第52章

ABARBENEL.- I was a young lad when the war of the Independence broke out, and there came to the village in which our family lived an English officer in order to teach discipline to the new levies.He was quartered in my father's house, where he conceived a great affection for me.On his departure, with the consent of my father, I attended him through the Castiles, partly as companion, partly as domestic.

I was with him nearly a year, when he was suddenly summoned to return to his own country.He would fain have taken me with him, but to that my father would by no means consent.It is now five-and-twenty years since I last saw an Englishman; but you have seen how I recognized you even in the dark night.

MYSELF.- And what kind of life do you pursue, and by what means do you obtain support?

ABARBENEL.- I experience no difficulty.I live much in the same way as I believe my forefathers lived; certainly as my father did, for his course has been mine.At his death I took possession of the herencia, for I was his only child.It was not requisite that I should follow any business, for my wealth was great; yet, to avoid remark, I followed that of my father, who was a longanizero.I have occasionally dealt in wool: but lazily, lazily - as I had no stimulus for exertion.I was, however, successful in many instances, strangely so; much more than many others who toiled day and night, and whose whole soul was in the trade.

MYSELF.- Have you any children? Are you married?

ABARBENEL.- I have no children though I am married.Ihave a wife and an amiga, or I should rather say two wives, for I am wedded to both.I however call one my amiga, for appearance sake, for I wish to live in quiet, and am unwilling to offend the prejudices of the surrounding people.

MYSELF.- You say you are wealthy.In what does your wealth consist?

ABARBENEL.- In gold and silver, and stones of price; for I have inherited all the hoards of my forefathers.The greater part is buried under ground; indeed, I have never examined the tenth part of it.I have coins of silver and gold older than the times of Ferdinand the Accursed and Jezebel; I have also large sums employed in usury.We keep ourselves close, however, and pretend to be poor, miserably so; but on certain occasions, at our festivals, when our gates are barred, and our savage dogs are let loose in the court, we eat our food off services such as the Queen of Spain cannot boast of, and wash our feet in ewers of silver, fashioned and wrought before the Americas were discovered, though our garments are at all times coarse, and our food for the most part of the plainest description.

MYSELF.- Are there more of you than yourself and your two wives?

ABARBENEL.- There are my two servants, who are likewise of us; the one is a youth, and is about to leave, being betrothed to one at some distance; the other is old; he is now upon the road, following me with a mule and car.

MYSELF.- And whither are you bound at present?

ABARBENEL.- To Toledo, where I ply my trade occasionally of longanizero.I love to wander about, though I seldom stray far from home.Since I left the Englishman my feet have never once stepped beyond the bounds of New Castile.I love to visit Toledo, and to think of the times which have long since departed; I should establish myself there, were there not so many accursed ones, who look upon me with an evil eye.

MYSELF.- Are you known for what you are? Do the authorities molest you?