"No doubt of it," quietly replied Tovalito, "but he who risks nothing gains nothing." "That is true. Go on with thy story," said Paco Rosales, closing his eyes, "I am listening." CHAPTER IV. some conspiracy against the King," inter- | mocked and grinned at me as I lay rupted Paco," and which might have en- pressed down by some immovable weight. dangered thy neck?" In vain I attempted to scream or call for help, the demons formed a circle round me, which gradually narrowed and narrowed, till I was so closely and tightly hemmed in, that I could no longer breathe, then I gave one shriek of despair and agony, which awoke me, but I awoke to a reality as terrible, and more so, than my dream. Around my bed were about twenty armed men, with drawn swords over my head. In a moment I saw the peril I was in. It was clear to me that we were betrayed; a spy had informed against us, and all must be discovered. The letters were on a small table by my side; the officer who commanded the troop of soldiers seized upon them. I saw that all was over with us, so recommending my soul to God, I took one of my pistols from my belt and fired upon the barrels of gunpowder which stood in the corner of the room. THE CONTRABANDISTA. "I DID not know exactly what they were plotting," said Tovalito; "the letters I carried were sealed; besides, I don't know how to read. At the end of a little time, Don Alonzo de Guzman came to the frontier, under the pretense of visiting a relation, the Marquess d'Agamonte, whose estates lay on the left bank of the Guadiana. Then there were great hunting parties, to which a number of gentlemen were invited from all parts of the country. When I saw the costly entertainments which Don Alonzo gave to all these people, I guessed that some rebellion was ripe for execution. As I am a native of San Lucar de Barrameda, and a subject of the Duke de Sidonia, they trusted me. I was not then as naked and as poor as Job; I had, in the neighborhood of Agamonte, a small house, very much dilapidated, certainly, but it served my purposes, and was a safer retreat for me than four better walls might have been. One day Don Alonzo himself came to me with my orders, which were, that I should repair immediately to Portugal for a large quantity of fire-arms and ammunition. I took my departure that same evening, and two days afterward everything was smuggled into my house. It was a complete arsenal. When Don Alonzo saw how well I had executed my commission, he remitted me five thousand reals and a packet of letters. The reals were for myself, and the letters I was to convey to Lisbon. For that stroke I thought my fortune was made. It was late when Don Alonzo went As I was to start at daybreak, I made all my necessary preparations, and then lay down on the bed in my clothes, and fell asleep. About midnight I had a dream, a terrible dream. I thought that the walls of my house crumbled to pieces, and turned into as many demons, that "Merciful Father! thou mightest have died unrepentant," interrupted Paco Rosales. "We were blown up," coldly pursued Tovalito. "The roof, the walls, every thing the house contained, were scattered like a handful of dust to the wind. I found myself lying on the floor, in the midst of the ruins; around me were the dead and the dying, whose cries of agony and shrieks of despair still ring in my ears. I endeavored to rise, but fell down again with almost as little life in me as the corpse that was stretched at my side. How long I lay in this state I can not tell, but when I came to my senses it was to find myself blind and mutilated, as you see me. However, I did not then regret it; those letters which would have betrayed every thing were destroyed." "And Don Alonzo, did he not reward thee for this noble act of fidelity ?" interrupted Paco Rosales. He? No. When I recovered my senses I was in jail, with a handful of straw for my bed. I thought every day would be my last, so horribly did I suffer from my wounds; but a kind and charitable Franciscan, who visited the prisoners, applied some salve to them, which at length cured me. The cure, however, was not meant to last long, for I was condemned to death, not for a State crime, nothing having been discovered, but for a few miserable bales of merchandise which I had smuggled. Then I expected that | go and tear thee by force from the arms Don Alonzo would come to my assistance, of my detested rival. But thou art here, and effect my deliverance, or at least, send and now naught can separate us-come, me the means of making my escape from dearest, let us hasten from this, before the prison; but I was at last undeceived. thou art missed from the ball-room," Immediately after the event he had taken added Don Alonzo, passing his arm around his departure, without caring what would her waist to draw her away; but the become of me. Perhaps he was in hopes young girl drew timidly from him, and that I should be hung, that he might be attempted to pass, when again he put his rid of me. I got out of it, nevertheless, arm around her, and forcibly held her by the help of God; the evening before I back. "Well!" cried he, with bitter was to be hanged in the great square of irony, "so thou didst not expect me; but Agamonte, I made