part, in all matters wherein my interest is coac^Tned. In this world nothing is d ^ne without a return ; you have recourse to my services ; I depend on your'Sr As soon as I arrive I shall claim your promise to introduce me to Don Juan de Spinolecto Y ju issure me that I can be of use to him, and aat that is your reason for wistiing to see me soon at Madrid ; I hr ve no doubt of it, Si;^nor ; but I must apprize vou before-hand, that I v/i'.l move in no affair connected wiih his servi':e, before I have the honour of being intro- duced to him, and receive his o m as- H 6 suiances 154 THE SPANISH OUTLAW- surances of his patronage. I must persist in my request that you will not apply to- Don Juan to get the lieutenancy of Don Carlos. I prefer waiting my friend Fer- nando's answer, which I shall most likely find at my father's. Fernando cannot refuse me the favour Ihave asked of him, and Don Carlos is devoted to him ; it is not even sure that Don Juan's request would be granted^ and Fernando's must naturally ► You must see that I pursue the best method, inasmuch as it is the most sure to gain my object, and in so doing I have the satisfaction of knowing that I do not violate the rites of friendship, which I should do if in this case I applied to any other than Fernando ; I ought not to deprive him the pleasure of obliging THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 155 obliging me. Nothing is so grateful as to gain a point without offence to one's conscience, since conscience and success can very seldom ^o together ; one must generally be sacrificed; but in this affair 1 am not reduced to the alternative. However desirous I may be of obliging you, and profiting by your offer to use your influence with Don Juan de Spino- letto in my favour, I must repeat what I have before said that I will not^ in any way, espouse your quarrel with Fernando, against whom you appear to be greatly in- censedj and whom I do not believe to be at aU ill- disposed towards you, for hehasnever spoken of you to me in either good or bad terms. Fernando is still my friend j he has done nothing to offend me ; and were I to wage war, it would be a gross and H 6 wilful 156 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. wilful injustice towards, hiiiir If he, u, when I speak with such frankness^ and caution you so openly. But we will talk further of all this in a few days. In the meaatirae I beg to renew my professions of zeal and attachment. LETTER XVIL Francisco Sancha to Joseph ,e de Suza, 13 August, 17-— THE following parapraph my d -ar god-daughter, appeared in the Pensador, I have copied it word for word. " Those T5S THE SPANrSfl OUTLAW. Those persons who have goods shipped ©n board the David, are all at a loss as to her fate. On calculating the time that has elapsed since her departure, it appears that she should not only have reached her destination, but tliat she should be actu- ally returned to Cadiz. Still, however^ there is no account of her ; so long a silence is quite unprecedented. It is well known, that soon after her departure,- the weather became very stormy. Can the cargo, crew and passengers have all perished : should "this unfortunately be the case, it will affect the fortunes of many- individuals at Cadiz ; and some principal merchants of this capital.* You must not, however, suffer yourself to be too much alarmed by this paragraph. The THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 15^^ The journalists are not oracles. The editor of the Pensador knows no more of the matter- than I do, and it is not im- possible that he has been paid for the in- sertion of the above. There are often motives for keeping a ship at sea. They spread k report that she has perished; all those who have any interest in its cargOj immediately taking the alarm, endeavour to make a composition with the owner^ and for a trifling sum, in ready money^ make over to him all their property in the ship, and all interest that may accrue therefrom. Wheii the bargain is con- eluded, the report of a gun is heard ; the lost vessel arrives, and would have brought a hundred per cent, profit to the persons interested, if they had not been too ICO THK SPANI'-^IT OUTLAV/^ too r^a-ly to renounce ihcir hope. Then :do not be more alarnie4'v.than myself; let us wait for what is 'called the oflicial accounts. The passage between Cadiz and Marseilles is neither unknown nor imfrequented ; a vessel could not perish in it without our having an authentic statement. I am extremely anxious for your aunt's recovery ; first, on account of the satis- faction and relief which you will experi- ence from it;, and, secondly, because you will both be better able to. dodge your spies. Doctor Sail Domingo told me^ as he did you, thatit would be a considerable time first ; that she had regained her appetite, and in some measure her strength and spirits, but that her legs were much swelled THE SPANISH OUTLAW, 161 jfwelled still, and that she could not walk without great pain. It seems then that we must still have patience. This wretch., Ambrose, gives me great uneasiness, and I am perplexed to knoW' what behaviour to adopt towards him : A few days ago I was so weary of his conduct,, that I could no longer observe silence, and accordingly I addressed him as fol- lows : " Hear me^ Ambrose y your master gave me a favourable character of you, and I cannot therefore have any distrust of you ; but explain one thing to me ;• why, when an officer of the Inquisition,, an alcade, or an alquazil, happens to come into the shop^ do you turn pale immedi- ately, and run away ?" '' Because," he answered, ''I do not like those people;. Idc 16 2 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. I do not like those who live by the harm they do.'' " But/' said I to him, " they only harm those who have done harm* I am obliged^ from my situation, to see these people frequently, because they come to give me notice of the books that are prohibited j you are therefore liable to be exposed to these shocks frequently, and it is possible they may take notice o£ you, and point you out as a suspicious object to the officers of St. Hermandad.'* " It is all one," replied he, " it is all one.- It does violence to my probity to look these fellows in the face/! ,'' Talking of probity," I resumed, '- I have a piece of advice to give you. When I am out of the shop, endeavour to prevent strangers coming too near the till, for I find when I return THE SPANISH OUTLAW. IG3 return r.t night, that its contents are not very great, althoiigli there has perhaps been a very good sale." I had scarcely uttered this when Ambrose became quite enraged , he bawled so loud that he was absolutely heard in the streets ; and all the neighbours looked out from their wii^idows. '' Who do you speak to, Signor ?" said he to me. " What do you take me for r Do you take me for a thief? I would have you to know that I never took a single maravedis from any one in all my life. I can prove it. I am aa honest man. KnoWj sir, that Hombre- negro has urobiry ; yes, sir, I have, thank God ! and I will let you sec it. You have hurt my delicacy. Do ycM choose to search me ? There, search my pockets. OU' 1-64 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. On saying this, his face turned as red^ as scarlet, and his eyes almost started from.' their sockets; he put back his pockets- ^ith great promptitude, and I observed^ that those on each side his breeches were: of a most extraordinary depth.. In putting back the left one, he let a dagger falL from it, like those worn by the Sierra- banditti, the blade of which was at least six inches long, and extremely sharp at the point. Ambrose, you know, is left handed ; and the circumstance of this- being in his- left pockety, did not at all please me. I said to him, " What is that, Ambrose^ which you have just now let fall?!' '^Vhat? Whatr^' said he. ^* That vile instrument there," said I. — Wiiereupoa-he stood pale and motionless ; then T-HE SPANISH OUTLAW. 165 then eagerly grasping it up, '' What do you mean^ this, sir ?'' said he, " what ! . . « this is ... ... here, look at it well ; . . . • you see this dagger ..... look at it well^ Signor, touch it, touch it ; It is a trophy that ought to be in the king's archives. Coming through Spain with a master v/ho took me into his service in France, v/hen we were in the plain of Biescar, and my master was attacked by six assassins, he cried out, " Here ! Ambrose^ come to my help." iL immediately ran to him, and falling on the foremost of them^ I snatched his dagger and plunged it in his heart ; he fell under the blow, and died upon the spot. The other five took fright and ran away. Here it is, Signor ; this dagger, which has been buried in the heart of a Sob THE SPANISH OUTLAW. of a robber; I preserve it as a testimony of one of the bravest exploits which were ever performed^ and if the King knew of it, he would create me at least a chevalier of Alcantara." " I must allow/' said 1 to him, " that this does you great honour.'* — ''You see then, sir/' replied he, '' that I am a man of honour ; that I have some probity. Are you satisfied ? Will you go up to my room ? Will you search my drawers, my trunk ? . . . Come, sir, come.'i "Good Heavens! Ambrose/' said I, raising my voice in order to silence him, ^^ you make a deal of noise about nothing. Who hinted a suspicion of your honour and probity ? All you have to do is to see that I am not robbed ; it is not at all sur- prizing that I should lose money in my absence, THE SPANISH OUTLAW. l6l absence, when, even In my presence, they often contrive to take a few rials, and sometimes a piaster. Come, Ambrose, compose yourself, go to your business, and let all this be forgotten." ** Very well," said he, as he went away, " but you suspect me, sir, that lies heavy at my iiear:.'* I confess to you, my dear god daughter, that I was not all pleased with this scene ; I supposed however that there would be no more said between Ambrose and my- self on this subject, but I was mlstaker* About eleven o'clock at night, when I was going to-bed, I heard a fumbling at my door. '' Who is there ? " I cried — ''^771- Z^ro^e,*' replied a mournful voice. — ''Well I but/* said I, "Ambrose, what can you want 168 THE SPAl^ISH OUTLAW. want with me at this time ? *' — " To speak to you? '* — " Is it any thing of such great consequence then ; cannot you defer it till to-morrow?" — " No^ no, its of the greatest consequence ; open the door^, sir^ pray open the door ; if you do not open it;, I am lost, lost for ever ! Signor Sancha, for the love of God, open the door ! *' This he said in a tone of such great humility, that I was induced to com^ ply with his request. " Well," I rephed, ^' be qiu::t^ Ambrose, I will open it." As soon as the door was opened he fell upon his knees, saying, ^* Oh! Signor, I am a miserable wicked wretch ; pardon me, sir, pray pardon me ; if you do not I shall kill myself.'* — " What are you about, A brose,'* said I to him, *' get up, it is only to THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 1C9 to God that you should kneel. Say what is the matter with you ? Have you lost your senses ? '* He then got up and spoke thus. '^ I am a wretch, I tell you, and am prepared to drown myself, if you do not pardon me.*' — '' Well, I pardon you be- fore-hand, what have you been doing ? '^ ""It is true, SIgnor, that I have robbed you of all that was missing out of the till; I cannot sleep with such a w eight upon my conscience -—Look, see, I will now re- turn it all/* He then emptied his waist- coat pockets, and threw down various pieces of money, the whole of which did not amount to less than four quadruples, •' Ambrose," said I to him, " the restitu- tion you now make is a proof of your re- pentance, you must not therefore despair VOL. iL I of 170 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. of becoming a worthy man. This money is so much gained to me, because I con- sidered it as lost ; but I will not profit by it ; It shall be distributed among the poor in your presence. Their prayers shall make your conversion true and steadfast: in order that it may be so, you must not look behind you, and you must keep in mind, that no crime escapes its punish- ment, that no gocd actioyi goes unrecom^ perised. Take my advice, have no more to do with your Wanderghen, who with all his wit and learning, frequently says things horrible to hear." During this lecture, Ambrose held down his head and wrung his hands^ sometimes stamped with his foot^ and bit his lips^ as if la the extremest agony. *' I repent^ Signer, I re. THE SPANISH OUTLAW. l?! I repent^'' was all he said, and then left the room. •• The fellow's conscience is not at peace. I must devise some means to get rid of hun without prejudice to vour safety. With respect to yourself^ I have not heard any more said of you. I have nov. seen Wanderghen these many days, and he is the man whom I most fear. Don Carlos has been with me two or three rimes ; but he has strictly conformed to the request I made at Seville, he has not said a syllable about you. Astucia came one morning by himself, and taking me aside, he told me that he must absolutely speak with you, and that if I would pro- cure him that. satisfaction, he would ensure me a brilliant patronage and a rich present. I laughed in his face, and gave him no I 2 answer. 172 rHE SPANISH OUTLAW. answer, and he went away muttering something between his teeth, but I could not distinguish what. This apparent tranquillity must not howe\>er keep us off our guard. LETTER XVilL Josephine de Suza to Francisco Santh^t^^ 15 Jug* 17— .THE agitation 1 suffered 'on reading your letter^ my dear godfather, prevented my giving an answer immediately, and I therefore requested Ambrose to come for it to-day. This Ambrose alarms me ex- tremely. What you told me of him has led me to consider him as a very danger- ous man. " Let us dissemble with him," said THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 173 said my aunt; *' let us look kindly on him- to the last ; he is certainly a good-for-no- thing fellow ; but what interest can he have after all in harming my Josephine, whose angelic form and manners would inspire even a demon with gentleness and pity.'* Such is the strain in which my aunt speaks upon the subject. She ispleased however to think much more favourably of me than she is warranted to do. When Ambrose delivered your letter^ he took me aside, and told me, that " he had some- thing to say which concerned me particu- larly.^' I followed him with trembling steps into a little room. What eyes he has, my dear godfather ; I never ob- served them so well before^ and they really inspired me with horror. After rolling 1 3 them 174 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. them about a long time in a most shock-^ ing manner, he said to me, *^ Miss, there are some very wicked people in this world, who want to bribe me to injure you. If you knew the proposals they made to me, you would tremble at them. But do not be afraid ; depend upon my probity ; 1 w^ould rather live in a dungeon upon bread and water the remainder of my life^ than cause you the least pain. Don't say any- thing to your aunt, it will grieve her too much. I could make my fortune if I would, but I never eat of bread so earned; Then you are so sweet and so kind, and you bear your misfortunes with so much patience, that a man must be worse than a devil to wish you any harm. Yes, miss, Ambrose has some probity ; there shall be no harm done THE SPANISH OUTLAW. IV-^" done to you if I know it. Mind not to- go into the streets by yourself in the after- noon when the shops are shu:.*" He surely cannot mean to do me any harnij for I never did any to him ; on the contrary, whenever I have any trifle* that- seems ta please him, I give it him directly.^ He never comes here but we give him some refreshment; in short \\re do every thing that our situation will permit us, tdprove- that we are not ungrateful for his services to my dear father , and I tell him every day, that if our miseries ever have an end, we will chearfully take him again or get him a better place. When 1 reflect on- the treatment which my unhappy fath^ The shop-keepers at M idrld shut up their shops liurhiLj the siesta. ^ 1 4 has 176 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. has met with, I cannot doubt the mare- volence of mankind in general 5 but I can- not prevail on myself to think that Am- -brfOse, who has always experienced kind- ness at our hands^ can have so much as to wish to add to my wretchedness. Be- sides, how can he injure me, or ',how can Astucia and Wanderghen injure me ? If my father's precious life is safe, the evils. t^^vjQan reach me alone scarcely deserve a thought. But if he should have perished in the waves if he should have perished. with such a deadly blot upon his name ! ♦ . . . — O God ! what a thought is that, n^y dear godfather : 1 dare not dwell upon, it. My aunt and myself catch with eager- ness at the hope aaorded us by ypiir re-- flections THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 177 flections on the paragraph in the Pensador, but it is nevertheless certain, that the long silence which is observed as to the fate of the shipj is, as it says, without example. But we are doomed to the torments of un- certainty and fear. What trouble, what anxiety we cause you^ my dearest godfather! but for us you would lead a life of peace. We are the cause of the fears and vexations given you by Ambrose. It is for our sake that you en- dure them with such patience, that you suffer him to remain with you, and descend to tamper with him. How infinite are our ' obligations to you ! Be assured, my dear godfather, I shall never forget them, and if it should please God to spare the life of my unhappy father, if, as I still must hope, I 5 the 178 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. the day should come when my sight shall be blessed with his presence, my first dis- course shall be of your generous care, of your unbounded kindness towards his Josephine. LETTER XX. Laurenza Cascara to Don Pedro de Massarena. Madrid, iQjug. ]7— I HAVE the honour to inform you that the Signora Massarena continues- indisposed with her vapours, and that your son has not recovered from his melancholy. Whenever I take the li- berty to make any observations on the subject, he says^ '' It is not in my power to THE SPANISH OUTLA\r. 1?