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Wherefore I took pains to excuse myself from visiting him, and departed in so much haste, that I, like yourself, had no time to procure sumpter-mules or small change, nay, I could not even find a return-chaise, nor so much as a cart." An alguazil, who, while in the service of justice, is also in that of the thieves.
"Rats are there, I suppose," remarked another, whose wits the wine had somewhat dulled. "Demonio has a strange fancy for rats," said a third. "Rats or not, I should like to have a look behind the door," observed the chief alguazil, as the dog's excitement increased. I said nothing, and the officers seemed to fancy that I could not understand Spanish, so they did not trouble me with questions.
I trembled so with agitation that I could scarcely apply the key to the keyhole. Luckily the light did not fall on me, or it would have been perceived. "Come, young Senor, be quick about it; somebody is in there of that I can be sworn," exclaimed the alguazil.
One day, I found myself at liberty, and without bidding adieu to any of the family, I went into the street; and before I had gone a hundred paces, I fell in with the alguazil I mentioned in the beginning of my story, as being a great friend of my first master Nicholas the butcher. He instantly knew me, and called me by my name.
He set his teeth firmly, drew his sword, dashed aside the alguazil who attempted to obstruct his path, and strode grimly on, shaking one clenched hand in defiance, while, with the other, he waved the good Toledo that had often blazed in the van of battle, at the war-cry of "St. Iago and Spain!"
He had raised an armed band, consisting of some Aragonese gentlemen and their servants, and with this he fell like a thunderbolt upon the Castilian men-at-arms and the familiars of the Inquisition. The alguazil fled, leaving me one leg free, the other burdened by the gyve, and as he fled so fled all others, being thus taken unawares.
"It is folly in me accompanying these men," I thought to myself; and just then a recess appearing in the rock, I stepped into it and let the rest pass me. Jose was the last; I touched him as he reached me, and whispered to him to return. He either did not hear me, or wished to watch the proceedings of the alguazil and his subordinates.
My escort was supposed by the robbers to be an expedition directed against them, and they dispersed themselves at once over the rich plain which is watered by the Xucar. On my return I found them engaged in combat with the authorities of Cullera. Wounds had been given on both sides, and, if I recollect right, one alguazil was left dead on the plain. The next morning I regained my station.
During our abode in the Carib missions, we observed with surprise the facility with which young Indians of eighteen years of age, when appointed to the post of alguazil, would harangue the municipality for whole hours in succession.
Whenever a bumpkin fell into their snares they apprised the alguazil and the attorney to what inn they were going, and the latter then seized the party as lewd persons, but never took them to prison, for the strangers always paid money to get out of the scrape.
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