to your better opinion, return these books to the
bookseller from whom you purchased them. He
will take them back at a moderate deduction, and
then I can go immediately to the hospital with the
money they produce."

"Your advice," exclaimed the Dean, "is like
inspiration. I will follow it immediately." He ac-
cordingly ordered me to fetch a number of porters,
which I did, with an alacrity the cause of which it
is not necessary to explain. There was, however,
one circumstance in this transaction which vexed me
extremely. My patron resolved to accompany me
to the bookseller, who, as it happened, was the very
librarian who knew so well how to recommend
boarding-houses of hospitality.

Although traders in general are not very well
satisfied to take back goods they have once sold,
the old librarian verv obligingly received back the



58 THE HISTORY OF

books, and repaid the Dean one hundred and fifty
crowns out of the two hundred he had received for
them, contenting himself with the residue to recom-
pense himself as well for certain opportunities he
had lost of selling them to a greater advantage, as
for interest of his money from the time the purchase
had been made. I immediately laid hold of the
money, and tied it up in a bag which the librarian
gratuitously lent on the occasion. As we were
walking along the street, I endeavoured to induce
the Dean to return home, where I promised to rejoin
him in a short time ; but he still continued his
intention to accompany me to the hospital. " How,
sir," exclaimed I, "do you doubt the integrity of
your faithful servant ? "

" Heaven forbid," said he. " No, my good friend,
I am convinced of your fidelity; my only reason for
wishing to accompany you is, that I may be an eye-
witness of the victory I obtain ; but, since my com-
pany may import a suspicion, I will show you that
you misconceive my motives. Go, and achieve alone
an object so pleasing in the sight of Heaven."

In saying these words, he turned immediately to-
wards the deanery, and I turned soon after towards
the dwelling of the money-changer, where I again
converted my silver into double pistoles.

My purse, as you will imagine, became plump and
round ; and in the hope of swelling it to a larger size,
by a longer continuance at the deanery, I felt myself
the happiest man in Spain. But, alas ! a sorrowful
event disappointed my expectations. The Dean, a few
days after the books were disposed of, fell ill, and the
most celebrated physicians of Salamanca being called
in to assist him, he took their prescriptions, and



VANILLO GONZALES. 59

died! No sooner were his eyes closed than the
numerous relations he had in the city Mocked with
eagerness to the deanery, confident of finding a hoard
of wealth in the coffers of the deceased ; and it is im-
possible to describe their astonishment on discovering
only the few crowns that had been reserved for the
expenses of the house. In answer to their complaints,
I told them it was no wonder the Licentiate should
leave so little behind him, since he had, in pursuance
of his favourite creed, that " all superfluous wealth
belonged to the poor," regularly carried his to the
coffers of the hospital. The relations, dissatisfied
with the slender inheritance, divided what remained
among themselves, leaving me, by a sort of divina-
tion of the prompt payment I had made to myself,
scarcely sufficient to satisfy one-half of the wages
that were due to me. This deficiency, therefore,
must be deducted from the portion I received by the
good works of my pious master.



60 THE HISTORY OF



CHAPTER VIII.

VANILLO QUITS SALAMANCA, AND VISITS MADRID. THE
ADVENTURE HE MET WITH ON THE ROAD, AND THE
CONSEQUENCES WHICH IT PRODUCED.

THE city of Madrid had so frequently been spoken
of in my hearing as the wonder of the world, that I
felt a great desire to visit this celebrated metropolis.
The present situation of my affairs enabled me not
only to gratify my wishes with ease and pleasure, but
to appear in a higher and more respectable character
than that of a valet. I flattered myself that a young
man who was tolerably well versed in literary compo-
sitions, and not deficient in understanding, could not
fail making his fortune at court, either by attaching
himself to great men, or insinuating himself into
confidence among the clerks of the secretaries of
state. In short, filled with a high opinion of my own
merit, I immediately purchased a fine mule, in order
to render my entry more graceful, and departed at
the break of the ensuing day for Madrid.