^ to help it ; I thought that the pleasure of Sfeemg my mother, and the air of Madrid, would dissipate my sorrow ; but that is not the case. What can be done then^ Cascara? We must have patience; I know no other remedy. You see happiness is not always to be met where it is expect- ed.'' We left Anduxar the latter end of last month, and arrived at Madrid in the beginning of the present. My master has not had' any quarrel in his regiment^ al- though Signor Astucia has done all in his power to make one for him : But he has had an adventure which has been much' talked of, anil done my master great honour, for which reason I thiiik it my duty to give you an account of it, I 6 It ISO THL SPANISH OUTLAW. It happened that a grenadier was one morning three minuter behind the roll- call. As soon as he came, the captain ^ who is the same who wanted to try my master, reprimanded him 5- the grenadier answered that he had fallen asleep by ac- cident under a tree : " You shall be confined in the black-hole one month/*" said the captain to him. Upon which a Serjeant interfered, and said that the gre- nadier had never neglected his duty, and th^t it was very hard that he should be condemned to the black-hole for a month for being three mijjutes behind the roll-calL " You are a very bad advocate," replied the captain . . » . Sergeant/' added he, * ^' you shall be confined there for one month, and the other man for two." u. ' Where- ^i THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 1 vS t Whereupon the Heutenant of the compa- ny took it up^ and said to the captain, ^•' And I too declare the grenadier to ba an excellent soldier ; I brought him into the company -, it is the first irregularity he has been guilty of, and does not de- serve either two or one month's confine- ment." — " You set him a very bad exam- ple/' said the captain ^ " you shall go to prison for one month,, the Serjeant shall be sent to the black-hole for two, and the grenadier for three months." The business remained so all that day. The next morning all the grenadiers took up arms, seized on two pieces of ar- tillery, and with drums beating, colours flying, and a lighted match^ they repaired to the parade. They demanded that the prison- 162 THE SPANrSH OUTLAST. prisaners should be liberated, and that the captain should be given up to them to be torn in pieces ; and they swore, that if this were not granted, they would mur- der all the officers, and set fire to the bar- racks. What happened very unfortunately, was, that the company of fusileers were alsa discontented; and it was said that they would join the grenadiers. As soon as my^ master was informed of this unwelcome new?, which had excited the alarm of the whole city, he mounted his white horse, and his noble appearance attracted the notice and admiration of all who* were rn his Foad. I also got on horse- back, having taken the precaution to put a pistol in each of my waistcoat pockets, and THE SP AN L^ H U T L AW. 185 Jind gal lopped behind my master, keep- ing as near to bim as I could. He reach- ed a retired spot, where the captain was with Astucia in great despair, expecting every moment to be his last. '■ To arms, captain !" said my master to him ; — *' What would you have me do in this extremity? What can be done against madmen?" — '' How ! what do you say,'* said my master, " what do you design to do then ?** — " I. mean, replied the captain, to give up the prisoners ; and I entreat you to exert all your authority to pre- vent any attempt against my life." — " To arms ! to arms !" cried my master, '' I command you. Those who would put others to the trials should know how to sacnficf their persons^ and die in the field of 184} THE SP^ANISH OUTLAW. of honour for their country's service, and the maintenance of good discipline. Follow me." The captain hearing my master speak to him in so high a tone-, was q^uite confounded, and said to him, "I beg, Colonelj you will not suppose that I am afraid j . I obey and follow you.*' Astucia immediately held my master by his coat, ci7ing out to him : " Don Car- los, where are you going ? You do not think what you are about ; you will be murderedl" But my master pushed him away with ia. rudeness which he had never shewn him before^ for he was really in a. passion ; he made ihe captain and myself go on before him, then shut and double- locked the gate, to prevent Astucia from following, and said with a smile^ *' Cap- tain, THE SPANISH GUI LAW. 18.5 tain, xVstucIa is under arrest for having given you ill advice." Then assuming aii air of grandeur which I had never seen in him before, he commanded the captain to mount his horse^ and keep to the right, pf him. We reached the barracks j when my master commanded his company to take up their arms, and arrange them- selves in order of battle. He then made a vei7 fine speech to them^ which he fi- nished by saying, that he would only be followed by his friends,that those who did not wish to go with him were at liberty to stay behind -, that he would force no man. Immediately all of them, without waiting for word or signal, marched to the attack,, with such extreme eagerness, that my mas- ter was obliged to moderate their ardour. ^' ColoneL" 186 THE SPANISH OUTLAW* ^' Colonel/' said the captain to him, '' sup- pose we take one more company ?" — ''This is sufHeient for oiir purpose," answered my master, '' it shall have ail the honour of the affair, we will depend on no other." We advanced in good order towards the grenadiers. My master arranged his coxpany in order of battle, and de- sired the soldiers to rest their arms. He then went within a pistol's length of the grenadiers, keeping the captain on the right of him, and myself in the rear. There he halted, and taking oft his hat in a most graceful manner, he made such an affecting speceh to the mutineers, that many of them shed tears. When he had finished it, he backed his horse a few steps, and cried out with a powerful voice, ^^ Gre- nadiers! THE S PA N I S H OUTL A W. 187 nadiers! Attention F' Then added imme» diately in the same voice, "" Ground your arms /" You should have seen^ sir, how they all immediately laid them on the ground ; it was a fine motion. My master at the same instant spurred his horse, and rushed into the middle of their ranks, which opened to let him pass through. He went to one of the pieces of artillery, and snatching the match from the hands of the man who was by it, he threw it down, saying to him, '* Tread upon and extinguish it/' The man obey- ed, and after treading upon it with both his feet for some time, he shewed it to him, saying, " See, Colonel^ it is quite out.'* He then turned round, end seeing me, he said, '' What are you doing there, Cas. 198 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. Cascara?'* I answered him, *^I am al the post where your father placed me, sir* If this was a day of battle, I would not be farther from you*" — ^' This I think/' said the eaptain, might pass for a day of battj^.? My master proceeded to the •Other artillery-piece, and did the same as to the first. He then returned to his com- pany^ gave the word to charge, and cried. Present, This word frightened all who heard it : I was frightened as well as the rest, for I thought he was going to fire on the grenadiers, who would no doubt have defended themselves, and in that case the day must have proved ^ bloody one. The grenadiers .seeing our men present, fell upon their kneeSj and stretching out their hands, exclaimed,, ^^Have THE SPANISH OCJTLivW. 1-89 ''"Have pky, comraties, have .pity en us/* I never saw such a woeful sight before, my heart v/as quite moved at it ; 'but my master did not appear in the least affected. After crying/ Present, he retrned to' the grenadiers, and said: '' The traitors who by their ^r.utinous coiK^et had well nigh caused the blood of my brave soldiers to be shed in chastising them, can have no mercy shewn them." So saying, he ordered the six leaders of the mutiny out of the ranks, and had them taken to prison by the fusileers, to be tried by a court-martial. They were tried a few days after ; four were degraded and dis- missed, and two were flogged, one ol whom died on the spot^ and the other at the hospital. When 190 THL SPA2SISH OUTLAW. When my master had sent to prison th^ v§ix grenadiers, he ordered all the men Qf the grenadier and first company, to shake hands, and forget all that had passed, which they accordingly did. My master then ordered refreshments to all of them; and the day which began in fear and trou- ble, ended in rejoicing. .'When my master left the parade, he liberated Astucia, who was very happy 10 hear how the affair terminated : he confessed that he began to look upon that as his last day. After setting As- tucia at large, he went with the captain to see the lieutenant, the sergeant and gre- nadier^ who were in prison. He would not abridge the term of their confine- ment, but he was pleased to give them such good reasons as made them sub. mit THE SPANISH OUTLAW. l91 mlt to it \\'ith the greatest resignation. The captain, for his part^ was so moved, that he shook hands with the serjeant and grenadier, and promised them that he would make them such amends as would convince the whole regiment how sorry he was for the confinement he had oc- casioned them. The lieutenant also shook hands with the captain, and from that day they have been inseparable friends. This affair has done such honour to my master, that several regiments have written him letters of congratulation, v^'hich they caused to be printed in the Gazette de la Cour, Every body says that this adventure will make him very popular. The captain confesses that my master has put him to his trial, and swears 192 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. swears to be devoted to him till death. Finding that matters had taken so favour- able a turn, I thought proper not to ex- ecute the commission given me by Signor Texado, namely^, to desire his man to tell him that he was an impertinent coxcomb, and a few other compliments of the same nature, which would not have been very welcome. I think it , proper to acquaint you^ that the captain's name is Diego Menezes. I now come to what concerns the Signor j^stucia. The day before we set out for Anduxar^ Diego Menezes and his lieute- nant came to my master very early^ be- fore I had finished distressing him. As his door is always open to the officers, they entered without ceremony, and told him they THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 193 they came to ask him the favour to bear him company to Madrid, where they also in- tended to remain during their leave of ab- sence. '' Very gladly," answered my mas- ter, " it will give me great pleasure j I did not expect to have so pleasant a journey.** " Now, Colonel/' said Signor Menezes, may I speak two words with you ?" "Say on ; what is it about ?'* " Can I speak here ?" " Yes, yes, you need not mind Cascara j he is intrusted with all my father's secrets, and mine too. Speak out." — ''^ You must know then, Colonel, that it is not As- tucia's fault that we did not cut each other's throats; this, my lieuteuant, will do him the justice to vouch for him. I do not know whether you would have cut mine, but I should have been very sorry VOL, lU K- to ^194 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. ' to have^done such a thing to one of my comrades. But let that rest, and return to Astucia. — He has never ceased, since you were first appointed, to echo in my ears, that you were haughty, proud, and inso- lent ; that you held all the officers in the greatest contempt, and that if any of us should chance to challenge you, you would not be fool enough to accept it, but that you had influence enough at Court, to turn six-and-thirty bolts upon himina gocdcitadel." — "For God's sake^ Signor, let us not notice such contempti- ble nonsense/' '^ Upon my word but I must notice it, and I must insist that Signor Astucia confesses on his knees, that he said those things to myself, the lieutenant, and several other officers j and that THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 195 that he said moreover, that your pride should be brought down j and that the officer who would undertake the task would do you a great service, for that you only wanted a little small sword exercise to completeyour education." " How ridi- culous 1 Indeed;, Captain^ you deserve no little credit for having abstained, and for telling me of those his silly sayings. Astu- cia, not being of the profession, does not quite understand what true valour con- sists in ; he thinks, I suppose, that no man can be a good. ofHcer who has not drawn blood from his comrade. The no- tion is truly ludicrou. But I will not send for him here; I cannot think of mortifying him so much, and you have too much po- Uteness, Captain, to wish to dictate laws K 2 in 196 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. in myhouse." ''God forbid, Colonel, that I should do any thing to displease you ; I come to bring peace, not to wage war 1 You do not choose to mortify Astucia 5 I cannot insist upon it ; but it is proper that you should know too, that no later than yesterday, he declared in a circle of about six of us, that he was astonished that no officer had thought pf fighting with you yet ; that it must be for the honour of both that you should fight : that the af- fair which was so much talked of, was nothing at all, for there was not a single shot fired, and you had not even seen the sparkling of a sword ; — that he could not have supposed that our regiment was so pacifically inclined ; Thathe^ however, de- rived some consolation from a little in- trigue THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 19? trigue which he had contrived, and which would have a grand catastrophe : That he was ahnost sure of meeting with a brave champion at Madrid, who from the age of fifteen had passed an hour every day in the fencing school ; that he would op- pose you to this man of valour ; and Ma- drid being a more brilliant theatre than any other city, the combat he would con- trive for you, would make a much greater noise, would cover you with glory, and render you an object of desire to all the ladies.*' — "' For heaven's sake, Captain, let us have done with this fellow's folly, we have had quite enough of it, I am sure." I have done, because I have no more to tell you about him. I have indeed some- thing more to say, but with your leave, K 3 .1 will 1^98 TII£ SPANISH OUTLAW. I will say it in the presence of the offi- cers who are now in your hail/' — ■" How ! are these gentlemen waiting there, and you did not tell me of it ?'* My master instantly broke loose from me, and ran with his hair half-dressed tO' the hall. " Gentlemen," said he, '' I did not know of your being here, or I would not have delayed coming to you an in- stant. I ask a thousand pardons for ap- pearing before you in this trim, but thi& is an honour I was not prepared to ex- pect.'' "'Very well," said the captain,, *' nowit is my lime to speak.. — Gentlemen;, and comrades, I shall confess in the pre- sence of you all, that in declaring my in- tention to try our Colonel, 1 acted un- jusdy and basely ; I proclaim that no one can THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 199 can say without an OiT^ace to truth, that he surpasses him in valour. I solicit his par don for my misconduct^ and I entreat him to honour me with his favour." As soon as my master heard this, he ran to the Captain, and after embracing him, said quite loud, '^ My brave comrade, you overwhelm me with confusion. What do you mean by pardon ? Talk of nothing but your friendship and esteem 5 I would have given my life to merit them^ and I would give it now to preserve them. — Gentle- men/' continued my master, turning to- wards the officers, '' this is a happy day, and I flatter myself I shall enjoy the sa- tisfaction of encreasing the general con- tent. You are aware that it is his Ma- jesty's intention^ in addition to his own K 4 regiment, regiment, to review fbur of infantry, two of cavalry, and as many dragoons, at Aranjuez. I thought it would do honour to our regiment to appear in this grand review, and have therefore ventured to make a request to that effect; atid here, gentlemen, is the Minister's letter in an- •swer, w^hich I received last night ; which^ with your leave, I will read to you.'