"Bah, bah!" said Antonio, "it is not the pretender, but one worth twenty of him; it is the Swiss of Saint James.""Benedict Mol, the Swiss!" said I, "What! has he found the treasure? But how did he come? How is he dressed?""Mon maitre," said Antonio, "he came on foot if we may judge by his shoes, through which his toes are sticking; and as for his dress, he is in most villainous apparel.""There must be some mystery in this," said I; "where is he at present?""Below, mon maitre," replied Antonio; "he came in quest of us.But I no sooner saw him, than I hurried away to let you know."In a few minutes Benedict Mol found his way up stairs; he was, as Antonio had remarked, in most villainous apparel, and nearly barefooted; his old Andalusian hat was dripping with rain.
"Och, lieber herr," said Benedict, "how rejoiced I am to see you again.Oh, the sight of your countenance almost repays me for all the miseries I have undergone since I parted with you at Saint James."MYSELF.- I can scarcely believe that I really see you here at Oviedo.What motive can have induced you to come to such an out-of-the-way place from such an immense distance?
BENEDICT.- Lieber herr, I will sit down and tell you all that has befallen me.Some few days after I saw you last, the canonigo persuaded me to go to the captain-general to apply for permission to disinter the schatz, and also to crave assistance.So I saw the captain-general, who at first received me very kindly, asked me several questions, and told me to come again.So I continued visiting him till he would see me no longer, and do what I might I could not obtain a glance of him.The canon now became impatient, more especially as he had given me a few pesetas out of the charities of the church.He frequently called me a bribon and impostor.At last, one morning I went to him, and said that I had proposed to return to Madrid, in order to lay the matter before the government, and requested that he would give me a certificate to the effect that I had performed a pilgrimage to Saint James, which I imagined would be of assistance to me upon the way, as it would enable me to beg with some colour of authority.He no sooner heard this request, than, without saying a word or allowing me a moment to put myself on my defence, he sprang upon me like a tiger, grasping my throat so hard that I thought he would have strangled me.I am a Swiss, however, and a man of Lucerne, and when I had recovered myself a little, I had no difficulty in flinging him off; I then threatened him with my staff and went away.He followed me to the gate with the most horrid curses, saying that if I presumed to return again, he would have me thrown at once into prison as a thief and a heretic.So I went in quest of yourself, lieber herr, but they told me that you were departed for Coruna; I then set out for Coruna after you.
MYSELF.- And what befell you on the road?
BENEDICT.- I will tell you: about half-way between Saint James and Coruna, as I was walking along, thinking of the schatz, I heard a loud galloping, and looking around me I saw two men on horseback coming across the field with the swiftness of the wind, and making directly for me.Lieber Gott, said I, these are thieves, these are factious; and so they were.They came up to me in a moment and bade me stand, so I flung down my staff, took off my hat and saluted them."Good day, caballeros," said I to them."Good day, countryman," said they to me, and then we stood staring at each other for more than a minute.Lieber himmel, I never saw such robbers; so finely dressed, so well armed, and mounted so bravely on two fiery little hakkas, that looked as if they could have taken wing and flown up into the clouds! So we continued staring at each other, till at last one asked me who I was, whence I came, and where I was going."Gentlemen," said I, "I am a Swiss, I have been to Saint James to perform a religious vow, and am now returning to my own country." I said not a word about the treasure, for I was afraid that they would have shot me at once, conceiving that I carried part of it about me."Have you any money?" they demanded."Gentlemen," I replied, "you see how I travel on foot, with my shoes torn to pieces; I should not do so if I had money.I will not deceive you, however, Ihave a peseta and a few cuartos," and thereupon I took out what I had and offered it to them."Fellow," said they, "we are caballeros of Galicia, and do not take pesetas, much less cuartos.Of what opinion are you? Are you for the queen?""No, gentlemen," said I, "I am not for the queen, but, at the same time, allow me to tell you that I am not for the king either; I know nothing about the matter; I am a Swiss, and fight neither for nor against anybody unless I am paid." This made them laugh, and then they questioned me about Saint James, and the troops there, and the captain-general; and not to disoblige them, I told them all I knew and much more.Then one of them, who looked the fiercest and most determined, took his trombone in his hand, and pointing it at me, said, "Had you been a Spaniard, we would have blown your head to shivers, for we should have thought you a spy, but we see you are a foreigner, and believe what you have said; take, therefore, this peseta and go your way, but beware that you tell nobody any thing about us, for if you do, carracho!" He then discharged his trombone just over my head, so that for a moment I thought myself shot, and then with an awful shout, they both galloped away, their horses leaping over the barrancos, as if possessed with many devils.
MYSELF.- And what happened to you on your arrival at Coruna?