I directed my course towards Peneranda, where I
arrived in safety the same evening. But I was far,
alas ! from continuing in safety on the ensuing day.
On entering the province of Old Castile, I observed
two roads, and not perceiving any person of whom I
could inquire their course, I was obliged, after many
fruitless conjectures and much embarrassment, to trust
to chance. The one road led to the city of Avila, the
other to Segovia ; and as a punishment for my mani-
fold offences, as you will find by the sequel, mischance



VANILLO GONZALES. 61

directed me to take the last. It conducted me be-
tween two lofty mountains, by a route- which was
sufficient of itself to alarm a traveller even with empty
pockets. If I had possessed a proper knowledge of
the country, I might easily have avoided, by a circui-
tous path, this dangerous passage, which was never
attempted to be travelled except by such as were
ignorant of its dangers ; for, exclusive of the dreadful
precipices by which it was surrounded, there appeared
at the feet of the mountains great excavations, one
beyond another, which it was impossible to behold
without affright. Expecting every moment to see
armed assassins issue from these frightful caverns,
overpowered by the phantoms of imagination, and
feeling that not only my life, but the property of the
poor, was endangered in this terrifying place, my
limbs trembled every step I went ; and I implored the
aid of Heaven, without once reflecting that I merited
rather dereliction than assistance. I was soon con-
vinced of the justice of its decrees. Two men
(vomited, as it were, from one of the caverns) sud-
denly appeared before me, and by their ferocious
aspects, and the tremendous sabres which they bran-
dished in their hands, congealed the blood that
pressed around my heart ; their bodies also were half
naked ; and fear, which always enlarges the size of
the objects that create it, made me conceive them of
enormous stature. These two new-born natives of the
earth, by placing themselves directly in front of my
mule, obstructed my further progress ; and, with their
hats in their hands, asked charity, in a manner which
rendered it impossible to refuse their request. The
humility of their supplication, however, did not in any
degree lessen the horrors of their aspects ; and I threw



62 THE HISTORY OF

to them a few pieces of silver coin, which I had been
advised at Peneranda to carry loose in my pocket,
in order to avoid the dangers to which the exhibiting
of gold in my journey might expose me. But the
two beggars, far from being contented with this liberal
donation, seized the bridle of my mule, and declared
that I should not get off at so cheap a rate. " Young
gentleman," exclaimed one of them, dragging me from
the mule, and throwing me violently to the ground,
" we must see in what manner your purse is lined."

They accordingly rifled my pockets, and took from
my purse above a hundred pistoles ; but observing
that I appeared more dead than alive, they protested,
by way of comfort, that they did not mean to do me
any harm ; and this assurance dispelled at least one
portion of my fears. This ceremony was scarcely
ended before I observed, issuing from the mouth of
the same cave, a number consisting of at least sixty
men and women, some on foot, and others on mules,
or asses; this honest group was a banditti of Bohe-
mian robbers. The men wore short cloaks, with under
garments, so torn and ragged that they did not every-
where conceal the skin. Some of the women were
whimsically ornamented with gold collars, silver
medals, and rich bracelets ; the others had only a
simple covering from the waist to the feet; the upper
parts of their bodies around the neck and shoulders
remaining naked, in defiance of all modesty, but
perfectly in character with themselves. The two
robbers who had so completely emptied my pockets
ordered me, on pain of death, immediately to join the
cavalcade, which filed off two by two. We descended
from the mountain at a distance of two or three
hundred paces from the cave, and crossing a large



VANILLO GONZALES. 63

plain, entered a thick wood, through the middle of
which ran a stream of clear water, where the troop
halted ; and I could have enjoyed the beauties of the
surrounding scenery with pleasure, if I had been in
more agreeable company. The men busied them-
selves in spreading upon the mossy turf various
refreshments of food, as well as wine, which they
carried in calabashes, after the manner of the pilgrims
of St. James, and seemed to possess in great abund-
ance. I was forced to eat and drink with them in
spite of my want of appetite; for the moment I
showed the least repugnance to conform to their
manners, they clapped their hands on their sabres,
and by this means rendered me as pliant as a glove.
I became, indeed, so docile, as to suffer them to take
off my clothes, which were of excellent cloth, and quite
new, and array me in one of the habits of the order ;
for they always carried a certain number with them,
which they forced such young gentlemen as had the
misfortune to fall into their hands, to put on.