* * My master having given me leave to take a copy of this letter, I beg to tran- scribe it, sir, for your satisfaction. * I have had the honour to lay before the King your letter, requesting that your regiment may be admitted, as one of the four infantry, to be reviewed at Aranjeuz. His Majesty commands me to make known to you, that he has great pleasure in com- plying THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 201 plying with your request^ inasmuch as he is thereby enabled to show his esteem for Don Pedro de Massarena, who has served him in a manner highly satisfactory to him, as well as to afford you a proof of his entire approbation of your conduct in the regiment. * I have great pleasure in making this communication^ which cannot but be ex- tremely grateful to you, as well from its purport as from the gracious manner in which his Majesty has been pleased to ac- cede to your wish. * I have the honour to inform you^ that the review being appointed for Octo- ber n- xt, it is necessary that your regi- ment should be encamped during the whole month of September. If it should K 5 not 202 THE SPANISH OUTLAWS not be complete, you will use all diligent speed to make up the deficient number. The soldiers will receive double pay from the first of September to the 31st of Oc- tober, both days inclusive. The officers will receive a remuneration equal to six months pay.' As soon as my master had read this letter, all the officers exclaimed : ^' Long live Don Carlos de Massarena! Long live our brave Colonel !'* And I over- heard one of them in a corner,, saying, " It is. a great advantage to have a Co- lonel who is well at Court ; the regiment is sure to be benefited by it/' When the cries of joy were ceased : '*" Comrades," said my master to the officers, " this must be a holiday, and we must spend it to- gether : THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 203 gether : I will order breakfast, and we will after \vards go and read this letter to the regiment, and then return here to din« ner. Tables shall be spread for the men in their tents," Every thing was as my master had said : the officers and soldiers spent the whole day in rejoicing. Such is the manner, Signor, in which things went on at Anduxar, which we left in the good opinion of every body there. Since we have been here^ ray master has aid great attention to the Signora his mother, for whom he has a great re- spect He also frequently sees his uncle, who is sometimes very angry with him, and sometimes loads him with caresses, ft 6 We 204 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. We see none but the best company at Madrid ; we go very frequently to the Signora Texada, and sometimes to San- clia the bookseller's. Nothing but the grief with which my master is visibly affected, but of which he will not tell me the cause, prevents my being thoroughly content. LETTER THE SPANISI^" OUTLAW. 205 LETTER XXL SoIomo7i Wanderglien to Ambrose Horn" brejiegro. Buen Retire, 22 Jug. 17—^. CONFESS, Ambrose, that no phi- losopher of antiquity had ever the pa- tience which I have. I arrived at Buen Retiro, and don't find the answer I re- quired of you, through which I am forced to remain idle, and you have still both your ears safe* A fine thing, truly, that you should dare to trifle with me, you worm of the earth ! I was surely mad when I could think of noticing such a sneaking pitiful fellow as you are. Observe, 206 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. Observe, Ambrose, I am not in a rage; but 1 assm^e you^ in perfect calmness, that I will do your dirty work no longer ; I will leave you to yo ir own silly doings, and you shall never have the manuscript in question. You may perhaps imagine that my vengeance will stop there"? No, no, Ambrose ; that is not all In the first place, I have not acquitted you of the answer I asked you for. Take care that when you have read my letter, you answer it immediately, and tell me the address of Jos.'phine My letter will be delivered to you by my German servant, who is furnisned with a stoat cudgel. He will not leave you till you have written your answer ) he does not know much of Spanish, but he can nevertheless use very Hr iking THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 207 Striking arguments when the subject ad- mits of them. Adieu, Ambrose ; have respect for your shoulders. If the stick should not suffice to bring you to reason, I have something else in view that cannot faiL LETTER XXII. j^mhrose Homhrenegro to Solomon JVan^ derghen. Madrid, 22 X^. 17-. How you hurry me, Siguor ; is it possible to satisfy you in an instant ^ It depends on so mary Uifiereni thiiigs, 'hat I must have a few hours to think about iu 1 scarcely know what I say ^ you have turned 208 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. turned my brain. You use me ill, Signor j I do not deserve such treatment, for 1 am a man of probiiy. ... I beg, Signor, pray have patience till to-morrow. To-mor- row^ yes, to-morrow without fail, I will give you every satisfaction j remaining your humble servant. LETTER XXIII. Solomon Wander ghen to Fernando lexado. Buen Refiro, 23 Jug. 17— .. YOUR conduct is base, Fernando, I thought you were my friend ; you are not ; you never have .been. You refuse to support my request with Don Carlos j what THE t)PANISH OUTLAW. 209 what reason can you have for refusing, except the certainty of its being granted, Don Carlos doing all that you think proper to ask him ? This is a turn I never ex- pected from you^ to whom I have always rendered every service in my power. You have scarcely left college, and you already look with contempt on the acquaintances you formed there ; your old companions are not worth your notice ; you must have Colonels for your friends. You are de- ceived, Fernando ; you are not raised so high that you have a right to contemn any one ; and pray remember well, that Wanderghen is not to be despised with impunity. I could have procured the lieutenancy through many people's interest besides your's^ 210 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. your's, for I have more than one string to my boWj be assured, but I was willing to let you have the merit of obtaining it for me : I wished to have the pleasure of owing the obligation to you, and you only. What a return you have made to my delicacy I Your conduct is abomi- nable ; it has wounded me to the very soul, and I will never forget it, no, ne- ver. Every body thinks of it as I do» Even your mother and your sister Isabella, say you are in the wrong. It is a piece of treachery and perfidy which I supposed you incapable of. I will have the lieutenancy, sir, in spite of you, and perhaps even from Don Carlos, and if I have not that^, I shall have another equal to it ; but be that as it may, I have acquitted myself towards THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 211 towards you. Do you the same towards. me. You owe me fifty piasters 3 I have occasion for them. We are going to pur- chase the marquisate of Rio Bello, and we are collecting all our money to pay for it. Adieu, Signor^ and since you, among many others, verify the maxim, honored mutant mores, adieu for ever I LETTER 212 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. LETTER XXIV. Amhrose Homhrenegro to Solomon PFan* derghen, Madrid, 2,3 Jug. 17—. I ENTERED upon a literary career; I now renounce it. I find that this busi- ness is not so good a one as I thought it. I judge so by your ohs-ervation and system of tactics. These pamphlets sell well enough ; but I wish you could hear how people speak of. the author. Some say that you ought to be condemned to the gallies, others, that you should be sent to work in the mines ; these that you ought to be allowed a few days rest in the dun- geons of the Inquisition ; those that they should THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 21 S should like to deal in the same way with your shoulders, as you intended your German servant to deal with mine. Now I have no mind to be concerned in such dangerous pursuits, so you may keep the manuscript ; Til have nothing more to do with it ; I have taken my fare- well of the muses. As to the address which you ask for^ I beg to assure you^ Signor^ that I have, still preserved my probity and my con- science ; let that suffice. I have no more to say to you. If you are desirous of doing any good for this young lady, I here tell you that she has no occasion for your services^ and that she would not accept any from you. If you mean to do her any harm, I will not be your executioner. LETTER 2i4 THE SPANISH UOT LAW* LETTER XXV. Solomon Wanderghen to Ambrose Horn* hrenegro^ BuenRetiro; 24^M^. i;^— . YOU, Ambrose, are pleased to be hurrofous, but I beg to talk to you very seriously, and for the last time. Without replying to any of your impertinent re- marks, I proceed to the purpose. _ I declare to you then, what 1 was be- fore unwilling to declare, because my generous principles inclined me to spare even rascals as long as long as I can, and my political ones never to proceed to ex- tremities but in cases of necessity. I must tell you then, that I have made a disco- very THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 21J' very among my father's effects^ and that I have now in my possession the means to undo you. Let me but say a word and you will be sent to prison for the remain- der of your days. That is the most le- nient sentence that can be pronounced on you, for if the judges should be disposed to be rigorous, you might chance to lose your life. You see now that my nature does not partake much of malevolence, for if it did, I should adhere to the maxim of ne- ver threatening the enemy whom you have the means to destroy. I open my heart to you honestly, you will find it over- flovv's wuh generosity, for nothing is more magnanimous than to pardon those who have offended us. And I, Ambrose, par- don 216 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. ^bn you ; I forget all that has passed en one condition. Observe me well : This is the 24th ; if by the morning of the 29th I have not the address of Josephine, in the course of that same day I will bring you to justice, and deliver you over to the strong arm of the law. You have five whole days to reflect upon it. Make use of this time to convince yourself, that a man who acts with such Hberality, is in- capable of conceiving a design prejudicial to the person whose address he requires ; and that you would be very much your own enemy to refuse your confidence to such a man. The address you will give, merits a recompense no doubt ; it shall have one, a good one, depend upon me ; I will THE SPANISH OUTLAW. ^17 I will settle it with him who shall be en- titled to it. Adieu, Ambrose ; this is my final de- termination. LETFER XXVI. The same to In/go Astucia, Bun Retiro, 25 Jit^^. J 7 — . MY soul is full of nige. This little blackguard Texado, upon whom I have heaped benefits on benefits, kindness upon kindness, deals falsely with me at last. I will have justice of him. Let us unite ; let us seek our revenge together ; let us crush this little insect ! Yes, he shall have his Josephine, but not such as he expects to VOL. n. L fmd 218 THE SPANISH OUTXAW. find her ; he shall have her to his tor- ment, misery, and despair. I send you herewith the copies of two letters which I have written to Ambrose^ and his answer to the first of them. Do you think that after reading the second^ the little wretch can hold out ? Since youintroduced me to Don Juan de Spinoktto.,1 have paid him a visit, andmet with a very cordial reception. He shewed me his library, his pictures^ his prints, his medals, his oratory, and from the window of this oratory the divinides who are th^ objects of his nightly invocations. He is a man of pleasure, a most magnificent lord. He has had the goodness to say that he finds me to be a man of great parts THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 219 parts and most engaging manners, and has promised to serve me on all occa- sions. I mentioned the purchase of Rio Bella to him. and the obstacles that I had to encounter. He answered, that they were trifles, and that he would soon ob- viate them, that he was on terms with all the men in office, and that nothing was 'determined on, either in public or private, without his concurrence. He asked me for a memorandum of the particulars.— Now that Fernando has declared himself, I intend to make applicadon to him for my lieutenancy, which I entreat you to support. I am already so far advanced in Don Juan's good graces, that he has invited L 2 me 220 THE SPAKISH OUTLAW. me to a supper for the night after to-mor- row. It will be a glorious party. I have promised to take Httle Settenilla with me, whom he only knows by sight, and with whom 1 flatter myself he will be satisfied. 1 have given him copies of my t\^o pamphlets ; he gave me abundance of thanks for them, and told me that he would get n^e admitted to La Socielad de Los yjni/cos del Pays, That will immor- talize m.y name, and be a shield against detraction. 7 he servant who brings my letter will give you copies of these two pamphlets. You will tell me what you think of them. You will see by my sys- tem of tactics, that I am rather better ac- quainted with the subject than most of our THE SP ^NISH OUTLAW. 221 our military men, and that a person like me will be no disgrace to the Massarena o regiment. In a word, I am thoroughly content with Don Juan, and will use my bestendea- vours to make him so with me ; I shall never forget that it is to you I am in- debted for the honour and pleasure of his acquaintance. Depend on my grati- tude till death. L 3 LETTER 1^2-2 THE SBANMH OUTLAW,. LETTER SXVIT. Do7i Jiiande Spinoletto to Ihigo Astucia,. Aranjuez, 25 Jug. 17— "• ^ TlilS is a holiday, and as a holy man I intend to prolong it tiH the night after to-morrow^ when a supper- will be giveft at my retreat, like thote given at Paphos in those days of happy memory, when men and women alike gave loose to love. Get rid of your pupil, and come to this amorous banquet, which will be served up by theGraces^ who will be in the same pure vinincumbered State in which they come out of the bath*. Your friend Wanderghen will be of the party^ and will bring the little Settenilla, Pf THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 23'3 of whom some people of approved taste speak well. And thou, dull Automaton,, who wilt thou bring ? How slowly you go to work, Astucia ! If this phenomenon does not answer" my expectations, look well to yourself.. I tell you that Don Carlos has the man- ners of a school-boy. I tell you that he must not haunt that house of that Texada. woman: I tell you that he must fight. You must be a dull hand indeed, if you cannot understand all this.- Yes, yes, you shall have one of the consulships, when all is settled, and this wonderous beauty is mine. Send an answei* by the page who will deliver this about the supper. 1. 4 LET^ 'JS^ THE ^SPANISH OUTLAW, LETTER XXVIIT. Inlgo Astucia to Don Juande Spinoletto. Madrid, 26 Aug. I7— . I COME to this celestial banquet ; I will be no automaton. I will bring with me whoever 1 can meet with, not having time enough to cater belter. All^ all shall be done to your wish.- — But shall I tell you of a man lost in perplexity? This man is Astucia. The ambassador wi'ites to me that Don Carlos shall not fight, and writes in the same style which you adopt when you dismiss a lackey. I can- ,aot serve you both j I must perforce fall under the displeasure of one. You must give me my lesson to-morrow. LET- THE SPANISH OUTLAW, 225 LETTER XXIX. The same to Solomon IVanderghen. Madrid, 2Q Aug. i;7._ YOU have too much fire in your temper^ my dear Wanderghen. You use this animal Ambrose with so much harsh- ness that you will deprive him of the exer- cise of liis poor remains of senses ; with milder treatment, and a few pistoles, your work would have been done already : I ku(jw the pilgrim better than you : I am glad that you have given him till the 29th . 1 wiil contrive to see hlm^ and will so tutor him, that he shall be devoted to our sei vice, and when the interval is expir- ed, your answer shall be a good one. L 5 'I always 22G THE SPANISH OUTLAW.. I always told you not to trust to that insect Texado ; the fellow has no prin-^ Giples, nothing solid about him ; he is all vanity ; you will do well to mortify his little pride : he has bewitched Don Car- los's mind, and given him a poor, opinion, of you. Don Carlos says that he holds you in sovereign contempt; that you think you have genius, but that it consists in nothing but conceit, effrontery,.and talents at abuse ; that he would not have you for u. corporal in his regimentj.thatali he could think of doing fbr you would be to make a.drummer of you; and a thousand scurri- lous indecent sayings of this kind. You must not however take exception to it ; , or if you should come to an explanation with him, and afterwards to. a quarrel, call niR SPANISH O'O'TLAW. 2^27 ciiscretion to your aid; do not proceed too far, you understand m: ? I have only been able to sketch ov^r your two pamphlets; they seem to be full of original thoughts and bold opinions, which I can easily con- ceive may not please every body. I shall be at the supper to-morrow night. Just as I had concluded my letter, Ambrose came to me with two publications, which I ordered. You have absolutely driven him mad ; I have however succeeded in calming him a little ; my gentleness^ my promises, and the sight of my pistoleS;, have recruited his health and spirits. On the 29th at 7 o'clock in the mor- nings he is to bring me some other books, and with them those we wish for. He requests that you may^ be with me then, 1.6 as. '^28^ THE SPANISH OUTLAW. as he wishes to give the address to your- self, to prove to you, he says, that it is for your sake he d — s his soul; this was his expression. Thus^ my friend Wan- derghen^ you may consider this affair concluded. LETTER XXX. Francisco Sancha to Josephine de Suza* 26 Jug. 17—. I SEND you, my dear goddaugh- ter^ the copy of an account which I have just received from Cadiz. You are in- deed right in saying that tihese events seem made for you alone. Since the seas were first crossed^, I do not think that ever navigation took such a turn before. " Extract THE SPAKISn OUTLAW. 