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Confessions Of Con Cregan, the Irish Gil Blas

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Год написания книги
2017
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“The officers of health, I suppose?” said I, carelessly, to the captain.

“No, Señhor, these are soldiers of the garrison.”

“Ah, I understand,” said I, “they are on the alert as to whom they land in these troublous times; for it was the period of the great Carlist struggle.

“Possibly,” was his dry remark, and he moved away.

A hoarse challenge from the boat was answered by something from the ship; and the “accommodation-ladder” was immediately lowered, and an officer ascended to the deck, followed by two of his men, with their side-arms.

Some of the ordinary greetings being interchanged between the captain and the officer, the latter said, “My business here is with the person styling himself the Condé de Cregano. Where is he?”

“That is my name, Señhor,” said I, with a studious admixture of civility and condescension.

“Please to walk this way, sir,” said the officer, leading towards the poop cabin, and preceding me with a degree of assurance that boded ill for his impression of my dignity.

As we entered the cabin, I could hear the two soldiers taking up their places as sentries at the door.

“I wish to see your passport, Señhor,” said he, as he seated himself at the table.

“My passport shall be produced at the fitting time,” said I, “when I arrive on shore. Here I have no need of any.”

“You are wrong, sir; once within that circle of buoys, at the mouth of the port, you are within the limits of the shore authorities; but were it even otherwise, these are not the times for scruples, and I, for one, would not hesitate to arrest you on the information I have received.”

“Information you have received, sir!” exclaimed I, in terror and amazement.

“Yes, sir; I may as well tell you that Malaga is not in the possession of your friends, – you will not find a Carlist garrison ready to give you a salute of honor at your landing. Far less formal, but not less peremptory attentions await you. But produce your papers, for I have no time to lose.”

I saw at a glance that my position was most perilous, and as rapidly resolved to make an effort for safety. “Señhor Capitana,” said I, placing an open pocket-book stuffed with bank-notes before him, “please to accept my passport, and to keep it in your own safe possession. I shall put to sea again, and order the captain to land me at some port in Italy.”

“It is too late,” said he, with a sigh, as he pushed the pocket-book away; “the informations against you are already transmitted to Madrid.”

“Great heavens! and for whom do they take me?” cried I.

“I cannot tell; I never heard. I only know that I have the order for your arrest as the person assuming to be ‘the Condé Cregano.’”

“What crime is laid to my charge? Have I defrauded any one? What is alleged against me?”

“Show me your passport,” said he again.

“There it is,” said I, producing the document which by Don Estaban’s intervention I had obtained from the authorities of Guajuaqualla, and wherein I was called a native of Grenada and a noble of Spain.

“And all this is true as set forth?” said the officer.

“It is a principle of law in my native land that no prisoner is called upon to criminate himself,” said I.

“In that case you are no Spaniard,” said the officer, shrewdly, “nor, indeed, does your accent so bespeak you. You are now under arrest.” He opened the door as he said this, and, pointing me out to the two sentries, whispered something too low for me to overhear. This done, he left the cabin and went upon deck.

I looked up from the chair where I sat, into the faces of my two guardians, and a more ill-favored pair of gentlemen I never beheld. Ill-fed but dissipated-looking rascals, they seemed more like highwaymen than soldiers. Still, even a chance was not to be thrown away, and so I whispered in a soft voice: “My worthy friends, in that writing-case yonder there are bank-notes to a very large amount. In a few moments they will be taken away from me, never to be restored. I may as well have the satisfaction of knowing that two brave but poor men are benefited by them. Bring me the desk, and I’ll give them to you.” They looked at each other and they looked at me; they then looked towards the door and the skylight, and although without speaking, it was plain enough to see what was passing in their minds.

“Remember,” said I, “I ask nothing in return from you. I shall not attempt to escape, nor, were I to do so, could you aid me in any way. I merely wish to assist two worthy fellows who certainly do not look like the ‘spoiled children of fortune.’”

They hesitated and seemed afraid, and at last they whispered for a few seconds together; and then one of them went over, and, taking up the desk, laid it down before me. “You can make a fair division at another time,” said I; “it is better not to waste precious moments now, but at once conceal the money about your persons. Here are some eight or ten thousand piastres, – and here, fully as much more for you. These are Mexican notes for a large sum, and these are bills on Amsterdam and Hamburgh for great amounts. That’s right, my lads, make short work of it, – in your boots, in your shakos; anywhere for the present, only be quiet!”

Truly they merited all my encomiums! To “stow away” plunder, I ‘d back them against any pair who ever stopped a diligence on the high road; nor was it without some little difficulty I could persuade them to leave any money in the desk, as a precaution to prevent the suspicion of what had actually occurred. As I aided them in the work of concealment, I artfully contrived to possess myself of one paper, – the Havannah banker’s receipt for the large deposits I had left in his hands; and this I managed to slip within the lining of my travelling-cap. It was a last anchor of hope, if ever I were to weather the storm around me!