my escape. I walked thou seest I am here, and punctual to my for three weeks, only stopping to rest for time, and ready to fulfill my promise." a few hours, or to beg a morsel of bread at the cottages I passed on my way. At length I reached this good town of Valencia. No longer in a condition to follow my old trade, I made up my mind to get my living, like many other honest folks, by begging at the church doors. This is my history, and the secret of my acquaintance with Don Alonzo de Guzman." "And well he has recompensed thee, for having lost an eye and an arm in his service, as well as every thing else thou didst possess," cried Paco Rosales; "in thy place, I should have revenged myself, friend Tovalito!" "Revenged myself! in what manner?" "This," said Paco, laying his hand on the dagger which he wore in his belt. "Thinkest thou that this does not strike a man as dead as the sword of a hidalgo? Thou hast lost a fine opportunity this night." "I know it;" replied Tovalito, "there is nothing easier than to kill a man; but what is death to him who has no time to anticipate its approach? He does not even feel it. So poor a revenge would not satisfy me.” Paco Rosales, hearing a slight rustling noise amidst the foliage, arose to see what it was; to his surprise he saw the form of a female, robed in white, emerge from the thicket into the broad walk of the terrace, and after walking a few steps, pause, as if uncertain what to do; then again, as if struck by some sudden thought, it turned to retrace its steps back to the house, when a voice, which he immediately recognized as belonging to the strange cavalier who had given him the note, arrested her further progress. "Theresa," cried he, "I have awaited thee this hour, and I began to upbraid thee for thy tardiness, and to think thou didst not intend to come. In which case I had resolved to "Alas! it is too late; dost thou not know that they are even now celebrating my approaching nuptials with Don Alonzo de Guevara, and that to-morrow he leads me to the altar ?" "Yes, another has received those vows of which I am the dupe; another will receive those tender caresses and soft endearments, for which I have risked my life! Nay, more, my name, mine inheri tance. But no, it must not, can not be. Theresa; I will not suffer thee to accomplish thy cruel treason!" "With what dost thou upbraid me? Didst thou not leave me, without informing me where thou wentest, without one line to say that I was still in thy memory? Had I not to struggle alone against the prayers, the entreaties, and, at length, the authority of my mother? And when I knelt at her feet, and confessed my love for another, I had not even the power of telling her the name of him I loved; for I knew it not." "Thou shouldst have had more confidence in me, and have trusted to my honor," replied Don Alonzo, proudly; "but there is yet time, I can still save thee; but thou must follow me nowthis instant." "No, no, leave, leave me!" cried she, endeavoring to extricate herself from his arms; but he strained her the more tightly to him, and passionately exclaimed: "Cruel girl, why wouldst thou quit me? Thou knowest how I love thee. Hast thou already forgotten our moonlight walks amongst these orange groves, and how thou didst swear by their tender buds to love and cherish me-only me? See this orange blossom, it is scarcely blown since then: and yet thou art changed! Can it be that its bloom and scent outlives a woman's love? Oh! Theresa, is this thy love-this thy faith, thy trust? Have the few days that I was 66 Oh, signor, recall those words," cried the young girl, dropping on her knees before him; "recall them ere I leave thee; I have but one moment more to spare; they are already in search of me. My life, nay more than life-my honor is in thy hands! Have mercy on me; say that thou dost not despise me, and let me go. I have loved thee; oh! how well!" "Then love me still, Theresa," cried Don Alonzo, raising her in his arms. "Oh! I do, I do; but I can not-must not." "Prove it," interrupted Don Alonzo. "Thou lackest the courage; thou dost not want it-mine will serve for both," added he taking her in his arms. haps years, before I can succeed. In the mean time, if thou wilt be content with a private marriage, my hand and soul are thine." "O heavens!" hastily interrupted the agitated girl, as she tightly grasped the hand that supported her trembling form, "dost thou hear that noise?" At that moment the sound of voices and footsteps were heard in the garden, and the lurid light of numerous torches flashed across the walks, and played over the flower-beds, lighting up the remotest parts of the garden, and penetrating the thick foliage of the orange grove and thickets that surrounded the terrace. The name of Theresa_resounded from a hundred lips, and echoed from bower to bower; men ran wildly to and fro, their dark countenances lit up by the torches which they bore aloft above their heads, whilst in their midst Don Guevara, pale and haggard-looking, called in accents of despair upon Theresa's name. The mendicants, seeing the confusion, joined the throng on the terrace, and pointed out to Don Guevara the place where they had last seen the lovers. "No, no, it can not