Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History BookOpen Original Text n sight of Vittoria. Outside, in the road, we came across
a large body of armed regulars playing pitch and toss, and next a
volunteer, in full equipment, driving a pig." From Vittoria "at
eleven on the morning of Friday we started for Miranda, the train
being escorted by nearly a regiment. The first railway station after
leaving Vittoria--Nanclares--had been turned into a veritable fortress
by hastily constructed stone barricades, and was full of troops; but
we had no novelties until we reached Miranda at 1·30, except that an
officer of the 12th Regiment had with him a little baby about twelve
months old. Strange baggage in time of war! At the stations a private
came and nursed it. I dared not make any inquiry as to his little
companion, fearing I might give offence." At the Miranda station
a couple of detachments of prisoners were brought in, of all ages
from twelve to sixty-five. "The whole of these prisoners were to be
sent to Cuba, to fight there for the Government against the Cuban
insurrectionists. I could not help thinking that this practice of
expatriating these Carlists was as impolitic as it is most certainly
illegal. The practice was commenced by Senor Zorilla, and the present
ministry have unfortunately followed in his footsteps." Between
Miranda and Burgos four railway stations burned to the ground showed
where the Carlists had been. "From Burgos I had a weary night's ride
to Madrid, morning dawn showing me, on the left of the line, about
twenty miles from the capital, the famous Escorial, chronicled amongst
the wonders of the world. Just after, in a deep cutting through the
rocks near Las Rozas, we pulled up with a sudden jerk and jump, which
threw us off our seats. On descending hastily from the train, I found
that these priest-ridden Carlist savages had planned here our total
destruction. Some wood and iron had been fixed in two places on the
rails, and an empty rubbish truck had been turned upside down right
on our track. Fortunately our train kept the rails, and although
mischief was done to the engine, we all escaped unhurt, save for a
rough shaking. A few of us hastily climbed the rocks, and I confess
it was almost a disappointment to find no one in sight. I felt in my
anger a desire to take vengeance with my own hand. If the train had
gone off the line, we should have been pounded against the rocks,
and nothing could have saved the bulk of us from death or frightful
injury."
CHAPTER XXXVI.
MADRID AND AFTER.
On arriving at Madrid, Mr Bradlaugh waited upon Senor Castelar at the
Government Palace, Plaza de Oriente, where he was officially received,
and whence a few days later came a fairly lengthy official document,
addressed to Mr R. A. Cooper, as Chairman of the Birmingham Conference,
which was as remarkable for its eloquence as for its moderation. From
Madrid he went to Lisbon, by way of Cuidad Real and Badajoz, the
journey taking thirty-six hours by "express" train. His visit to Lisbon
was upon private business: he particularly desired to learn something
concerning a Portuguese gentleman, the Baron Geraldo F. dos Santos,
with whom he had been connected in 1867 in the Naples Colour Company,
and who had in the October of that year "gone to Lisbon," leaving "no
orders," as was tersely written upon a bill for three hundred pounds
when it became due. The noble Baron who should have met it had returned
to his native land, leaving it to be met by my father, whose name was
on the back of the bill.
My father did not stay many hours in Lisbon, but while he was there a
curious little incident happened. Going into a tobacconist's to buy
a cigar, he asked for it in French, thinking that more likely to be
understood than English. The mistress of the shop smiled, and answered
him in his own tongue, addressing him by name. She was an Englishwoman,
and knew him well, having heard him lecture at the provincial town
where she had lived in England.
About the 22nd Mr Bradlaugh was back again in Madrid; on the 23rd
he received the official reply to Mr Cooper, and also the following
unofficial communication:
"MINISTERIO DE ESTADO,
"GABINETE PARTICULAR.
"Monsieur Bradlaugh.
"MONSIEUR,--En réponse à votre lettre de ce matin je vous
prie de vouloir bien m'attendre chez vous aujourd'hui antre deux et
trois heures. J'aurai alors le plaisir de vous voir et je pourrai vous
donner des renseignments rélatifs à votre voyage.
"Agréez, Monsieur, l'assurance de ma considération distinguée.
"[Signed] EMILIO CASTELAR."[166]
"Madrid, le 23 Mai."
[Footnote 166:
"MINISTERIO DE ESTADO,
"GABINETE PARTICULAR.
"Mr Bradlaugh.
"SIR,--In reply to your letter of this morning, I would ask
you to kindly await me at your hotel to-day between two and three
o'clock. I shall then have the pleasure of seeing you, and I shall be
able to give you information relating to your journey.
"Accept, Sir, the assurance of my distinguished consideration.
"EMILIO CASTELAR.
"Madrid, May 23rd."]
On the following day (Saturday) a banquet was given by the Madrid
Republicans to Mr Bradlaugh at the Café Fornos, at which about eighty
persons, including many leading Spanish Republicans, were present.
There had been a loud demand for a banquet in the open air, and many
hundreds of applications were received for tickets. The time at Mr
Bradlaugh's disposal, however, was too short to allow of arrangements
being made for a banquet upon such an extensive scale, and it was
necessary to limit it to more modest proportions.
The invitation to this banquet was signed by the Alcade, Pedro Bernard
Orcasitas, on behalf of the City of Madrid; by Francisco Garcia
Lopez, the newly elected deputy for Madrid; by the famous Francisco
Rispa Perpina, the President of the Federal Centre; by Juan N. de
Altolaguirre, on behalf of the Republican Federal Centre; by Manuel
Folgueras on behalf of the Provincial Deputies; and by a General and a
Colonel commanding the Republican Volunteers.
At seven in the evening the Alcade came in person to Mr Bradlaugh's
hotel to escort him to the Café Fornos. At the dinner the chair was
taken by Senor Garcia Lopez, and the _New York World_ gave a full
report of the speeches delivered. Mr Bradlaugh spoke in English, but
his speech was translated by Senor Eduardo Benot, Secretary to the
Cortes, who in his official capacity had, with his colleague, Senor
Pedro Rodriguez, signed the orders, first for Isabella, and then for
Amadeus, to quit Spain. The banquet came to an end about half-past
eleven, and so great was the enthusiasm that all the guests escorted
the English Republican back to his hotel, where deputation after
deputation waited upon him until half-past two in the morning. In the
street without, a vast but orderly crowd waited patiently for a chance
to see or hear the hero of the hour, and during the whole time music
was played by the bands of the Engineers and the Artillery, specially
sent by the Minister of War. At lengt Previous Next |