After indulging themselves in eating and drinking
for three or four hours, the men and women began to
dance in a style certainly more free than graceful.
A savage mirth everywhere prevailed ; and it was
resolved to pass the night under those delightful
shades, when two of their companions, who had been
placed as sentinels at a certain distance, arrived, and
disturbed the festivity of the troop, by announcing
that a brigade of the holy brotherhood was at the
distance of only thirty paces from the wood. Rely-
ing upon their superior numbers, this information did
not appear to create the least alarm ; but each, even
of the least courageous, calmly prepared himself to
receive the enemy. A single brigade would, in all



64 THE HISTORY OF

probability, have been too feeble to conquer so large
a band of robbers, the majority of whom was both
vigorous and valiant. But while the banditti were
marching with high contempt of the inferiority of their
pursuers, a second brigade of the holy brotherhood
having skirted the wood on the other side, closed on
their rear, and placed them between two fires ; and
the robbers, finding themselves thus situated, lost ail
hope of victory, and endeavoured to seek safety by a
precipitate flight. The consternation was so great,
that, without reflecting on the consequences, I fol-
lowed the fugitives with as much alacrity as if I had
had no occasion to rejoice in being thus delivered
from their power. The two brigades pursued us so
closely that we were almost entirely taken prisoners ;
and the conquerors tying us together with cords they
had brought with them for the purpose, divided us
into two companies, one of which was driven to Avila,
and the other to Segovia. It may be necessary to
inform the reader that the magistrates of these cities,
having been informed that a daring banditti infested
the neighbouring country with impunity, had each of
them despatched a brigade of archers of the holy
fraternity to apprehend them ; and so well was the
measure concerted that each of them arrived at the
wood at the same time.

I was among those who were sent to Avila, where
on our arrival we were immediately secured in dark
and dismal dungeons, to await the approach of inex-
orable and speedy justice. The Corregidor, an expe-
ditious judge, came to the prison on the following
day to take our examinations, and my lucky stars
directed him to begin with me. Struck with the
appearance of my youth



VANILLO GONZALES. 65

" Unhappy young man," said he, " you have begun
the career of vice at a very early age indeed."

" Sir," replied I calmly, " it is not the cowl that
creates the monk. It is true I wear the garb of a
robber ; but I assure you most solemnly I do not
belong to the gang."

" Where is the next ? " said the Corregidor, without
deigning to hear my defence.

Turning to the other prisoners who were confined
in the dungeon with me, he inquired whether they
were among the troop who were apprehended in the
wood by the holy brethren ; and they, rightly con-
ceiving that it would be of no service to assert the
contrary, answered in the affirmative. On receiving
this answer the magistrate closed his inquiries, and
ordered the notary who accompanied him to write
down our names, assuring us as he quitted the prison
that we should not languish long in confinement, for
that in two hours at most we should learn our fate.
Perceiving that this minister of justice intended to
pronounce me guilty, I called upon him loudly to
hear me.

" Take care, sir, I beseech you, what you do. Do not
confound the innocent with the guilty. So far from
being one of this gang of robbers, I declare to you
that I am myself the victim of their depredations ;
they robbed me of my money and my mule ; forcibly
took off my clothes ; and, in spite of all resistance,
obliged me to put on the dress I now wear."

The Corregidor seemed to pay very little attention
to this address, arid in about an hour afterwards the
Register returned to the prison.

" Where is Vanillo Gonzales ? " said he, with gaiety,
as he entered the dungeon.

E



66 THE HISTORY OF

"Here!" exclaimed I, imagining he had brought
an order for my discharge ; " what news have you for
him ? "

" Very good news," replied the Register, " for which
I shall not charge him anything, any more than for
the expenses of his trial, which is just finished. He
is condemned," added this sorry jester, " to die upon
the scaffold, and make retribution with his feet danc-
ing in the air."

The tone of raillery, and the easy manner in which
the Register communicated this sentence, made me
conjecture that it was not true ; but the words he
afterwards used to the companions of my captivity
left me no longer in doubt of the certainty of my fate.
My affliction knew no bounds. I vented a torrent of
tears, and made the dungeon echo to my cries and
lamentations.