229 *■* Extract of a verbal process drawn *■ up at the Admiralty at Cadiz the ' 12th August, 17 — '' The day and year above written ap- ' peared at the Admiralty, Felix Muchos, ' stating himself to be a sailor on board ' a ^lerchant ship, v.'ho delivered to the ' Board of Admiralty a paper conceived ' in the following terms : '' I, the undersigned Miguel Belmonte^ ' captain of the ship David, hereby cer- ' tify to all whom it may concern, that ' due credit should be given to the ac- ' count related by Felix Muchos, the ' bearer of this attestation/* On perusal of ttie said paper, the said Felix Muchos bt ing desired to declare all that 23d^ THE SPANISH OUTLA'W'r that he knew concerning the said shipj relates as follows : * When we lost sight of the Spanish C't'^ast, we were overtaken by a dreadful tempest; we lost our top-mast, and the ship was presently filled with water j we pumped as long as we were able ; but without the least effect. In this distress- ing condition, a thunderbolt fell into the port-hole of the ship, and set fire to the gunner's room, which v/ould soon have spread over the ship, had not a quantity of water entered her at the same moment smd extinguished it. In falling it killed four men, two passengers^, the pilot and the cabin-boy. T*wo other men, the gun- ider and a passenger, were wounded by iu The two wounded men were in such torture^ THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 231 torture, and depressed the spirits of the crew so greatly by their cries, that being considered past all recovery, threw them overboard with the four who were dead. At that moment we descried a ship at a considerable distance, which, we found to be a Pvlaltese frigate of 32 guns. Our captain ordered a signal of distress to be fired immediately. The gunner being dead, the g^an was fired by a young Frenchman quite unacquainted with the business, who instead of standing on one side to fire it off, stood directly behind ; the piece, which recoiled witli such vio» lence, that it shattered ^l his limbs, and killed him on the spot ; it likewise wounded two other passengers who were near him. The captain then took his speaking 232 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. -. speaking-trumpet, and asked help of the frigate ; who answered, that they had seen the thunderbolt fall upon the vessel ; that it had entered the port-hole, and that we had better take care or we should all be blown up ; and immediately the frigate spread all her sails, and sailed from us with such swiftness, that we lost sight of her in an instant. The captain^ thinking the vessel was lost, hauled out the long boat, into which he threw a few packets, and entered himself with five others, of whom I was one. The rest who were on boaid refused to leave the vesswl We had not got far when, feeling with my hands what I w^as sitting upon, 1 asked the captain, who was by my side, what was in the sack on wnich we were both seated. THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 233 seated. He answered that it was his sack of coins. I told him that he was mis- taken, for that it was the sack of barley for the poultry , upon which he felt it likewise, and found that I was right. He then determined on regaining the ship, and saying that he would rather meet the fate of his companions than save his life without his money. As soon as we reached the ship, expecting every mo- ment to see her sink, a passenger whom we had not noticed at all, whose name is Roch Barbenegre, of Provence, came upon deck, and asked the captain what he would give him to save the vessel ; he said he was a carpenter to the royal navy, that he knew the fault of the ship, and could repair it. The captain said to him : If 234 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. " If you know ivJiat is the matter with the ship^ why did you not remedy it he^ fore P He answered, tiiat it was nor then bad enough to make his own fortune, and that of his wife and children. The captain desired him to make haste, and say what he required ? He said he asked SOOO French livres to be paid down, and^ an annuity of 1500 livres to be settkd on his wife and children. The captain and crew swore by St. Nicholas to give him what he asked. He then fastened two small boards, a hammer^ and some nails round his body, which he fastened to the ship with a rope, and plunged into the water^ desiring that he might be pulled up when he gave the signaL He ap- peared again in about five minutes, and- told. THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 2SS told us that we had only to pump, and he would answer for the safety of the shipo- After pumping some time we lightened her a good deal, although she had suf- fered considei-able damage from the storm j and the wind becoming favourable, we passed the Straits, and sailed pretty se- cui'ely. Wh€n we came within sight of the coast of Provence, the ship Saiiit Joseph^ in which I arrived, passed by us, and our captain begged her to take me on boards that I might bring an account of the un- fortunate voyage of the David.* The said Felix Muchos being interro- gated as to the number of persons who perished in the storm, states in answer that they amount to seven,, besides tv;0' who were wounded. Interrogated 236 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. Interrogated if the goods were wrecked, states in answer, that none were thrown into the sea, that they were all very much damaged, and that the loss would be con- siderable to all persons interested. The above, my dear goddaughter, are the only particulars I am enabled to af- ford you. There is some reason to fear, but certainly none to despair. On taking a proper view of the affair^ you see that the number of the dead are reduced to four passengers, one of whom was a Frenchman. To presume the worst, then, we must suppose your dear father to be one of the remaining three. But why should we suppose it when there is no cir- cumstance which declares it ? I trust then^ that heaven has been pleased to protect him^ TH!i SPANISH OUTLAW. *237 him, and I intreat you, my dear god- daughter, to be persuaded that it is so. . LEITER XXXI. Don Carlos de i\[assarena to Figiara 2 exado. 20' Jug. Q o'clock^ mornirig. HAVING this i iRtant received a packet from your son^ niadam, wiih a re- quest that I would deliver it to Miss Ro, sob'a ; I entreat you to have the good- ness to send me by my servant a note which I may show to the supeiior of the convent, permitting me to speak >\ith your daughter. LETTER 23S THE SPANISH OUTLAW* LETTER XXXII. Maria Figuera Texada to Don Car Im de Massarena, 36 Aug. iO o'clock, morning. Signor, NOT having seen my daoighter for several days^ I will have the honour to accompany you to the convent with Isa- bella. You \A\\ therefore ^have the kind- ness to call for us in your carriage, at any hour most convenient to yourself. LETTER THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 239 LETTER XXXIII. Doji Carlos de Massarena to Fernando 2\xado, Madrid, 26 y^w^. 17— . I RECEIVED your packet, my dear friend^ for your dear sister Rosolia, with your commands to deliver it into her owa hands, which I assure you were easier given than executed. At half-past four this afternoon I made the attempt. The Signora Texada and Isabella resolved to go with me. I left at my house the par- rot and the dog, fearing that these two animals might subject me to difficulties in the rest of my undertaking. I told Cas- cara 240 THi; SPANISH OUILAW. cara to go with me in the carriage, and not to let go the packet. Astucia was not with us ; my imcle had invited him to Aranjuez, so that he was a controller out of the w^ay. I called for your mother and Isabella, w ho were full drest. Your sister greeted me with a smile, which, however, vanished on entering the carriage and seeing what Cascara had in charge. We arrived at the convent, ind were shewn into the parlour. I told Cascara to get into a corner, and not surrender the packet without my orders. He im- mediately drew a chair, on which he seated himself, and placing the packet on his knees, and his hands upon the packet, kept his eyes stedfastly fixed on me. My heart was in a flitter, my dear Fernando ; I wanted THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 241 I wanted Rosolia to take the packet into the room without -its being unpacked in the parlour. I knew not how to conduct the affair with becoming honour ; I coukl not devise a single scheme-: I tortured my brain in search of one : I could think of nothing, I presented your mother and si^.ter with chairs, and seated your mo- ther in the middle. '* No, no,'* saiJ Isabella, ^'' you must sit between u?, ' Signor." I accordingly took my station in the middle ; Isabella drew her chair close to mine, and told me that I seemed disordered j I made her no answer, but kept my eyes rivctted on the door ?a which I expected Rosolia to enter, fully intent on thinking by what means I should bring the affair to a happy issue, VOL. II. M At 242 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. At length, my dear Fernando, the door opened, and Rosolia, your dear and beautiful sister Rosolia, appeared, fresh and lively as a new-blown rose. She has not yet that habit of the novitiate. Her head-dress consisted of a red ribbon in the form of a diadem. Her fine black hair fell in graceful ringlets on her ala- baster neck. A little golden cross sus- pended by a black string fell upon her bosom. She was in a red robe, with a white sash. She held a nosegay in her hand^ and a bracelet on her left arm with your father's portrait, which being black set off the charming whiteness of her arm, and showed to greater ad- vantage the elegancy of its form. She was attended by the Superior of the con- ^ vent. THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 243 vent. She went first to your mother, and kissed her hand, then to Isabella, whom she caressed in the same fashion, then turning to me, she smiled sweetly^ and dropped me a low courtesy, to which I returned a bow after my best manner. When these first ceremonies were ob- served, she presented her nosegay to Isabella, who immediately offered it to me, and begged me to accept it, which I did without much pressing, as you may suppose, and stuck it in my coat. As soon as we were all settled, your mother said to her, " Rosolia^ the Signor Massarena has the goodness to bring you news of your brother." At the name of Massarena, ths Superior appeared to start; she lifted up her veil, looked at me stedfastly, and M 2 discovered 244* THE SPANISH OUTLAW. discovered a countenance which I should guess had seen about sixty years. When the good nun had satisfied herself with the contemplation of my features^ she made a sign to me to follow her tot he far- ther end of the room: then addressing her- self to your mother, she said, ^' Madam, you will please to excuse me: It is along time since you have seen your child, and you may possibly have something parti- cular to say to her j pray talk together, ^ whilst I exchange a few words with this young gentleman." As soon as v/e were seated, at the other end of the room, the superior asked me my name, and several particulars of my family. I confess I was a little sur- prised at her curiosiry, which I thought rather THE SP;^NISH OUTLAW. 24> rather exceeded the usual allowances we make for her fair sex, but as I could see no good reason to except to her interro- gatories, and was influenced by the vene- ration with which her holy ofEce inspired me, 1 answered them without reserve. V7hen I had satisfied all her enquiries, she gave me in return her whole history, from which I learned, that her name too was Rosolia, and that she had once the start of my mother in Don Pedro's affec- tions and that nothing but her decided choice for a religious life prevented their being married ; that she and a gentleman of the robe, used their host endeavours to transfer Don Pedro's passion to my mother, ^iih whom he became iniimate, from her being the constant companion of the M 3 Superior, 246 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. Superior, while mv father used to visit her as a boarder. ^' I need not (ell you/' said she, ''^ that we succeeded in this pointy but I must tell you that your mother has not proved very grateful for the ser- vice. When she quitted the convent^ in which we had passed our early years to- gether^ she promised to visit me as often as she could, and that in whatever part of the world she might be, she would main- tain a punctual correspondence with me. She has not, however, kept her word. She wrote frequently at first, but in a few m ntbs her letters became scarce,^ and at length she entirely neglected me. She has been to see me once since I have been at Madrid. Such is the way with you people of the world ; you seldom pay attention THE SPANISH OUTLAW. ?47 attention to any one fromwhom you do not expect to gain some advantage. If I had been at court instead of a convent, your mother Victoria had been still my friend. Now, my son," added she, " I have made my confession to you, do you con- fess to me, for I feel greatly interested for you. How did you become acquainted with this little girl r" — " I owe the honour of her acquaintance to my being intimately connected with her brother." " Of what extracdon are those people. I think that I have often heard your father mention the name of Texado, but I never was told any particulars of the family." — '-'Their origin, madam, is very respectable, and the father's uncommon merits have rendered the name illustrious." — '' What is the M 4 son. 248 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. son, who you say is yt)ur intimate friend r" " Ke is secretary of legation at Naples,"— '^ Who is the ambassador?" '' My father." — '*^ Ah ! I am extremely glad of it. Is the secretary of legation an Hidalgos ?" *' 1 never asked the question." — -" How comes it then that he is your friend ?'* ^' We have been together from our in- fancy ; we both received our first instruc- tions together at school, and we finished our studies in the same college." — "Well, my son, that is exactly what I say every, day, and what nobody can understand. There are no lasting friendships formed but at college, and in the convent. Every body agrees that a friend is an in- estimable treasure ; and I say that it is a treasure only to be met with in a public education. THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 249 education. You seem to be a ratio lal man, be of my opinion : when you are married^ if you have a boy, send him to college ; if you have a girl, place her in a convent.'' " I most certainly shall do so, madam, for I am entirely of your way Oi thinking." — " Pray, tell me who is that man placed in a corner like a fixture ; and what has he got in his lap." That man is an old servant, who has been in the family all his life-iime. With respect to what he has in his lap, I will tell you, and must beg of you at the same time, to render me an important service." " With all my heart ; I have not forgotten the ungrateful Victoria, nor my old friend Don Pedro ; I will do all in my power for their son. Let us know what it is M 5 about?" 250 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. abou t ?' ' — " That which the man holdsin hh lap, madam, is a packet which my friend has charged me to deliver myself to Miss Rosolia/' " Well, then, why don't you give it to her r" '' I do not wish it to be opened in the presence of Miss Isabella* She might probably find sonie things m it which might be deemed more suitable for her than » . . . and I, as a faithful trustee. . ." " I understand, i understand you ; I will manage that ; — the packet shall first be opened by myself, and I will only leave such things in it as may be given to the girl without objection* What is this good man's name ?" " Cas- cara." — '' That name is not unknown to me. Come here, Cascara." " Shall I come^ Signor/' said Cascara to me, '' Come, THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 251 " Comej since the lady desires it." *'' Cascara," said the Superior to him, " do you know me?" " I have not that ho- nour, madam," — " Don't you remember Rosolia d'Osmadez, whom you used to come to see with Don Pedro^ at the convent of Valladoiid ?*' " Ah^ madam ! I remember now ; I am happy to see you again,, madam, to thank you *for your kindness, for the refreshments . . ." " Yes^ yes, we had manyagood collation together . . . Cascara, put that into the turning- box."— ^' Shall I put it in, Signer r" ''Do as the lady bids you." The good Superior then returning to me said : ''Well, my son, have you any thing further to ask?" " Madam^ I have still at my house a parrot and a little dog, two very pretty M 6 animals 2.52 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. animals which I have likewise to give to Miss Rosolia." — " Is this parrot like Ver- vert? does it talk foolish things ?" *' The only nonsense he indulges in is to ask for a pipe and a pot, all his other talk is in no way exceptionable, and frequently^ very entertaining.'* " I can depend on you for that, so that the parrot may certainly be admitted. But as for the Httle dog, that's another affair : I cannot receive him 5 they are not allowed either to the nuns or boarders. Besides, as this little girl is preparing to take the habit, you know it would be very ridiculous and in- decorous for a novice to have such an animal." " I feel the justice of your reasons ; I will keep the dog myself. But^ madam,. permit me to ask you/ if Miss Rosolia is peremptorily THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 253 peremptorily resolved on becoming a nun?" '' So she says J my son, and I am disposed to think that she says the truth, for she is never content but when she is with us. When she happens to go out, which is very seldom, and then always against her incKnation, she returns with such a sor- rovv'ful countenance that she excites our general pity. But do you then, my dear child, feel interested in her fate ?" ''As her brother's friend, it is very natural that I should feel some anxiety for the happiness of the sister ?" " Do you then think that she would not be happy if she became a nun?" '-I do not say that, madam, but . . ," " But yoQ think so. That's another false notion entertained by you worldly-minded people, you think that without balls, plays, and 254 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. and visits, to and from people whom you despise, it is impossible to be happy. Youxire young, Signor Massarcna ; write down on your tablets all the married w^omen whom you find happy, and in ten years time, if I am still in being, shew me your tablets/' '' With your way of thinking, madam, which is certainly dif- ferent from that of people of the world., you might possibly influence Miss Rosolia to folio V a hfe which, but for you, she might not choose/^ " I influence no one, my son, and what you have now said is scarcely just or becoming. I can readily pardon it in consideration of your youths and the prejudices it has imbibed. I call no one to the holy state; I only judge if they are fit for it. I might justly thml^ that •THE SPANISH OUTI^W. 25 "t that the little Rosolla, being destitute of fortune, and not being her mother's fa- vourite, was less happy in the woild than many others. If, however, she is disposed to make a trial of the life they lead there ; if she is weary of being amongst us^ she has only to speak, and I cer:ahiiy will not detain her.'* ''^ I explained myself ill, madam, and have thereby subjected myself to your rebuke. I meant, madam, that the kindness, the indulgence, which you probably shew to Miss Rosolia, might make her life more pleasant here than at home, where, to say the truth, she does not experience the same favours." *^ It is true I am particularly attached to this child, not, as you may suppose, because she is a name-sake^ but because she is so good ^5(> THE SPANISH OUTLA\S^ good a girl, so good-humoured, of such an even temper, always giving satisfaction to her teachers, learning with incredible quickness whatever she is taught, singing, playing the harpsichord, writing, and cy- phering like a professed accoinptant, un- derstanding a little of Latin, and spea^ng French, perhaps better than yourself; add to all which that she is perfect in all kinds of needle-work; and, above all, industri- ous, gentle, engaging, and acquiring the love and esteem of everybody here* You may conceive^ then^, what an acqui- sition a member in all respects so amiable would be to I our community, and how much I, in particular, must regret to lose her : But God forbid that 1 should consi- der either our inclination, or the interest of THE SPANIS'I OUTLAW, 25Y of the coininunlty, in a matter of such consequence I — I see, my son, that you listen to me with astonishment ; but, in order tlic better to convince you, I will entrust you with a secret. It is the custom for all who become nuas, to pay a sjm on entrance. So it is understood in the world ; but what the world does not know is, that we do not accept the whole of it, but only such part as they think fit to give, and from those whose parents are not rich, we do not take a single rial. The Signora Texada having often com- plained to me in strong terms, on the bad N' ate of her aiiairs^ thought, perhaps, that ' 1 would acquit her of Rosolia's entrance- money. Not at all. As I had reasons for apposing that the real or pretended poverty 25S THE SPANISH OUTLAW. poverty of the good lady, might bp an inducement to urge her daughter to a holy life ; I do for her what I do for no one else ; I exact the whole of the entrance- money, without abating a single mara- vedis. You may therefore put the fullest confidence on my conduct towards Ro- solia^ and write to her brother^ that her choice shall not b'e in the least degree constrained or biassed by me. Flave you any thing more to desire of me ? Speak, while we are together. *' '* The kindness you shew me in attending to me, em- boldens me to ask one favour more.'* "What favour?'* ^" I will confess to you ingenuously that I have a great curi- osity to know the contents of the packet with which I am entrusted for Miss Ro- solia : THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 259 solia ; I should likewise like to know if there be not a letter inside^ containing some further commissions for me."' — •-' And you wish to see that out of Miss Isabella's presence ; is not it so ? You sec I understand you. Very well, my son, I see no difficulty in granting your request. It is very reasonable that, as the most inti- mate friend of Rosolia's brother, you should see her fro.m him^ but in my pre- sence, be it well understood, as often as you think fit. Are you in a hurry?'* " I am entirely at your disposal.; but I should have great pleasure in communi- cating to my friend, by to-morrow's post, what reception his presents have met with.'' — " Very proper. Are you an early riser I Will you come to our seven o'clock mass? You 260 THE SP.ANISH OUTLAW. You can come here when it is finished, and v/e will tak^ chocolate together. Little Rosolia shall shew all her baubles one by one ; and as the post don't set out till three o'clock, you will still have time for your letter. Or, if you like it better, share the task between you. When you g<:v home to-night, write your friend an "account of the transactions of to-day, and to-morrow after breakfast, Rosolia shall write the history of the second interview. I will take care her letter shall be in dme for the post. Does this arrangement suit you?'* "It cannot be better. I know not how to express my obligations for ..." — " Don't let us talk of that. Signer Massarena, you are a very pleasant gentleman , you partake a good deal of the THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 261 the character of your father, for whom I had a very high esteem ; and I Uke you the better for the interest you feel for my little Texada. I love all who love my little Rosolia. I will do any thing in my power to oblige you ; you have only, therefore, to put my sincerity to the proof. Tell your mother that I am very angry with her, and remember me to your father when you write to him. But come, le<: us join our company, lest they should begin to suspect us of some mischief." We then got up, and resumed our for- mer places. " What do you think of me, daughter, said the Superior to Rosolia, for depriving you so long of this young gentleman's conversation." '^ I think," answered your sister," 262 THE SPANISH OUTLAW, sister, ^^ that every thing you do is well done; and I shall never consider any pleasure lost to me, if I am the means of your enjoying it." ^^ Very prettily said," replied the Superior. " And you, madam, and miss," continued she, addressing her- self to your mother and Isabella," can you pardon me for leaving you so long in a family party. I have renewed an old acquaintance with Signer Massarena, although it is very young, and though this is the first time of my seeing him. He will unfold the mystery to you. Now, madam Texada, I must ^beg to have a word with you. Prry, tell me what do you think of Rosolia ? What do you say to that healthy hue ? Can any one proceed more cheerfully to the consummation of so THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 253 SO grand a sacrifice?''-^*' Madam/' an- swered your mother, •* I must tell you without reserve^, that you quite spoil her," ''' By what do you judge soJ' '' But," said Isabella, ''is it any sign of good sense to go thus deck'd out in rose colours, just when you are about to enter on your novitiate ? Women of t-'ie first fashion do not dress mere gayly." ''' Daughter,'' said the Superior to Rosolia, '^ plead your cause and my own." '^ What would you have, sister," answered Rosoiia ; "we have our little fancies in the convents, as well as you who are in the world. I am as anxious to please here, as you are to please elsewhere. If you come to-morrow, you will see me quite another thing. I shall be all in white and flowers. My head- 2G4 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. head-dress, and the trimmings of my gown and petticoat, will be all flowers. I assure you I shall be quite enchanting.''—" How absurd you are,'* said Isabella^ angrily. "Not so absurd," replied Rosolia ; " are not all victims decorated with flowers before they are led to the altar ? Ah ! if I had, like you, two watches, diamond bracelets round my arms^ pearls about my neck, and precious stones in my hair, you would have a right to say that such pomp partook of worldly vanity, and did not be- come a convent; but really, dressedasi am, I must appear by the side of you, Itnodesty personified. Don Carlos shall be judge : Speak, speak, Signor ; say boldly which of our dresses savours most of vanity." ^' The wicked rogue !*' said the Superior; '' YOU THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 26^ ** you see, daughter, that Don Carlos is too well acquainted with the adventure of the shepherd Paris, to venture to decide between you. If he had the apple; he would give it to the most rational j there- fore, stay till you are older before you contend for it.— Ladies, and you Signor,*' continued the Superior, '' my daughter has not told you the truth of the case. It is this: Yesterday, you know, was a grand holiday. We take three days vacation ; when this holiday arrives, we delay the supper hour, and before supper our boarders play two or three dramatic pro- verbs before the community. I permit these exercises, which are perfectly inno- cent in themselves ; they strengthen the memory, and contribute to give them VOL. II. N becoming; -266 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. becoming confidence and graceful man- ners. Rosolia having entered upon her term of probation^ was unwilling to be of the party this year ; but the other boarders knowing how well she acquits herself in every thing she undertakes, entreated me so earnestly to enjoin her to play a part^ that I could not forbear directing her to do so. This is the reason of your seeing her in this dress, which, however, it must be allowed, is not at all unbecom- ing for her ; but if she had known that she would have been wanted in the par- lour, she would have changed it before she made her appearance. But you have really taken her unawares. Such is her apology and mine. — Let us now pro- ceed, madam, to the object of your visit. The THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 26? The Signer Massarcna has brought a packet sent to hiin by your son for his sister Rosolia. I have caused it to be put in the turning box, and I intend taking it to my apartment^ where I shall open it without witnesses, to see that it contains nothingimproper for my daughter to have. She shall only have such as may be r;}asonably allowed in a convent. If I made the choice in her presence,, I might possibly give her some cause for regret, which I would willingly spare her. — Fare- well, madam^ it is getting late ; it is the hour of completes, and we are under the necessity of leaving you. You have nothing particular to say, I presume. — *"' I would have wished, answered your mother, to have said a word about Rosolia's en- N 2 trance; 268 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. trance. The term for her novitiate is near at hand:; you know my situation." — " Madam,'' replied the Superior, " I have already had the honour of conversing with you on this subject^ and I am sorry to say that I cannot admit of any change in the arrangements we then made. It is per- fectly unnecessary, there Fore, for us to renew the subject ; besides, it is yet in very good time. Rosolia has not yet taken the habit of the novitiate; it will be quite time enough to think on that when she has entered upon it." Here the conversation ended, and we all got up. RosoLa kissed her mother's hand, and afterwards her sister's, who said to her : " Ah, Rosolia, you must let me see what things your brother has sent you." *' Yes, THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 269 '^''Yes, you shall see, but that's ail T' — '' Why, as you are going to be a nun, what use can you have for any of them ?** '' So, sister, you are laying claim to my inheritance already : but, to be a nun is not to be dead, you know.'* When she had taken her leave of her mother and sister, she turned to me,, and making me a very pretty courtesy , said : " Signor, I am extremely grateful for your friendship towards my brother, and for your com- plaisance in bringing the packet which he sent for me. I trust too, that after the explanation given by the Superior, the attire in which you see me, will not im- press you with any unfavourable opinion.'*' " Miss Rosolia," answered I, '• if I were capable of conceiving a thought prejudi^ N 3 cial 270 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. cial to you, I should justly deserve ilmt you should think very meanly of me, and Heaven preserve me from such a misery V "Farewell, Signor Massarena/* said the Superior to me, " tell your mother that spite of her inconstancy I shall always love her." Such, my dear friend, was our first interview ; your good sister, Rosolia, is to give you an account of to-morrow's. I thought this dear sister a thousand times more amiable, a thousand times prettier than ever. She grows handsomer in her retirement. What a pity that a misshapen, mournful garment should ever obscure such an assemblage of charms and graces. I cannot understand this great propensity for the monastic life ! The deed, 'tis true, is THE SPANISH OUTLAW, ^71 is not done yet ; and, perhaps, upon second and more serious reflection . . . - But I am much afraid, Fernando, that we deceive ourselves. Your RosoHa views this dreadful sacrifice with too much cheerfulness .... It will be consummated. Yes, i fear it, greatly fear it. I have nothing to say on the subject of Wanderghen's pretensions, than what I have Vv^ritten to my father, without whose orders I never decide on applications of this nature. Wanderghen cannot be admitted into my regiment, nor shall he ever. I have made enquiries concernmg him: his father is a Durch Jew. The ha- tred which is borne him, and the contempt and disgrace into which he has fidlen, is not without foundation, for it is notorious N 4s. that 272 THE SPANISH OlTTLAW* that his riches are the fruits of the most criminal and punishable usury. It is by no means certain that the son is not also a Jew. He has just nt)w published two pamphlets, by which he has roused against him every person of the least respectabi* iity ; of these two, one is upon Tactics, which besides the dogmatical and malig- nant tone of the author, discovers a pro- found ignorance of the military art, at least so say the critics. What is truly extraordinary, is, that Wanderghen, whom I have not the honour intimately, to know and who has certainly no good cause of complaint against me, has in this publica- tion, under the pretence of taking a view of the conduct of the whole body of Spanish officers, made a desperate attack on on me, in which I am described in such a manner, that no one can doubt my being the person alluded tO; On reading that which relates to myself, no one can accuse Wanderghen of flattery in the por- traits he is pleased to draw. I know not if this man's head be perfect, but it is very unaccountable that he should indulge in such bitter invective against the body of officers, at the very moment when he so- licits the honour of being admitted amongst them* The other work is a repetition of aH' the various speculations that have been formed on the Origin of Societies. There is in this a violent attack on the Diplo- matic body of Spain, and what will sur- prise you, one of the author's complaints n5 is. 27-1* THE SPANISH OUTLAW, is, that in our diplomatic as well as our military corps^ they admit ...... That's his noble expression; and he mentions you, my dear friend, aye, you yourself, in proof of his assertion. He has not named you more than myself^ but you are so well described, that your picture may be as easily known as mine, without being in the least more flattering. This conduct of Wanderghen towards us, is the more indecent and outrageous^ because these two publications must have been written and printed before he could possibly have known my determination on his request, or even before he could have received your letter on the subject. You no doubt say with me, can so much malice unprovoked, have shewn itself in the THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 2>^^ the Jew Wanderghen ! Like me you will dewspise the foolish epigrams of this m.ad- man ; it will be well for him, if the corps observe the same moderation towards him for the stones he has thrown at them. But I should certainly be as mad as him, to introduce into that in which I have the honour to serve^ any fellow of such a cha- racter. —And so much for him, satis sn- perque. — Reflecting that he was of the number of your friends, it has been au ungrateful task to me to haVe said so much. How painful it is to me, my dear Fer- nando, to close this letter, without satis- fying your reasonable curiosity as to the cause of my melancholy : Yes^ my dear, my faithful friend, I am sad! I feel too that N 6 my 27S THE SPANISH OUTLAW.. my h?alth is impaired ; I am unhappy^ and the more so as the cause of my grief is of such a nature, that I cannot confide it even to you ; that you yourself would upbraid me for my confidence. Pity me then, but urge it no more. LETTER XXI\r. Rosolia Tex ada to Fernando Texado^ her brother, Madrid, 27: ^w^. 