Nothing was heard within the houses or the streets, but groans of
agony; no remedy was at hand, and the powers of medicine were
exhausted in vain upon this terrible pest; so that within a few
days the greatest part of the inhabitants of Logrono had perished.
The bookseller had not been seen since the commencement of this
frightful visitation.
Once, at the dead of night, a knock was heard at the door of the
priest, of whom we have already spoken; the priest himself
staggered to the door, and opened it, - he was the only one who
remained alive in the house, and was himself slowly recovering from
the malady which had destroyed all the other inmates; a wild
spectral-looking figure presented itself to his eye - it was his
friend Alvarez. Both went into the house, when the bookseller,
glancing gloomily on the wasted features of the priest, exclaimed,
'You too, I see, amongst others, have cause to rue the Drao which
the Gitanos have cast. Know,' he continued, 'that in order to
accomplish a detestable plan, the fountains of Logrono have been
poisoned by emissaries of the roving bands, who are now assembled
in the neighbourhood. On the first appearance of the disorder,
from which I happily escaped by tasting the water of a private
fountain, which I possess in my own house, I instantly recognised
the effects of the poison of the Gitanos, brought by their
ancestors from the isles of the Indian sea; and suspecting their
intentions, I disguised myself as a Gitano, and went forth in the
hope of being able to act as a spy upon their actions.
Pages:
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104