" Why," said I, addressing myself to the robbers,
" wicked as you are, why will you not save the life of
a man you know to be innocent ? It is yet in your
power, by solemnly declaring to the Corregidor that I
was not one of the gang. What advantage will you
gain by suffering me to perish ? "

I hoped, by these reproaches, to affect the feelings
of the villains I addressed, and induce them to bear
witness of my innocence ; but, instead of doing me
this justice, they burst into loud laughter, and ridi-
culed my fears.

The Register, who was present during this scene,
but without appearing to listen to what I said, took
me by the hand, and leading me into a large hall
presented me to a monk of the order of St. Francis,
who, I concluded, had not come there to do nothing.

" Here, holy father," said the Register, "you may



VANILLO GONZALES. 67

begin your work with this youth ; induce him to con-
fess, and prepare his mind for an approaching journey
to the other world."

Throwing myself at the feet of the Cordelier, I
implored his protection with great energy, and related
to him with fidelity everything that had passed be-
tween the robbers and myself; but the Register
though he heard this account, went away without
uttering a syllable, and left me with the confessor,
and the executioner standing by his side.

" My friend," replied the Cordelier, " suppose for a
moment the adventure you have related be true, it
proves to my mind that your manifold iniquities have
drawn upon you the wrath of Heaven ; for divine
justice frequently uses human tribunals as the instru-
ments to punish incorrigible sinners. Instead, there-
fore, of murmuring at the sentence which has con-
demned you to die, and which seems to you unjust,
you ought to regard it as the means by which Heaven
is about to chastise your crimes. Let me persuade
you, therefore, to employ the few moments you have
to live in sincerely confessing your sins, and implor-
ing the forgiveness of an offended Deity."

The eloquence of the Cordelier, great as it was, did
not induce me quietly to resign myself to the life to
come, notwithstanding the holy father spared no
pains to procure me a happy exit, and exhorted me
in the most pathetic and consolatory manner, mixing
with the tears which the idea of suffering drew from
me, those which he shed from the interest he took in
my heavenly welfare ; but he persisted so steadily,
and exerted himself in such a variety of ways, that
he at length accomplished his purpose, and I felt my
mind suddenly touched with sincere contrition for all



68 THE HISTORY OF

the faults I had committed. My spirit groaned with
anguish when I recollected the sums I had purloined
at Murcia and Salamanca, and, nature yielding by
degrees to the awfulness of my situation, I began to
think I had merited the ignominious punishment I
was about to endure, and became resigned to my
miserable fate. But while I was preparing to take
my departure to the place of public punishment,
where I was doomed to be suspended in the air, the
door of the hall suddenly opened, and the Corregidor,
accompanied by the Register, and one of the Bohe-
mian prisoners, entered the room.

" Father," said he to the monk, "discontinue your
exhortations to that young man ; he has suffered
sufficiently by the terrors you have inspired. Every
individual of the gang in which he was taken has con-
fessed that he was not a member of the confederation,
although he wears its uniform. It is not just that his
life should be forfeited for being involuntarily among
them, a circumstance which it was out of his power
to prevent ; but, as the inhabitants of Avila have
made a grand festival with an intention to memorise
the execution of some of these malefactors, here is
one of them whom I deliver into your hands to satisfy
their expectations."

The Corregidor having spoken these words left the
room, and ordered me to follow him, which I most
cheerfully obeyed, and surrendered my place to the
Bohemian, who was one of the two men that had
rifled me of my pistoles. This victim to justice placed
himself on his knees before the holy father, and, after
being brought to a confession of his crimes, was led
to the place of punishment ; while the Corregidor
conducted me into an adjoining chamber, where, per-



VANILLO GONZALES. 69

ceiving that the sudden transition from despair to joy
had affected my senses, he ordered the attendants to
bring me some wine, and, when I was a little reco-
vered, told me I was free.

The outer doors of the prison were accordingly by
his orders immediately opened, and I regained my
liberty, but not without the loss of my money, my
clothes, and my mule, which had passed from the
possession of the robbers into the hands of the officers
of justice.



70 THE HISTORY OF



CHAPTER IX.

THE CONSOLATION WHICH VANILLO RECEIVED ON BEING
RELEASED FROM PRISON, AND THE HAPPIER SITUA-
TION IN WHICH HE FOUND HIMSELF ON HIS ARRIVAL
AT MADRID.