17— .. WHAT a lovely letter you have written me, my dear brother, my kind friend ! What handsome presents you have sent me ;, how mindful you are of your sister Rosolia. You^ and you only, wiH make me regret the eternal farewell I am THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 277 I am about to bid the world : When I reflect that I shall never more inhabit the same roof with my brother, and that I may perhaps be confined to some city where he may never be, then Fmust con- fess my heart swells high, and my tears flow apace. But^ my dear Fernando, how would you have me live in the world ? would you have me consent to be a bur- then to my mother all my life, and per- haps to you ? A younger sister, and des- titute of fortune, I am happy, very hap- py in finding an asylum, where I am be- loved, where only you are wanting to give me content ! YeSy yes, my dear Fer^ nando, I have consulted my heart, I have examined thoroughly, and the more I reflect, the more firmly 1 am persuaded that 278 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. that the choice I make is as proper and necessary as it is agreeable to my mind. But, let us dwell no longer on this subject, my friend, which must needs be painful from the prospect it holds out to us of an eternal separation. Let us now proceed to the reception of your gifts.. Your friend Don Carlos began the history^ I will endeavour to tell you all of it that can interest you in conclusion. As soon as he was gone with my mother and Isabella, Iran to embrace the Superior,- and entreated her to let me see the con- tents of the packet ; she told me that she should take it to her own room, and that when the completes were over, I should be satisfied. I was forced to obey. The com pletes appeared to me longer than vespers. As THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 27^ As soon as I could get out of the choir^ I ran to the Superior's room. She gave me your letter to begin with ; and tears o^ gratitude fell from me at every line I read. '' Ah ! mother/' said I every moment to the Superior, " how good, how kind a brother he is ! how amiable ! you love me greatly, but if you knew him, you must love him far better.'* 1 then proceeded lo survey the presents, which I kissed one by one as I -examined them. " Come, come," said the Superior, '' be a little sobers my child, let us view all these things temperately, and see which of them you may take to your room.'* — '' O, all, mother," said I.—" All," replied she, " is soon said, you will not leave me any thing then ?''_^^ Ah ! what did I say, dear 280 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. dear mother ? I ask a thousand pardonsj what have I that is not your's? Choose whatever is most worthy your acceptance, and take it, I entreat you: How happy it would make me, that you should re- ceive from your Rosoiia any thing that gave you pleasure.'^ — " 1 will take you at your word ; one of your presents I will accept." — '^ Take it, my dear mother, take it: Will you have this case?" — " No, it's too fine ; but I will take one of these papers of chocolate : the Signor Massa* rcna is coming to breakfast with us to* morrow morning, and when he finds that the chocolate he takos was ^sent by his friend, he will like it the better^ You may take all your stock to your room^ and to-morrow after breakfast, you shall write THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 2SJr write to your brother to thank him for them. He is a good brother, Rosolia.*' '' And the parrot, mother ?" — " You forget nothing : You are to have it to- morrow morning." — " And the little dog?" — '' Why your joy has made you mad, daughter. Do you want to turn the convent into a Noah's ark ? You know Tery well we do not admit dogs ; so leave that to the Signor Massarena ; it is but just that he should partake of your bro- ther's generosity. Good night, daughter, and remember, no dress to-morrow at breakfast, i'ou can dress for your per- formance afterwards. Goodnight." You can have no idea, my dear Fernando, what joy I experienced in finding myself left alone in my room to contemplate the donations and the donor, and with what reg et 282 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. regret I abandoned this delightful occu- pation on being summoned to attend to the little piece which we were to play be- fore supper. I played my part like a fool^ for my thoughts were full of you and your friend. I was serious, pensive^ and I fear almost ridiculous. After sup- per all the community were desirous of seeing the contents of the packet. I then resumed my gaiety, and made an exhibi- tion of them all. They congratulated me on having such a brother, and boarders and nxms all embraced me and loaded me with caresses, which they said were as much for you asmyself. I could not close my eyes all night for thinking on you, and the next morning's breakfast. When mass was finished, the Superior and myself repaired to THE Sr.ANISK OUTLAW. 2H3 to the parlour. I was dressed this time "1 such a manner that even Isabella her- v. If would have approved my modesty. JMy hair was concealed ia a large round cap, which had no greater ornament than a pale-green ribbon : attached to that I had a long black veil that reached down to my waste ; my hands were cased in the violet gloveSj and my gown was brown muslin with white and red stripes. I must have appeared to Don Carlos an absolute spectre. He was in the parlour when we entered. I observed that he had strii in his button-hole the nosegay which Isabella had given him on the preceding evening, and 1 complimented him upon his talent of preserving flowers so long in their beauty. lie answered gallantly, that th^j lady 284 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. lady who gathered them had communi- cated to them a part of her never-fading beauty. He then pointed to a cage which was in his servant's hands, and which con* tained the parrot. " How do you like this pretty bird, miss ?'* said he to me. " Gh ! I think he is very pretty !*' Ex- claimed!. — ^' And you, Signor, Parrot/ *^ continued Don Carlos^ " what do you think of the lady ?*' The parrot looked stedfastly at me, but gave no answer, " Answer Adorable^'' said Don Carlos. 'Adorable, Adorable,' repeated the parrot; Good day, good little Rosolia/ added it of itself. — '^ Signor," said the Superior, " let us make an exchange ; commit the bird to our care, and you shall have Rosolia's packet, which you can inspect whilst she prepares THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 285 prepares the chocolate, which I must not forget to tell you is taken from that which forms a part of Signor Fernando's good gifts \Vj treat you like a friend you see, and as we have no secrets from you, you are welcome to read the letter which bore them company. When he had examined them all (which he appeared to do with great interest), he returned them, saying, that every thing must be dear to me which came from such a brother. " But," added he, "" though he has served you very well, he has served your sister better, at least her presents are more costly." — '' Let us know how ?" said the superior. " Why was she so silent about it ? Since she is so secret with us, we will be the same with her J we will tell her nothing about our lot. 286 THE SPANISH OUTLAWS lot. What has she received, SIgnor ?'' — '' Two handsome gowns, a fine sash, two pair of gloves, and a pot of rouge." — = * * The pot of rouge might havebeen spared," said the Superior ; ''but that is certainly a richer present than Rosolia's ; it is how- ever no more than proper, Miss Isabella being her elder. You must know," con- >tinued the Superior, " that I can refuse nothing to so good a brother. I see by hrs letter that he wishes his sister to corres- pond vmh him ; thei*e is no law against it, and I am even desirous that Rosolia should gratify his Mash.' I can easily sup- pose that they do not wish their letters to be opened, nor to pass through the hands of either the mother or the sister. Ma- dam and Miss Texada may have scruples on THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 287 on this score, which I neither have nor can approve, for it is my opinion that a sister should write to her brother, and the brother lo his sister. I will take care, tnerefore, that my daughter's let- ters shall go to the post without being subjected to the interference of the fa- mily, and Signor Texado may direct his to the convent without the smallest incon- venience either to himself or his sister. Write to him Rosolia, and as to opening letters, I only open such as appear suspi- cious, and the intercourse between a bro- ther and sister will never be so in my eyes. You see, children, that I am very accomrnodating to those I love, and you will always find me so, for I flatter my- self you will always deserve my indul- gence. S88 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. gence. Tell me now honestly, Signor Massarena^ if you are content with my Ro- solia," — " Miss Rosoliaj'* answered Don Carlos very obligingly, '' is a flower which daily improves in worth and beauty, and does honour to the hand that rears it." — ''Very politely said/* replied the Superior j •■'* but that is not what I meant ; 1 wish to know if you like her better to-day than yesterday." — '' Yesterday/ tis true, her at- tire was more studied and costly, and she did not appear less modest. To-day her dress .is plainer, and she is not less btau- tiful.*' "Nothing but compliments ; I will ask you no more of those questions, for you will make her blush. But you are thoughtful, Signor Massarera; if you would but be candid, you would confess that f HE SPANISH OUTLAW. 289 that you would find this flower too fresh and sweet for a convent. But be com- forted : my daughter shall do nothing against her will ; she has only to confide in me. I am her friend, and shall always be able to bring all her projects to a good end, because they are sure to be rational and proper. She is incapable of forming any others. At the close of this conversation, Don Carlos (as the Superior observed) became quite pensive. His meditations appeared to me painful, and to proceed from a set- tled melancholy. We got up to take leave of him. He got up too, but seemed scarcely master of his motions. *' Signor,'* said the Superior to him, " did you re- collect to remember me to my old friend, VOL. II. o vour 290 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. your mother ?'* — '- Ah! madam, excuse me, I had quite forgotten to tell .you^ that vshe desired me to assure you that she loves you as much as she ever did ; that she was entirely ignorant of your being at Madrid ; that she would have come with me this morning, had it not been so early, but will certainly take . advan- tage of the first interval her constitutional indisposition will admit of her going out to pay you a long visit." — " And I hope you will accompany her, Signor :" " Ma- dam, you do me much honour, but " ^' You hesitate ! you are^ not content then with the reception you have met from my daughter and myself yesterday and to day ?*' " Ah ! m.adam, spare me*' for heaven's sake ! — What did you say ? Can THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 291 Gail you talk so to me ! to me who never knew true happiness but in the few short moments I have passed with you?" — " You will come and see us again then?**^ — " Madam It does not depend on myself. I \^ as not born to be happy!** — " How, Signor/' I could not forbear speaking to him, " shall we not see you again then ! What have we done to you that you should bid us farewell for ever ! you do not then love the sister of your friend?" — " Ah! Rosolia, Roso- lia !" exclaimed he, growing paler and paler, "what a bolt you have shot through my heart I — Not love you, Rosolia ! . . . . 1 Adieu, ladies," added he, greatly agitated, and went abruptly out of the room. o 2 The 292 THE SPANISH OUTLAW, The strange style of his departure sur. prized and affected me greatly. I fear, my dear friend, that Don Carlos's malady is in his heart. I am confident some heavy grief oppresses him. Perhaps if you enquire the cause, you may succeed in curing it. Pray write to him on the subject. Adieu, my good and amiable brother ; I shall always love you more, much more than myself. I am embroi- dering a silk stuff. The embroidery will be extremely rich, and every body pro- iK)unces it to be in the first taste. There will be sufHcient to make you a coat and waistcoat. When they are done, I will add tv/o pair of lace ruffles. Had noc Don Carlos taken such a vile farewell of us. THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 293 us^ I should hiive charged him to send thein to you ; but he must come aganl. • You know how happy I am in having permission to write to you, and I promise you that I shall make very diligent use of it. Do not find fault with mefor buyingthe stuff. I got it by economizing in my Httle pleasures, and selling a few trifles which were of no use to me. Adieu, my dear Fernando, I love you with all my heart, LETTER XXXV. Figiiera Texada to Fernando Tex ado her son. Madrid, 2'J Aug. 17—, The Signor Ricos has paid me the nfty six piastres which you remitted, my o 3 dear 294 THL SPANISH OUTLAW. dear sen, for which I thank you. Bal- buena, wlio brought your sister's packet^ told nie that you had lent him the same sum. You were wrong in so doing, because you know nothing of him ; and you are by no means sure that he will ever be in a coiidition to repay you. You are not a child now, and you ought to begin to know the value of money, and to provide for the future. What would become of you if you should happen to lose your place ? All your romantic resolutions about Josephine will come to nothing ; 1 have consulted Wanderghen, who is incapable of givhig bad advice about her, and he has promised me that he would use means to THE SPANISH OUTI. AW* 295 to make you think no more of her^ and that he would so contrive, that vou would even after wish to be united to her in the whole course of your life. It appears to me that you have behaved very ill towards Wanderghen^ who has always been very kind to you, since, as he informs me, you are still in his debt. Why did you refuse to get him the lieutenancy? It certainly was in your power to have obliged him ; but it is even said, that you dissuaded Don Carlos from, taking Wanderghen into his regiment. That was not wjH, and I never expected . that you. could have done vso. It is tra?, that Wanderghen is not equal to Don Carlos ; but you ought to keep friends with every body. HovV do you know o 4 but 'i9G THE SPANISH OUTLAW. but that our family may one day stand in need of him ? If, for instance, he should make proposals to your elder sister, would it not be very desirable for her to be united to an only son of a man who is reported to be exceedingly rich ? It was very kind of you to send so many things to little Rosolia, I have not seen any of them> but I dare say that they cost you a deal of money ; I hope, however^ that you have written no- thing to dissuade her from becoming anun. Be always circumspect in your con- duct, my son ; be particularly assiduous in your attentions to the Ambassador. If you should lose your place, you would find yourself in a very desperate situa- tion, — I am ever your affectionate mother,. LETTER THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 29 7 LETTER XXXVL Imbella Texada to her brother Fernando Tex a do, Madrid, 27 Aug. 17—. I HAVE received the stuff which you sent ; in return for which I am work mg you a pair of muslin ruffles. They are no longer the fashion here, but per- haps it is not yet gone by at Naples ; be- sides they are substantial and will be v^y serviceable to you. This is not all : when I have fmished the ruffles I will weave you a pair of cotton stockings. Do you suppose I cannot guess why you did not let us see what you sent to o5 Rosolia? 