第184章

Ere I had finished writing, I heard the voice of the burra in the courtyard, and going out, I found my host returned.He had disposed of his whole cargo of twenty Testaments at the village of Vargas, distant from Villa Seca about a league.Eight poor harvest men, who were refreshing themselves at the door of a wine-house, purchased each a copy, whilst the village schoolmaster secured the rest for the little ones beneath his care, lamenting, at the same time, the great difficulty he had long experienced in obtaining religious books, owing to their scarcity and extravagant price.Many other persons were also anxious to purchase Testaments, but Lopez was unable to supply them: at his departure, they requested him to return within a few days.

I was aware that I was playing rather a daring game, and that it was very possible that, when I least expected it, Imight be seized, tied to the tail of a mule, and dragged either to the prison of Toledo or Madrid.Yet such a prospect did not discourage me in the least, but rather urged me to persevere;for at this time, without the slightest wish to gratify myself, I could say that I was eager to lay down my life for the cause, and whether a bandit's bullet, or the gaol fever brought my career to a close, was a matter of indifference to me; I was not then a stricken man: "Ride on because of the word of righteousness," was my cry.

The news of the arrival of the book of life soon spread like wildfire through the villages of the Sagra of Toledo, and wherever my people and myself directed our course we found the inhabitants disposed to receive our merchandize; it was even called for where not exhibited.One night as I was bathing myself and horse in the Tagus, a knot of people gathered on the bank, crying, "Come out of the water, Englishman, and give us books; we have got our money in our hands." The poor creatures then held out their hands, filled with cuartos, a copper coin of the value of the farthing, but unfortunately I had no Testaments to give them.Antonio, however, who was at a short distance, having exhibited one, it was instantly torn from his hands by the people, and a scuffle ensued to obtain possession of it.It very frequently occurred, that the poor labourers in the neighbourhood, being eager to obtain Testaments, and having no money to offer us in exchange, brought various articles to our habitation as equivalents; for example, rabbits, fruit and barley, and I made a point never to disappoint them, as such articles were of utility either for our own consumption or that of the horses.

In Villa Seca there was a school in which fifty-seven children were taught the first rudiments of education.One morning the schoolmaster, a tall slim figure of about sixty, bearing on his head one of the peaked hats of Andalusia, and wrapped, notwithstanding the excessive heat of the weather, in a long cloak, made his appearance; and having seated himself, requested to be shown one of our books.Having delivered it to him, he remained examining it for nearly half an hour, without uttering a word.At last he laid it down with a sigh, and said that he should be very happy to purchase some of these books for his school, but from their appearance, especially from the quality of the paper and binding, he was apprehensive that to pay for them would exceed the means of the parents of his pupils, as they were almost destitute of money, being poor labourers.He then commenced blaming the government, which he said established schools without affording the necessary books, adding that in his school there were but two books for the use of all his pupils, and these he confessed contained but little good.I asked him what he considered the Testaments were worth? He said, "Senor Cavalier, to speak frankly, I have in other times paid twelve reals for books inferior to yours in every respect, but I assure you that my poor pupils would be utterly unable to pay the half of that sum." I replied, "Iwill sell you as many as you please for three reals each, I am acquainted with the poverty of the land, and my friends and myself, in affording the people the means of spiritual instruction have no wish to curtail their scanty bread." He replied: "Bendito sea Dios," (BLESSED BE GOD,) and could scarcely believe his ears.He instantly purchased a dozen, expending, as he said, all the money he possessed, with the exception of a few cuartos.The introduction of the word of God into the country schools of Spain is therefore begun, and Ihumbly hope that it will prove one of those events, which the Bible Society, after the lapse of years, will have most reason to remember with joy and gratitude to the Almighty.

An old peasant is reading in the portico.Eighty-four years have passed over his head, and he is almost entirely deaf; nevertheless he is reading aloud the second of Matthew: