The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 394: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

eeeeeee «oe wo * - THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. ‘“ Having rested as long as I dared, I pursued my way again. i had purposely stricken out of the main road, and was plunging deeper and deeper into the wilds and fastnesses of Catalonia. I had read of the generous disposition and high-minded nature of the Catalans—and resolved, when morn- ing dawned, and I had travelled far enough to be beyond the reach of pursuit, to stop at some cottage and ask for food and shelter: for I had a little money in my pocket, which I had received from Mrs. Knight. My spirits did not flag: indeed there was something wildly romantic and exhila- rating in this journey, amidst the bold and striking scenery which the powerful effulgence of moon and stara brought out in strong relief. It must not be however thought that I was indifferent to the sus- picion of guilt in respect to the jewels, which woula be naturally confirmed by my precipitate flight: but I resolved, so soon as I should have an opportunity, to write a letter containing the requisite explana- tions to Mrs. Knight, showing the infamous conduct of her son and how I had fled as the only alterna- tive to escape & prison. . “ I pressed courageously forward, stopping every now and then to sit down upon a stone or a bank, but gallantly battling against increasing fatigue. Thus I continued my way till morning dawned; and now I was in the midst of all the characteristic scenery of the immense principality of Catalonia. Barren rocks and fertile valleye—groves of cork trees—cascades and torrente—limpid streamlots and roaring waterfalls—these were the principal fea- tures which nature presented to my view. When the sun was rising over the oriont hills, I sat down upon the slope of an eminence, now no longer able to combat against the sense of fatigue. A smiling valley, intersected with a rivulet, spread itself out at my feet; and behind me the wild barren hills rose in suuphitheatrical grandeur. Nota habitation was to be seen. I had frequently slaked my thirst during the night’s wanderings; for there had been no lack of spriogs and rivulete in the path which I had pur- sued: but I was now tortured with the gnawing pangs of hunger—and the dread apprehension began to creep shudderingly over mo, that it was possible for ine to starve amidst these Catalonian wilds. My hope that I should reach some hospitable cottage, appeared to be disappointed ; and I felt that I must rest aome hours before I could resume my wander- ings with ease or speed. While I was thus giving way to the disagreeable reflections that began to steal over me, I heard footsteps suddenly approach- ing from behind, and starting up, I beheld a figure that I must descrife. It was that of a man at least six feet high, symmetrically but strongly built, his form being alike muscular and elegant. He appeared to be about thirty years of age, and was perhaps one of the handsomest men I had ever seen in my whole life. His complexion, natur- ally of Spanish awarthiness, was more deeply bronzed by exposure to the scorching sun; but it had an olive clearnesa through which the warm blood could mantle upon that fine countenance. His eyes were dark, but full of fire—looking like jet that burns without losing ite sable hue. His fea- tures were of the purely Grecian cast : and his teeth were truly splendid. His long black hair, the least thing coarse—but gloasy and curling naturally, and of remarkable luxuriance—fell upon his shoulders. aaa = LS CES aE OEE = eh er @ o@e we em -— rw o— ¢ iw —_ 883 He wore a moustache, but neither beard nor whiskers, and thus appeared even younger than hs really was. He was dressed in the picturesque CAtalan costume, and carried a rifle in ars hand. His belt was furnished with pistols and daggers; and by his side hung a straight sword of immense length. He might either have been a guerilla or a bandit chief—I knew not which at the moment: but I strongly suspected the latter. “TI must here observe that this was the middle of September, 1839; and the Carlist war was just con- cluded. Don Carlos had passed with the bulk of hia army into France: but Cabrera, one of his most famous generals, still continued in Spain at the head of a large body of troops. He was not however at that time in Catalonia—but I believe in the Basque Provinces; while Catalonia iteelf had become almost completely pacified. The Catalan whom I have described, and whom I thus encoan- tered at sunrise in the midst of his own native wilds, stood gazing upon me for upwards of a minute in speechless astonishment. And no won- der that such should have been his feeling: for I doubtless appeared to him like a person dropped from the clouds in that lonely region. Bat blended with his look of surprise was an expression of ad- miration: and suspecting that I was not a Spanish woman, he at length addressed me in the French tongue. He spoke with mildness and courtesy, asking me whether I had not lost my way, and whether he could be of any assistance to me? I replied frankly that I had wandered the whole night—that I was exhausted with fatigue and famished with hunger—and that I required both repose and refreshment. Without asking an- other question, he courteously invited me to accom- pany him, assuring me of kind treatment. I showed by my looks and manner that I put confidence in him; and he led the way up the eminence, until we reached a winding path which descended somewhat precipitately between two walls of rock, which grew higher and higher in proportion as we went lower and lowtr. The path continued its tortuous way almost completely round the hill, until it reached a valley on the opposite side; and there I bekeld a little encampment, consisting of half-a-dozen tents pitched upon the bank of a streamlet. A fire was burning in the open air, and over it a cauldron was suspended in the true gipsy fashion. A dozen men, dressed and armed in a manner similar to the indi- vidual who was guiding me thither, were lounging about, most of them smoking; and four or five women, in the picturesque Catalan attire, added to the interest of the acene. These women were young and beautiful: the men were all fine athletic fellows, and the age of none appeared to exceod forty. I immediately became the object of curiosity and attention on the part of these persons: but the curiosity partook not of rudeness, while tho atten- tion was courteous and kind. Two of the young women spoke French; and thus I was enabled to understand what they said. I may here at once ob- serve—what I did not discover till later in the day —that the individual who had brought me thither, was the chief of this band, and was styled Don Diego Christoval; but what the occupations of the band itself were, I did not so speedily ascertain. — Don Christoval bade the women bustle about and supply me with refreshments. I was introduced COMM NOOK CO