2'98 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. Rosolia ? Ygu were afraid that I should have taken part of them^ or perhaps that I should have kept the whole; and should I have been wrong in so doing ? Is it pro- per for a nun to have so many things ? ^Are they not provided in the convent with all they have any right to want? You strive to vex me with all yoxir jests about marriage. But, in the first place^who told you that I ever wish to be married? And^ secondly, do not you see that there is a good ciiHerence between you and me I You have nothing to depend on, and want to marry a girl who is to all appearance as poor as yourself. I shall always have my. dowry, and if I do marry, do not ima gine I shall be silly enough to marry any ojie who has not a competent fortune. Jest THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 299 Jesf" then as much as you please ; but I shall never have to reproach myself with a folly Hke that which you design, and which Wanderghen has kindly promised to save you from committing. 1 am sorry my mother has spoken to you of him as she has done, for you may be thereby in- duced to think that I have a view to him, which, ho'vevcr, is not the case ; and if he should make any proposals, I have an answer ready for him. He is highly in- censed against you : my mother has told you the reason. I do all I can to appease him, but I am by no means sure that I shall succeed. He is a very useful friend, and ought to be preserved. Mind, how- ever, to keep well with Don Carlos.— Adieu, my brother. I am not at all jealous 06 of 300 TII£ SPANISH OUTLATV, of your aii'ection for Rosolia, but 1 wish you also to have a little for me ; I am yotir sister as well as she. LETTER XXXVII. Inigo Astucia to Don Pedro de Massa^ reiia, Aranjucz, 28 Aug. 17 — • YOU have, no doubt, Signor, been informed of Don Carlos's satisfactory be» .i^yiour in his regiment, and that he left Anduxar without having the slightest quarrel. I trust that this will be a suffi- cient proof that any unfavourable im- pressions which may have been given yoa concerning me, are wholly without foun- dation. Allow me freely to declare, that I suspect Cascara has been endeavouring to -THE SPANISH OUTLA\r. SOI to undermine me in your opipxion ; but your excellency has too much contempt for ihe reports of a set of servants, to attach any credit to what he may have written about me. The truth is, Signor, that my whole time and attention is devoted to the per- fection of Don Carlos's education. Don Juan de Spinoletto^ under whose sanctioa I write this letter^ is witness of my zeal and assiduity, and desires me to say that he is thoroughly content* The Signora Massarena seems also very well satisfied with the conduct I pursue. It would be a very distressing circumstance to me, if after acquiring by my unremit- ting care, and earnest endeavours, the good- will aiid approbation of ail the rest of 302 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. ef the family, )nDur's t^hould be wanting- Be assured, Signor, that besides the lessons in mathematics, history^ and geo- graphy,, which I daily give Don Curios^ with a patience which^ in^ the most trying / circum.stances, I preserve unshaken ; I discourse to him incessantly on^ the moral duties, and strive to instill into him the most virtuous maxims. A day will come whai you wiil render me that justice which is my due. I entreat you, Signor, to be pleased to- inform me on what I am to depend, when Don Carlos shall no longer be in need of my care and instruction. LETTER THE SPANISH OUTLAW. SOS LETTER XXXVIII. Donna Sptnolcita de Massarena to Don Pedro de Mas.' arena, Madrid, 23 Au^. 17-—. YOU may say what you please^ Signor, but you understand nothing, ab- solutely nothing, of the manner in which Don Carlos ought to be educated. You are a seducing man ; you talk like an angel, and even so well, that you have beea near convincing me more than once that I was not ill, although I have had the most cruel evidence of the contrary. I admit your superior q^ualities ;, but not* withstanding all of them, your arguments are extremely weak. Since Don Car- los's S04< THE SPANISH OUTLAW. los's return to Madrid, I have never been able to keep him out of theTexado family: the endeavours of the good Asruciaare of no avail ; my brother^ too, has used his, but all to no purpose* Morning and night he is perpetually dinniag my ears with Figuera Texada, Isabella Texada, Rosolia Texada, and Fernando Texado, and I verily believe he sometimes creates Texados, on purpose to torment me and throw me into fits* He adds to all these a Josephme^ whose name is not Texada, for she has no name at all, 'Tis a jumble altogethtr that quite shocks my nerves. The other day he received a packet from Naples. It was Fernando Texado who sent it ; it was to Rosolia Texada it was to fee given. For ever Texados. He thought THE SPANI3« OUTLAW. SOS of nothing but the packet, and in what way he could deliver it ; he consulted me about it at least twenty times in the same hour, and at length the packet sent by Texado was surrendered to Texada. One fortunate circumstance which attended this adventure is, that he has discovered that this little Rosolia has for a Superior in the convent, my old friend Rosolia d'Osmadez, with whom you too are very well acquainted, I am quite shocked at having neglected her so much, but I v/ill pay her a visit, and make my apologies the very first moment my vapours leave me at rest, but thj situation in which Don Car* los plcxes me only aggravates my com- plaints. Not that his behaviour is in the slightest desire exceptionable. The only fault 306 THE SFx\NISH OUTLAW. fault I caa find with him is his obstinate Texado attachment^ which is really odious* You sanction this ridiculous attachment, Signor^ by your own example, and in spite of all that can be said to you. Do you know the consequence of it ? It is that from his constant visits to the Texados, Don Carlos has acquired such a habit of slovenliness that I myself scarcely know him ; in addition to which he has fallen into a fit of melancholy, which has worn him away. His health is visibly impaired y and when alone, Signor, I shed torrents of tears at the condition in which I see this dear boy, who formerly pramised so much. I have said every thing, I have done every thing, to get the secret- from him^ but I have met with no success. ^'It TBE SPANISH OUTLAW. 307 *' It IS here, here," he sometimes says, pointing to his heart, " and here it shall remain forever ; it shall die, and be buried with me." The other day,^ when 1 was quite in despair at his obstinacy, and the inefficacy of my tears and entreaties, I threatened him with the loss of my affec- tion, and that I would complain to you : '^ Well," answered he, coldly, '' what would you gain by withdrawing your af- fection from me, and wounding me in the estimation of my father ? It would but make my death more grievous.'* I can do no more, Signor, I have now recourse to you ; I implore you, my dear husband, by our union, by my love for you, my dear Massarena, to use your au- thority in its fullcist force, to snatch a secret 308 THE- SPANISH OUTLAW. secret from him, upon the revealing of which depends the preservation of what all you and I hold dearest in the world .... I can hold out no longer^ Signer. My nerves, my head, my heart, all are dis- eased. If this situation continues, you will soon see me laid low. Why did you dismiss poor Balbuena ? There's another quarrel you. will have with my brother. You will end by an eternal quarrel. Indeed you are a very cruel man ; you know the ill state of my healthy and you take no pains to please me in any thing. LETTER THE SPANISH OUTLAW. S09 LETTER XXXIX. Don Carlos de Massarena to his father* Madrid^ 28 Jug. 17— . IMMEDIATELY on receipt of your last letter^ Signor and honoured father^ I repaired to Aranjuez to fulfil your com- mission with my uncle. It was on the 24th of this months he was in the •closet whiv'^h he calls his oratory. One of . his pages annciinced me, and he immedi- ately came forth from his mysterious place before I could approach it. '' Ah ! good day, my boy," said he to me, ** what fair wind has brought you to this abode of delights ?" -' A desire to see' your curious closet.'*—*- No, no, you shall not see it." '' Why not ? I never have seen it ; and I have 310 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. have a great curiosity that way." " No, no, you shall not see it : it is a sanctuary, and thou art a profane one. I am at this moment busy in making preparations for a feast which is to take place to-mor- row ; thou art not v/orthy to bthold them. Odi prqfanum vidgiis et arceo. Astucia shall be invited to the feast, but thou shalt not. You are not sufficiently ac- quainted with the manners and customs of the world 5 you do not yet deserve to be initiated in the 'profound mysteries of my divinities. You are now a man grown, and you have always the appearance of a noviciate friar ; you have the gait and manners of a Caco j and what does this melancholy fit import with which you have been seized for some time past ? Do you think TH£ SPANMSH OUTLAW. 31 I think that the paleness of your countenance improves your look ? Observe, my child, if you do not attend to what Astucia and myself say to you, you are lost for ever. Drive far from you all this Texado race, and become a votary of the gay world. Take a flight. Give a box of the ear to any man who is worth the trouble, and make yourself distinguished. When you have had two or three duels you will see what a favourite you will be among the women ; thev will all kneel and adore you. Why^ when I was at your age^ I was a simple lieutenant ; I had the im- pudence to fight with my colonel ; I re- ceived such a violent thrust in my right side that I was confined to my bed three months, and I was never perfectly cured, which 312 THE SI>ANISH OUTLAW* which was the cause of my quitting the service; — but what of that? you should have heard the praises that wfere sang of me ; never wras man more in fashion. I have still, you see, preserved some remains of my greatness. Chear up that brow of thine, and be gay and impudent, it is much more becoming your age. And pray, what can you have to make you sorrowful? You are a handsome young gentleman j and in a condition to become all that you can wish to be 5 you are the spoiled child of your mother, father, and your uncle. I don't imagine that they leave any of your wishes ungratified. As for me, you have never asked any thing of me ; but you know very weh 'hat after my death you well be rich enough to purchase a king- dom. THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 313 dom. Come^ Don Carlos, speak out ; open your heart to me ; are you in want of any thing P What do you wish for ?" I took advantage of this opportunity, and answered : ^' You speak with so much kindness, sir, that 1 should be very blameable to conceal the truth from you ; I must, therefore, confess that I do at this moment stand in need of some money." *" Ah !" exclaimed he, " then I am master of your secret at last. Your mother could make nothing of you. I am the only ma:i to succeed in intricate matters. Your frankness pleases me much. There, go into tiiat room, and you will find the key of my secretary, take as much as you like. *^ You are too good, uncle,*' answered I, I have not occasion for a very large sum.** VOL. n, p - — "• l\o\\ 314 THE ISP ANISH OUTLAW. — " How much, then ?^' « I shall be perfectly satisfied if you will give me^ not to be returned" ... '' Yes, yes, that's understood. How much r" '^ Only fifty- six piastres.'* " They are your's." So saying, he ran into the room which he had shewn me, and returned immediately with the fifty-six piastres, which he put into my, hand, and which I with great alacrity transported to my pocket. I then thanked him, and took my leave, well pleased at having executed your orders viih. so much facility ; but I had scarcely reached the staircase whenl heard my uncle •hastening out of the room, and calling to all his servants, Iloloa ! Holoa J Stop him all of you, stop him \ dont let him go out ; shut all the doors I ' He wanted me. I could THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 315 could not possibly advance, so that I was obliged to return. " What is this noise about, uncle/' said I to him ?'' '' Why ? because you are a rogue ! ay, nephew, a rogue ! Give me back my money quickly." '* You gave it me not to be returned." " But I will take it back again. You thought to make a dupe of me ! How prettily you v/ould have bilked me of fifty six piastres. Where are they ? Come, be quick." — *' What reason have you to change your mind thus in a minute^ uncle ?" *' That impertinent letter of your father's, which I received this morning, had quite escaped my memory ; but very luckily I recollected it as you were going down stairs. What a silly action 1 was about to commit ! He dls- p 2 misses 316 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. misses this poor Balbuena^ who is as gentle as a lamb ; and not content with that, he wants me to pay fifty-six piastres for him. Is he determined to drive me mad ? I am enraged against him to despe-^ ration. If he continues to act thus, I am capable of . . , . I will not marry again, because I am surfeited with marriage ; but Fll live for these hundred years.'* " My dear uncle," said I, " I hope you will Hve as many ages, if you wish it.'* *' No jesting with me. Return me my money instantly." — I then put my hat on, placed my hand on the hilt of my sword, and with a look half serious, and half jocose, I said to him : ^« Yes, Signor, I will restore it, but it shall be with my sword's point." ^' He immediately re- treated THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 31? treated three paces, put his hand in posture of defence ; and in this attitude exclaimed in a most dignified tone : " Optume ! Very well ! that is the way you should speak ; that is like my nephew ! I know you now for one of my race : Take the fifty-six piastres, and fifty to them \^ you like. I am content with you now : But I should like to see you act this part in earnest with one of your comrades, with some man who is valiant. I do not know if 1 can find time to answer your father's letter ; but tell him when you write, that if he don't cease his impertinence, I will send the whole family to the devil, and never attend to his affairs any more. Adieu 1 Don Carlos j thou art a good boy j remember me to your mother^, and p 3 tell SI 8 TtlE SPANISH OUTLAW. tell her that when I am tired of being here, I will go and see her." ThuSj Signor and ever-honoured father, the commission with which you were pleased to charge me, has been happily executed^ and, as you see, without the least trouble. I have only now to balance the account with Wanderghen, which I will do as soon as I can meet with him. I have not yet had time for a t^te-a-tete with Sancha. I preferred beginning with the task I considered most difficult j but I will not delav to obtain an interview with him, and I will give you the earliest account of the result. No, my ever honoured father, I ought to keep nothing from )ou, and the daily proofs I receive of your affection^ bind me to you as much as THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 31 9 as son can be bound to a father. But that is my misfortune ; the more kindness you shew towards me, the more I am unworthy of it. My situation is singularly dreadful. I wish, I burn to open my heart to you ; but such is the nature of the secret you would know^, that I am doomed to bury it in my hearty, though it consumes it daily. Yes, I cannot, must not suiTer it to escape me. Had it been otherwise^ should I have waited your commands, O, best of fathers ! to have acquainted you with the lamentable cause of the grief which preys upon me ! But alas ! I can neither reveal it to you, my mother^ nor my friend, withou!: a crime ; conscience commands me to dicobcy the authors of my being, to be deaf to the entreaties of r 4 ^ my 320 THE SPANISH OUTLAW, my friend. Compassionate my dreadful situation ; bewail the fate of unhappy Don Carlos ; but be assured that his death would be m^ore welcome to you than this fatal disclosure. After the manner in which you dis- missed Ealbuensj I dare not presume to interest myself for him, though he arrived ragged and pennyless ; but my uncle has^ taken him in, and made him his librarian. LETTER XL. Ini^o Astucia to Ambrose Homhrenegro. 2gJug. 8 o'clock morn. 17 — . YOU were to be with me at seven oVlock this morning ; it is now eight. Immediately on receipt of my letter make the THE SPANISH OUTLAW, S21 the best of your way hither, with the pamphlets and paper in question^ 1 shall expect you ; and shall not go out till I have seen you. LETTER XLI. Francisco Sancha to Inigo Astucia, 29 -(^Wff. 9 o'clock, morn. IT is utterly impossible for Am- brose to wait upon you. On returning a few days since from Massarena House, where I suppose you had desired him to go, he complained of a violent head-ach, which grew worse towards night. 