Upon the whole, however, I did not much pity them. The
woman was certainly not the man's wife. The labourer had probably
left his village with some strolling harlot, bringing with him the
animal which had previously served to support himself and family.
I believe that the Gypsy read, at the first glance, their history,
and arranged matters accordingly. The donkey was soon once more in
the stable, and that night there was much rejoicing in the Gypsy
inn.
Who was the singular mediator? He was neither more nor less than
the foster child of the Gypsy hag, the unfortunate being whom she
had privately injured in his infancy. After having thus served
them as an instrument in their villainy, he was told to go home. .
. .
THE GYPSY SOLDIER OF VALDEPENAS
It was at Madrid one fine afternoon in the beginning of March 1838,
that, as I was sitting behind my table in a cabinete, as it is
called, of the third floor of No. 16, in the Calle de Santiago,
having just taken my meal, my hostess entered and informed me that
a military officer wished to speak to me, adding, in an undertone,
that he looked a STRANGE GUEST. I was acquainted with no military
officer in the Spanish service; but as at that time I expected
daily to be arrested for having distributed the Bible, I thought
that very possibly this officer might have been sent to perform
that piece of duty.
Pages:
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283