And thus, at Madrid in 1836, he told his story on the first meeting, as men had to do when they were interrogated by Borrow:
“Upon my asking him who he was, the following conversation ensued between us:
“‘I am a Swiss of Lucerne, Benedict Mol by name, once a soldier in the Walloon Guard, and now a soap-boiler, para servir usted.’
“‘You speak the language of Spain very imperfectly,’ said I; ‘how long have you been in the country?’
“‘Forty-five years,’ replied Benedict. ‘But when the guard was broken up I went to Minorca, where I lost the Spanish language without acquiring the Catalan.’
“‘You have been a soldier of the King of Spain,’ said I; ‘how did you like the service?’
“‘Not so well but that I should have been glad to leave it forty years ago; the pay was bad, and the treatment worse. I will now speak Swiss to you; for, if I am not much mistaken, you are a German man, and understand the speech of Lucerne. I should soon have deserted from the service of Spain, as I did from that of the Pope, whose soldier I was in my early youth before I came here; but I had married a woman of Minorca, by whom I had two children: it was this that detained me in these parts so long. Before, however, I left Minorca, my wife died; and as for my children, one went east, the other west, and I know not what became of them. I intend shortly to return to Lucerne, and live there like a duke.’
“‘Have you then realized a large capital in Spain?’ said I, glancing at his hat and the rest of his apparel.
“‘Not a cuart, not a cuart; these two wash-balls are all that I possess.’
“‘Perhaps you are the son of good parents, and have lands and money in your own country wherewith to support yourself.’