Our work had scarcely been completed, and the desk replaced in its former situation, when the officer returned. He briefly informed me that seals had been placed on all my effects, that my household was placed under an arrest similar to my own, and that when I had pointed out the various articles of my property in the cabin, there was nothing more for me to do but to accompany him on shore.

As I was not suffered to take any portion of my baggage with me, even of my clothes, I was soon in the boat and pulling rapidly for the land. The quays and the jetty were crowded with people whose curiosity I at once perceived had no other object than myself; and although some did not scruple to exhibit towards me signs of dislike and dissatisfaction, I could remark that others regarded me with a compassionate, and even a kindly look. All were, however, scrupulously silent and respectful, and touched their hats in salutation as I ascended the stairs of the landing-place.

This feeling, to my considerable astonishment, I perceived extended even to the soldiery, one or two of whom saluted as I passed. In any case, thought I, it is for no insignificant offender I am taken; and even that is some comfort, provided my crime be not high treason.

I was conducted straight to the “Carcel Morena,” a large, sombre-looking building which was at once fortress, prison, and residence of the Governor, exhibiting a curious mixture of these incongruous functions in all its details.

The apartment into which I was ushered was a large saloon, dimly lighted by narrow windows piercing the thick walls. The furniture had once been handsome, but from time and neglect had become worn and disfigured. A small table, spread with a very tolerable breakfast, stood in one of the windows, at which I was invited to seat myself, and then I was left alone to my own lucubrations. Hunger prevailed over grief, I ate heartily; and having concluded my meal, amused myself by studying the Trojan war, which was displayed upon the walls in a very ancient tapestry.

I had traced the fortunes of Greeks and Trojans on the walls till 1 was well-nigh wearied. I had even gazed upon the little patches of brown grass beneath the windows till my eyes grew dim with watching; but no one came to look after me, and, in the unbroken silence around, I half feared that I should be utterly forgotten, and left, like the old tapestry, to die of moths and years; but at last, as day was declining, I heard something like the clank of arms and the tramp of soldiery, and soon the sounds were more distinctly marked, approaching my door. Suddenly the two leaves of the folding-door were thrown wide, and an elderly man, in a general’s uniform, followed by two other officers, entered.

Without taking any notice of the salute I made him, he walked towards the fireplace, and, standing with his back to it, said to one of his aides-de-camp, “Read the ‘procès-verbal,’ José.”

José bowed, and, taking from his sabretache a very lengthy roll of paper, began to read aloud, but with such rapidity and such indistinctness withal that I could only, and with the greatest difficulty, catch a stray word here and there. The titles of her Majesty the Queen appeared to occupy full ten minutes, and an equal time to be passed in setting forth the authority under whose jurisdiction I then stood. These over, there came something about an individual who, born a Mexican or a native of Texas, has assumed the style, title, and dignity of a Count of Spain, such rank being taken for purposes of deception, and the better to effect certain treasonable designs, to be set forth hereafter. After this there came a flourish about the duties of loyalty and fidelity to the sovereign, whose private virtues came in by parenthesis, together with a very energetic denunciation on all base and wicked men who sought to carry dissension into the bosom of their country, and convulse with the passions of a civil war a nation proverbially tranquil and peace-loving.

Nothing could be less interesting than the style of this paper, except the manner of him who recited it. State truisms, in inflated language, and wearisome platitudes about nothing, received no additional grace from a snuffling nasal intonation and a short cough.

I listened at first with the anxiety of a man whose fortunes hung on the issue; then, as the vague, rambling character of the document diminished this interest, I heard with more indifference; and, lastly, completely wearied by the monotony of the voice, and the tiresome iterations of the style, I could not prevent my thoughts from wandering far from the affair in hand.

What fearful crimes were alleged against me, – what dire offences I was charged with, – I was not to hear, since, lost in the pleasant land of day-dreams, I fancied myself strolling in the shade of a forest, with Donna Maria beside me, while I poured out a most impassioned narrative of my love and fidelity. Nor was it till the reading was concluded, and a loud “Hem!” from the General resounded through the chamber, that I remembered where I was.

“Prisoner!” said he, in a stern, authoritative tone, “you have now heard the nature of the charge against you, and the reasons of your arrest; you will answer certain questions, the replies to which, if not in accordance with truth, constitute the crime of ‘Traicion,’ the penalty being death. What is your name?”

“Con Cregan.”

“Native of what country?”

“Ireland.”

“What rank and position do you hold in society?”

“A variable one, – as luck favors me.”

“What trade or profession do you follow?”

“Whatever seems most convenient at the moment.”

“Have you served?”

“I have.”

“In the land or sea service?”

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