THE oddity of my dress exposed me to the derision
of the populace as I passed along the street ; but my
mind was too deeply impressed by ideas of my happy
escape from the clutches of the Bohemians and the
Corregidor to be sensible of their mockery. To re-
turn my thanks to the Almighty for the deliverance
He had vouchsafed to grant me I entered a church,
and, retiring to an obscure corner, kneeled down to
pray. A sense of the perils I had escaped rendered
me fervently devout ; and, promising Heaven to
amend my course of life, I beat my breast in the
ardour of contrition with pious energy.

I had no idea that any person observed me; but
an old citizen of Avila, who was counting his rosary
at a little distance from me, received at length so
much inspiration from my fervour that he determined
to speak to me ; and, waiting at the portal of the
church, joined company with me as I went out.

"Young man," said he, " you seem to be a stranger
in this city; and if I may venture to judge by ap-
pearances, you are not in a very happy situation."

At these words, which drew from me a deep sigh,
I cast a look of sorrow on the old man, and, being
unable to answer him, burst into a flood of tears.
My affliction affected him deeply, and being anxious



VANILLO GONZALES. 71

to learn the cause of it, " My child," continued he,
" you seem in great agitation : let me know the occa-
sion of it ; do not be afraid of confiding in me ; I love
the feelings which arise from a sense of virtue ; you
appear to be a good man, and I am interested for
your happiness."

Revived by the tenderness of this address, which
seemed to offer a resource to my misery, " Sir," re-
plied I, " since, without knowing who I am, you so
kindly interest yourself in my fate, a sense of grati-
tude forbids me to conceal anything from you ; and
when I shall have told you the story of my woes, you
will, I am sure, acknowledge that I have reason to
complain."

I accordingly began to relate to him the cause of
my distress, by which he seemed much affected ; and
when I had finished my story, he embraced me with
great warmth, saying, with tears in his eyes, that he
was sensibly touched by the proof which Heaven had
made of my virtue. This charitable old citizen, per-
ceiving that I had no asylum but the poor-house,
kindly carried me home with him, gave me new
clothes, kept me as his -inmate for eight days, and
then, on finding I wished to reach Madrid, sent me
to that city by the muleteers, with twenty pistoles
in my pocket, and a letter of recommendation to a
banker of his acquaintance named Lezcano. This
seasonable succour, for which I did not fail to return
my thanks to Providence, afforded me great consola-
tion ; and the sight of the metropolis obliterated all
recollection of my late disaster with the Bohemians.

My first care, on arriving at Madrid, was to carry
my recommendatory letter to the banker, who, after
reading it with attention, showed me every civility,



72 THE HISTORY OF

and promised to promote my interest by every means
in his power; but I was disappointed that he neither
offered me a bed in his house, nor board at his table,
which I acknowledge I expected. Happily, however,
the generosity of his friend had enabled me to sup-
port for some time the expenses of the hotel; and
I hoped in a short time to meet with some useful
acquaintance.

A month nearly elapsed in .visiting the several
parts of this beautiful city, and in seeing all the curio-
sities it contains; but though I took great delight in
these entertainments, particularly in frequenting the
palaces, and in observing the different noblemen who
attended the royal levee, I did not suffer my curiosity
to prevent me from calling almost daily on Lezcano,
that he might keep me in remembrance ; and he
always received me not only with great affability
and politeness, but continued to assure me, that he
would not neglect my interests. " Have patience a
little longer," said he, "and I will place you in a
situation, where you shall swim like a fish in the
water." Time, however, passed rapidly away, and
my stock of pistoles was very nearly exhausted ; but
instead of yielding to despair, I incessantly repeated
these words of the Licentiate Salablanca, "Take no
thought of the morrow." I had indeed received too
many instances of the kindness of Providence to dread
the future; and I experienced in a short time that
Providence had not abandoned me.

The next visit I paid to the banker "Vanillo,"
said he, " you could not have come more opportunely.
I was going to send information to you that I have
at length found a situation such as I promised you.
To-moiTow vou will be admitted into the service oi



VANILLO G ON Z ALES. 73

Don Henry of Bologna, a perfect gentleman, middle-
aged, extremely rich, and a knight of the order of
St. James. He has, it is true, a tincture of the misan-
thrope in his character; but his sentiments are in
general just, and his manners affable. The good
sense and spirit you possess will suit his temper