be," answered Theresa weeping bitterly, "I would have followed thee as thy wife into poverty and obscurity. I would have worked-slaved for thee; have sacrificed all-parents," friends, home, the world as thy wife, but not as thy mistress. Thou mayst kill me if thou wilt, but I will not follow thee." "Listen," said he, forcibly detaining her, the obstacles to our marriage are almost insurmountable; but if thou wilt trust thyself with me, I swear to thee to remove them; but it will be months, per-picked it up in the orange grove. "We saw them, signor," said Paco, but a few minutes since, in the orange grove. The cavalier was tall, and wore a long dark cloak; they can not be far off." Without waiting to hear more, Don Antonio hastened to the spot. A few minutes after he returned with her diamond necklace in his hand. He had HANDEL.-Germany is desirous to do honor to the memory of one of the greatest musicians the world ever saw, and to whom it was Germany's privilege to give birth. A monumental edition of Handel's works is projected, and a committee has been formed for the purpose of superintending the enterprise. The committee consists of most of the great continental publishers and musicians, with one or two London names of eminence. According to the plan of publishing at present devised, the entire series of Handel's works are to come out in three parts; the first part to consist of his oratorios; the second, of his operas; and the third, of his instrumental works, chamber music, etc. They will occupy sixty volumes, three of which (one of each part) are to be issued annually. It will therefore be twenty years in progress. The society is under the immediate patronage of H. R. H. the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. For the three annual volumes £2 will be paid by each subscriber, and thus the complete collection of the works of this great master will be obtained for £40. Considering the extent of time over which the publication is to be spread, there ought to be some guarantee of the design being fully carried out. From the Eclectic Review, THE WANDERING JE W. * THE Legend is here printed in a large famous Legend of the Wandering Jew. but thin folio volume, on beautiful paper, The production of some earlier Bunyan, it and in stately type. Several men of tal- existed previously to the thirteenth cenent and two men of genius have coöper- tury-an era introductory to the magnifiated in the work. We mark, as the men cent religious allegories of Dante; the of genius, Gustave Doré himself, the mar- characteristics distinguishing the Wandervellous Rabelaisian illustrator of Rabe- ing Jew, rendering him unmistakably the lais; and Dupont, the author of the personification of the Jewish nation, the rhyme, which is a shadowy, quaint, sin- fulfillment of whose destiny is typified in gular poem, redolent of Middle-Age su- his history. Like the Jewish people, he perstition and simplicity, as well as of the had rejected the Messiah-had eagerly rare mystic grandeur which made that desired his crucifixion-had persecuted superstition terrible and that simplicity and reviled him in his hours of agony; sublime. Certainly, Mr. Thornbury and and his chastisement, like theirs, was proMr. John Stebbing are men of talent, their nounced by the Saviour himself. From translations bearing the impress of scholar- that time, its expiation has been seen in ship and taste, as well as of considerable the strange vicissitudes of the Jewish naliterary power. We think it as well to tion, which, in the midst of a perpetual introduce their names and merits at once exodus, again and again banished, perseto the notice of the reader, who is impa- cuted, and despised, has, nevertheless, tient, perhaps, to follow the Wandering with peculiar tenacity, maintained its naJew on his terrestrial rounds. tionality unaltered, even to minute details The literature of almost every period of observance and costume. This singupresents some enigma of authorship as lar individuality, ineffaceable in spite of matter of speculation, argument, or re- continuous intercourse with the different search, according as its solution is at- nations of the world, and the influence of tempted by the man of theory, the con- variety of custom, climate, and character, troversialist, or the antiquary. Fancy, is symbolized strikingly in the career of reflection, diligence, have alternately been the Wandering Jew, hurrying in extinexercised; yet the "Tribus Impostoribus," guishable vitality from region to region of the still more celebrated "Remarkable the globe, wooing death vainly everyHistory of Master Reynard," the "Chat- where-an immortal Cain upon the earth. terton Fragments," the "Letters of Ju- The Legend, whether introduced by nius," are, fortunately for the dilettanti of the Crusaders from the East, or derived literature, as prolific of discussion as ever. elsewhere, was, at all events, known and But mystery, stimulating the imagina- credited widely among Christians, as we tion, incites a peculiar interest; and to have said, anterior to the thirteenth centhe obscurity usually accompanying the tury. According to some, its origin was origin of legends and traditions, often at- connected with the year 1000, the