1 per- suaded him to go to-bed, which he did;, and has ever since been unable to quit it, p 5 having 322 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. having grown worse every day. He was yesterday attacked with a burning fever, and the doctor who attends him forebodes no good of it. If I had known what pamphlets yoa wish for, I would, have sent them by your servant*. LETTER XLIL Inigo Astucia to Solomon JVandergheiu 29 Aug. 10 o'clock morn. "WHY did not you come to me be* tween 7 and 8 o'clock, as was agreed upon between us. Read, my dear Wan- derghen, the inclosed letter from Sancha* ' I would lay a wager, that 'tis a lie he tells THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 323 me; as certain It, I have not time myself. The officers of Don Carlos's regiment are daily coming here, preparatory to the re- view. He gives a dinner to-day to six of them, and he wishes me to be of the party. I must go after dinner^ you know, to the members of la Societad, to solicit them on the part of Don Juan for your early reception ; all the letters of recom- mendation are not yet copied. I must not lose sight of this. You have secured Don Juan's protection just in time^ my dear Wanderghen ; the magistrate to whom I delivered the letter which he wrote in your favour, said that without such dis- tinguished patronage you would certainly have been taken up. But the affair is now settled, and when you. are once ad- p 6 mitted 324 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. mitted into la Societad^ you will be held in general esteem. I am only afraid that the ambassador will not forgive your at- tack upon Don Carlos and the Secretary of Legation, which will appear to him the more unaccountable^ as at the time you wrote it, you had no cause of complaint against either of them : It appears to me that in this transaction, you have adhered too closely to the maxim, To live with your friends, as if they were one day to he your enemies. But happen what may, Don Juan will shelter you from every evil. You see now how condescending he is, how greatly he can serve you, and that he will refuse nothing to such as minister to his pleasures. I will not let him rest til] he has given you complete satisfaction about THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 325 about your marquisate and lieutenancy. But, my dear Wanderghen, a marquisate and lieutenancy are not to be given for nothing, and from what I know of Don Juan, 1 do not think you will prevail on him to procure you either of them before you have contributed amply to his amuse- ments. Lose no time then in seeing this Ambrose, and for God's sake let us put an end to this affair, you will then be able to do what you please with Don Juan ; but 1 must tell you before-hand, that he will never be able to get you a commission in Don Carlos 's regiment, for the latter would suffer himself to be disinherited, rather than consent to it. After the out- rageous terms in which Texado has writ- ten to him about you, he has conceived an 526 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. an 'absolute abhorrence for you. He speaks of you at every turn in the most contemptuous and insulting manner. He said this very morning, that if he should hear by any accident, that you made the slightest effort to enter his corps^ he would have you seized by half a dozen grenadiers, and expose you naked to the heat of the sun upon the wooden horse upon which the prostitutes are placed! You will prove yourself void of com- mon spirit, my dear Wanderghen, if you do not put a stop to such talk; have Satisfaction of him, but go about it pru- dently. You have handled the foil^ you say, from your childhood ; you must be sure of your sword therefore ; and Don Carlos does not understand the ma- nagement THE SPANISH OUTLAW, 327 nagement of his. Provoke hlin to a duel then ; give him a slight woundj by way of a lesson. The ambassador's influence would make it dangerous for you to pro- ceed any farther. You must be aware that an affair like this, which is nothing at all> \yill do you great honour among the mi- litary ; will thereby facilitate your obtain- ing the lieutenancy. I speak to you, my dear Wanderghen, as to my best friend^ and I hope, that my frankness will prove to you how desirous I am of serving you in every possible way with Don Juan. LETTER 328 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. LETTER XLIIL Solomon Wander ghen to Inigo Aatucia, SO Jug. 17— ^ SUCCESS is ours ; our point is gained Astucia ; set all the wheels to work, and let us advance triumphant. Ah ! the wretches ! they shall know that if Wanderghenis a warm friend, he is like- wise a formidable enemy. All this is a riddle to you j very well, let us proceed in order, and the chaos will soon disperse. I did not call on you yesterday between seven and eight as I promised, because I was engaged in amorous dalliance with the little Settenilla, and had actually for- gotten the appointment. She is a de- lightful lUE SPANISH OUTLAW. S2i) lighlful little creature; she is much pleased with Don Juan, and Don Juan is v/ell pleased with her. He has asked me as a particular favour to bring her to him now and then^ and Seltenilla has sworn by Love and the Graces^ that she will profit by his attachment to her, to promote me still higher in Don Juan*s favour. Banish all your fears about my pam- phletSj they are good, inasmuch as they make a noise in the world, and get me into notice. I have written of Don Carlos and Texadoj as it became me to write of them. An author is a magistrate, a priest, and a legislator. The human race presents itself for his sport, and 'tis for the human race he writes, and not for such and such an indi- vidual. SSO THE SPANISH OUTLAW. vidual. If his pen is to be bridled, by all the trivial considerations due to rank and friendship, nothing sublime would ever proceed from it. The happiness of the human nature is the idol at whose shrine- the courageous writer sacrifices relations, friends, and even himself, if it be required of him. Moreover I have neither named Don Carlos nor Texado. If they are recognized in my portraits, whose fault is it? Is it mine? Does it depend on a writer to prevent the applications which his readers may think proper to make to the different touches which escape his pen? Besides you see that ^Texado did not wait for this pretext to attack me. In a word^ if I had spoken well of every- body, nobody would have read me j and if THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 331 If I have attracted tlie public attention, it is by the evil I have said, Don Juan understands perfectly the force of this reasoning, and had even the goodness to tell me^ that although I had been rather severe on his own nephew, he esteemed me not the less. But let us proceed to business. As soon as I received your letter, I dressed myself, dismissed Settenilla, and hastened to Sancha's. — " Where is Ambrose ?*' said I to him, — '' What do you want with him ?'' — " That [s no business of yours ; I must speak with him instantly/' — " You may indeed speak to him^ but you will be very clever to get a pertinent answer from hi;n." — •'' Pertinent or not, I must speak to him." — '' But pray have the goodness^ S32 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. goodness to tell me what you mean.*' — " Since you are pleased to ask me civilly, I will tell you as civilly, that Ambrose is at this moment in a raging fever, and speaks only to the fantastic creations of his imagination.*' — "I shall see if you tell ma the truth.*' — '' Whether you be- lieve me or not, is of little consequence, the opinion of a man like you^ I estimate at nothing, I assure you." Just as Sancha had finished this impertinent reply, there came into the shop two Erench ladies, followed by four servants. One of them held in her hand a long list of books^ which she wanted to purchase. Sancha in attending to them, lost all thoughts of me, and whilst he was marching from the ladies to the shelves, and from the shelves to THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 333 i\ lu^ ladies. I sprung up the little stair- case at the back of the shop, and scram- bled to Ambrose's little room, which I knew was on the second floor. I saw a little man come forth with a jolly red face, a black coat, a wig with three tremendous curls, vciy fine rufHes, and an immense diamond ring on his little finger. He looked at me very hard, and at length had the effrontery to say, '' Where are you going, young man?"—" What is that to you ?" answered I, *"' I shall go where I please : you go your way, and let me go mine." So saying I pushed the door open, and heard my little man knocking his cane against the floor, and saying, '' That's a very ill-bred fellow ; how the devil could my friend Sancha suffer such S34 THE SPANISH OUTLx\W. such a hair-braliied fool to come into his house." I left this original to his solilo- quy, and having shut and bolted the door, I found myself in the room tete-a-tete with Ambrose. Never did I behold such a hideous spectacle as that which this poor wretch presented to me ; he was stretched upon a bed^ to which his body was fastened with strong straps; a pre- caution no doubt taken to prevent him from throwing himself out at the window. His night-cap had fallen off his head, and his hair stood an end like the serpents on Medusa s crest ; on a table next to his bed were spread the various poisons of pharmacy, and at a little distance stood another, whereon were placed two basons of bloody thick and corrupt : A cadave- rous THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 336 rous smell issued from the rascal's bed j his eyes were directed towards Heaven, and he rolled them like a fury. Sometimes he wept, at others he laughed^ and some- times he uttered the most piercing cries, as if somebody had been scourging him. I went up to him and said to him in a low voice, " Ambrose, my friend Ambrose, don't you know me ?" A grinding of his teeth was my only answer. " My poor Ambrose Hombrenegro, my dear col- league, here is your good fiiend Wander- ghen, Vv'ho brings you comfort and assist- ance i don't you know him again ?*' *A k)ud hissing, like that of a serpent, was my only answer. At length I lost all patience ; I seized the wretch by his for- midable crest, and gave him a rude shock: " Thou S36 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. *' Thou scoundrel, thou son of Satan," said I to him, '*" wilt thou &peak?" This correction took effect, and he began to chatter, or rather howl. He spoke of you, myself, Sancha, Josephine, her annt, and of an old master whom he had lived with, whose name was Casar de Suza ; but he mentioned all these people in so confused and disjointed a manner, that it was impossible to get at his meaning. All on a sudden he tossed himself about in his bed like one possessed, and kept crying out, " Signor Sancha ! Signor Sanchal make haste! help! there's a fire in the street Bahutius," — "Where? where?" — "Why at Alvaradez, the perfumer's, the sign of the Silver Lion : Look ! look up three pair of stairs ; don't you THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 33'7 you see miss Josephine and her aunt hold- ing out their hands to us for assistance 1 Come, let us run! Some water, quick, some water !** He then swelled his cheeks like JEolus, and blew with all his might, as if to extinguish the flames which he fancied were raging with such violence. 1 left the villain to his frightful grimaces, and taking out my pocket-book, I wrote down, ' Three pair of stairs ^ at Signor Al- varez, the perfumer Sy the sign of the Silver Lion^ in the street Bahutius** I had now obtained what I wanted: I quitted the rogue's pestiferous den, and went down stairs ; I listened at the door at the back of the shop, and heard the httle man whom I met when I went up, saying to Sancha, '' You are a very odd fellow, VOL. II. Q friend 388 THE SPANISH OUTLA\^^* friend Sancha ; you know very well that this poor boy says things in his mad fits, which might tell very much against him, which is the reason he is not allowed a nurse; and notwithstanding this you let a young man go up to him . . . • I don't know whoj but he squints at people when he speaks to them."—'' Well, I can\t be every where," answered Sancha; ''he took the opportunity when I was talking to the ladies.— By the bye^, what do you think of the poor fellow ?" — '' Who, your patient ? I do not give him up yet. He has been more quiet since he was bled in the feet ; we will try it again to-night : give him plenty of barley- water; don't put too many cloaths on his bed; always burn those pastils in his room room which I gave you ; and let his win- dow be open the remainder of the day. — Butj what are you about Sancha ? Go and pull that fellow down by the arm whom I saw march up, and kick him out of doors in the name of Galen and Hippo- crates/' — '' lo go," said Sancha; and im- mediately he opened the door, and stood face to face with me. I walked into th« shop without looking at him ; he follow- ed me^ and in an elevated tone, " Where do you come from?" said he to me, " What does all this mean? you say my shop is a public place, but the rest of my house is not ; and I desire that you wilt never set your foot in it ; if ever you ^hink proper to- enter it again, I will let you see, Signer Solomon Wanderghen, Q 2 that ^40 THE SPANISH OUTLAW. that I am master in my own house. '*^ — *^ Solomon Wanderghen,'* answered I coldly as I was going, '' will find means to chastise you for your insolence towards him J and you will hear from him sooner than you expect." When I left Sancha's I ran to the street Bakutiics, and found that the information I gained there coincided exactly with the involuntary revelation of the impure Ambrose. You see then that my lucky star is superior to all obstacles, and that even you too are happily served, as it turns out, since in this same street dwells Catherina Meretrica, with whom you are acquainted, and who is always very ac- commodating to those who reward her well. Fill your pockels with pistoles^ thea. THE SPANISH OUTLAW. 341 then, and see her as scon as you can, for on her only depends the denouement. The success of the affair is no longer doubtful, and in succeeding vengeance is trebly mine. Don Carlos^ Texado^ and Sancha (who takes such an unaccount- able interest in this Josephme) are all en- tangled in one common net : Come, As- tucia, this is a well-spent day ; now comes your turn ; arm yourself for the fields and lose not a moment. END OF VOL. ir. Just Published bj J. F. HUGHES, 5, WIGMORE STREET. The ROYAL ECLIPSE; or, DELICATE FACTS;. Exhibiting the Secret Memoirs df SquiRE George and his Wife, one VoluiDe. 7s. FAMILY ANNALS; a Novel, m 5 vols, from the chaste pen of Mrs. Hunter, of NorAvich, author of Letitia, Grubthorpe Fakm-ly, Lady Palmes- stone's Letters, &c. &:c. The DEMON of SICi'LY ; a Romance. 4 vols, by Edward Montague, Esq. The FUGiriYE COUNTESS; a NoveL 4 vols. byMiss Wilkinson. ADELGITHA; a Play in 5 Acts, (3d edition) hy M. G. T>Ewis, Esq. now pei forming at Drury Lane 'i'heatre with great applaii&c. FEUDAL TYRANTS; a Romance. 4 vols, by the same Author. The BRAVO of VENICE; (5th Edition) a Rq. mance, 2 volj. by the same. RUGANTINO; a Grand Melo Drama, acted' for an entire Season at CoveotGarden Theatre with the greatest ajjplause. A SUMMER at BRIGHTON, (bXh Edition) in 4 vols, to this Edition is now first added the fourth Vo- lume, containing the Memoirs and Intrigues of the Modern Lais, a weil-known Woman of Rank and. Fashion. LEGENDS of a NUNNERY; a Romantic Le- gend, in 4 vols. FRIAR H1LDARG0 , a Romance. 4 vob. The MASK of- FASHION ;. a-modern Novel. 2 vols. 1 he INFIDEL MOTHER ; or. Three Winter.^ IN London ; (2d Edition) a Satyricai Novel in 3- vols, by Mr. Sedley ; this most extraordinary in- teresting Peiformance, besides a variety of \ery cu- rious Anecdotes, contains the complete develop- ment of a certain Delicate Mysterv, that basso long agitated the Public Mind. ^ooh Puhiished hj Hughes ^ JFigviore Street, COUNT EUGExMOj or, FATAL ERRORS •, a Tale. 2 vols. lOs. A WIN riCR at BATH, or LOVE as it MAY BE, and FRIENDSHIP as it OUGll'l" to BE; a Novel, in 4 vols, from the chaste and classical pen of Mis. Uavfield. Iler very able delineation of the Cha- racter of Lady M— , Lord B— , Mr. E— , &c. &c.— so well known at Balh, must for ever stanip her name with cclebritv. 'IhcMONKof UDOLPilO; a Legendary Talc. 4 vols, by Mr. Horsley Curties. ALPHONSINE ; a Novel, in 4 vols, from the pen of Madame Genlis. The LIKE and ME.NTOTRS of LEWIS the XlVth. 2 vols. Svo. written by himself, for the use of the Dauphin, his son, and contains the most authentic History of ilie intcreslins aRra in which he lived. The SPANISH OUTLAW i aTalcj 4 vols. The ENGLISH GIL BLAS; or, the Amusing Adventure of Gabriel Tiiigent, 3 vols. LYRICS on T>OVT., a Collection of Original Ama- tory Poems, after the manner of Little, In the Press, The LIFE and MEMOIRS of the late Right Hon. Charles James Fox, 1 vol. 4to. The MONK and iiis DAUGHi'ER, 3 vols. The'rilREE GERMANS, 4 vols. LOVE and MADN£SS, 3 vols, by Lafontaine. Mr. Hughes begs leave to inform the Booksellers, those lesident in the Country in particular, that he has discontinued the Sale and Agency of his Publica- tion to the House of Crosby and Co. but he regularly supplies every other House in the Trade. Wigmore ttreet, Cavendith Stuart, Printed by R. Wilks, ChanccrY-lane. J^o UNIVERSITY OF ILUN0I9-URBANA 3 0112 046440803 %:m