date it tributed by credulity to some supernatur- was prophesied, through an erroneous inal source, is in a great measure owing their powerful influence over the popular mind. This uncertainty surrounds the *The Legend of the Wandering Jew. Translated by G. W. Thornbury. With Illustrations by Gustave Doré. Addey & Co. terpretation of a Scriptural passage, of an event, the anticipation of which became a terror to men's minds. This was the coming of Antichrist, and the Last Judg ment. The occurrence of famine and pestilence strengthened the delusive dread, while the crisis, favorable to impostors, was improved by them to their profit, ligiously received, and narrated in a letthrough personating the part of Anti- ter, the testimony of Paul. This venerchrist, and thus collecting alms, which able prelate, when a student at Wittenweakness and ignorance liberally awarded. berg, in 1542, went to visit his parents at The year, however, in spite of omens, came Hamburg. During a sermon, which he to an ordinary termination; but the ap- listened to one Sunday, he observed, 'oppopearance of the pretended Antichrist in site the pulpit, a tall man, having long different places led to the supposition that locks hanging down upon his shoulders, it was the Wandering Jew, whose melan- and naked feet, who sat absorbed by the choly fate rendered it impossible for him discourse, never moving in the least deto rest, and who was transported rapidly gree, except at the mention of the name from quarter to quarter. Then arose dis- of Jesus Christ, when he bowed, and cussions among theologians to certify his struck his breast, at the same time breathpersonality. Some sought to prove that ing heavily. His age apparently was fifthe wanderer was no other than Malthus, ty. His dress, although it was winter, against whom Peter had drawn the sword, consisted only of chausses à la marine, some maintained that he was the unre- reaching down to his feet, a jupe, which pentant thief, and others, that he was Pi- hung down to his knees, and a cloak. late. The testimony of respected authorities was not wanting to prove his existence. In the year 1228, an archbishop of Great Armenia having made a pilgrimage to England, took up his abode in the Monastery of St. Albans; and the legend, narrated by him to the holy brotherhood, concerning Joseph, otherwise Cartaphilus, constitutes the first historical record with reference to the Wandering Jew: the chronicle being transcribed in the monastery, a few years later, by Matthew Paris, one of its members. It was here narrated, that at the moment when Jesus was delivered to be crucified, the Jews dragging him harshly from the judgment-hall, caused him to fall upon the threshold, when Cartaphilus, the door-keeper of the hall, insolently pushing him, struck him with his fist, and cried, mockingly, "Go faster, Jesus, go!-why do you stop?" And the Saviour, sternly regarding him, replied, "I go; but you shall tarry until my return." After the death of our Saviour, Cartaphilus having become a Christian, took the name of Joseph; and at the present time, says the story, living a life of frugality and piety, awaits the coming of the Lord. The Legend, in this form, having made its way into France, passed into the Low Countries, was received with especial favor in Germany; and, current throughout the Middle Ages, became gradually incorporated into the literature of Continental nations. In June of the year 1564, we find the existence of the Wandering Jew, under the name of Ahasuerus, through the medium of Paul d'Eitzen, a doctor of theology, and bishop of Scheleszving, affirmed by a devout citizen of Hamburg, who re In answer to the interrogatories of the doctor, which were now put to him, he replied that he was a Jew, named Ahasuerus, and had followed the trade of a shoemaker; that during our Saviour's mission upon earth, he had lived in Jerusalem, and had joined the persecution against the Messiah. Having heard that the sentence of crucifixion was passed, he ran to the porch of his dwelling, situate in the road which the Saviour had to traverse; and that Jesus, burthened with his cross and weary, leaned against the house of the Jew, who reviled him, and pointed onward, when the Saviour, steadfastly regarding him, replied, "I shall stop and repose, but you shall go on!" whereupon Ahasuerus, resigning the child he held in his arms, became an exile from home and country for ever traversing strange lands-for ever witnessing fresh scenes. Again, in the year 1575, the envoys of the Duke of Holstein to Madrid, met on their road the Wandering Jew, who addressed them in good Spanish! A few years later he entered Strasburg, even presenting himself to the magistrates, reminding them of his visit to the city two hundred years before-a fact corroborated by the national records! His appearance in France was reported in the year 1604, which chanced to be signalized by an especial number of storms and tempests. By these whirlwinds it was supposed that the Wandering Jew was borne from place to place; and to this day, when a hurricane howls along its desolating tract, the simple Breton peasants and the rustics of Picardy cross themselves, while they cry, "The Wandering Jew is passing." |