Stop, Guzman, cry you, or you will lose yourself in moral reflections. Whither will this learned discourse lead you? To my basket again, reply I; yes, my friend, to my basket, which, having now become to me as useful as eloquence was to Demosthenes, or stratagems to Ulysses, consoled me under my present misfortune. Long may the basket-trade flourish, which a man, having once tried, will never fail to resume. I must candidly confess that when I returned to it I was much in the same condition as when I was fool enough to leave it; for all the produce of my former knaveries, during the time I had been scullion, had gone as lightly as it came, and, with the exception of a finer suit of clothes, I was no better off than before.
That my returning to my old employment, however, might not be attributed to my indolent and discontented disposition, I determined, before I purchased a new basket, to offer my services to some cooks of my master’s acquaintance, who knew me. If they had received me, it was my intention to have rendered myself thoroughly knowing in kitchen affairs, in which I had already made so good a beginning, and for which I might boast a most happy disposition; but they had heard of my inclination for gaming, and that nothing was safe within my reach when I wanted money: and thus, finding there was no chance of obtaining another situation of this description, I was compelled to resume my former occupation. I therefore took up my basket again; and though I did not fare so well among my comrades as at the hotel from which I had been dismissed, yet I was once more independent, and completely master of my own actions. Being naturally sober, this sort of life was more adapted to my inclinations than the other, so that I had but little reason to regret leaving a house in which I was led into a thousand intemperances.
We basket-bearers had a small row of houses, or rather hovels, near the market, which we had bought at our own expense. Here it was that we usually regaled ourselves, and held our merry meetings. I always got up with the sun, and was ready at every body’s call, by which means I never failed to secure a profitable day’s work from such of the citizens as kept no servants, who employed me to carry home the provisions they purchased; and the faithful manner in which I performed their commissions soon established my credit in the several markets.
About this time commissions were issued to the different regiments to raise new levies. When any thing of this nature happens, the report soon gets abroad, the people assemble in every direction to discuss the subject, and a council of state is held in almost every house. In ours, as you may imagine, we canvassed the designs of the Court as freely as the best of them, and had some politicians among us whose conjectures were not very far from the truth. Good sense is to be found in every condition. When we were all assembled at night each reported what he had heard or seen during the day in the principal families in the city, and we formed our opinions accordingly; and I can assure you, that though some among us reasoned absurdly, yet there were others, the solidity and good sense of whose arguments were fully justified by the occurrence of events which they predicted. I well remember that, among others, our fraternity could boast of a certain beggar with wooden legs, who never left his post on a bridge where he begged the whole of the day, whose acquaintance with state affairs would have astonished a prime minister.
We concluded then that these new levies that were making, the destination of which was concealed, must be intended for Italy; and this, you will see, proved to be true. The first time I heard these troops mentioned they brought into my mind my intended journey to Genoa, and made such an impression on my spirits that I did not sleep a wink the whole night. I felt more anxious than ever to see my relations, from whom I did not doubt I should obtain a brilliant fortune, every body telling me that they were exceedingly rich, and many of them without children; which latter, I considered, would be charmed to have an heir of so great merit as myself. To these flattering expectations, however, unpleasant ideas soon succeeded. “How,” thought I, “can I have the insolence to appear before these noble Genoeses in this miserable dress? and though I tell them I am their kinsman, are they likely to credit my assertions? I hope they may be simple enough to believe me; but I fear they cannot fail to treat me like a rogue and an impostor, if only to support the honour of the family. Perhaps I may not escape even so well as this; for my father, who was thoroughly acquainted with the dispositions of his countrymen, has often said that a Genoese is not to be trusted in any case where his interest or reputation is concerned. Still,” thought I, “they may be honest like my father; and I am persuaded that they will entertain too great a respect for the memory of their deceased relative, to refuse to assist me in my present distressing situation. They are too prudent to venture to treat me as an impostor before they have interrogated me as to our family affairs; and in this respect I shall be well able to answer, for I can tell them such particulars as none but my father’s son could possibly be acquainted with, and which, being not proper to be made public, they will undoubtedly be obliged to do something for me that I may not divulge them.”
Thus I wavered betwixt hope and fear. Sometimes I thought that I flattered myself too much, and at other times that I desponded without reason. I paused at the latter reflection, which was the more consolatory of the two, and hoping to fulfil the proverb, which says, “he that wishes to be Pope, need only fancy himself one,” I resolved to avail myself of the favorable opportunity which now presented itself of getting into Italy, by joining the levies that were raising. One day, as I was sitting at my usual post, reflecting on the pleasures I should enjoy at Genoa, my agreeable reverie was disturbed by some one who called me two or three times. I turned round to see who it could be that was so well acquainted with my name, and perceived that it was an old Apothecary who had often employed me before. He beckoned me to come to him, and I ran immediately; but two of my companions, who were nearer to him, got before me, and proffered their services before I came up. He however repulsed them sharply, saying, “no, no; get you gone, birds of prey; this is not a morsel for you, but for my faithful Guzman.” He little thought he spoke so truly. Then addressing himself to me, who had just come up, “open thy basket,” added he, and he threw into it three bags of money, which he had with him wrapped in the corner of his cloak. “To what brazier must I carry all this copper?” quoth I with a smile. “This copper!” answered the Apothecary, laughing outright; “here’s a pretty rogue of a beggar, that takes silver for copper. Come, march on,” continued he, “for I am in haste; I have engaged to pay a foreign merchant this money to-day, who has sold me some drugs.”
This might have been his intention; but I had formed another to defeat it the instant I heard those charming words, open thy basket. The news of the birth of an only son causes less joy to a tender parent than I felt at those sweet words, which engraved themselves on my heart, if I may so express it, in letters of gold. I looked on these three bags as a present sent me from Heaven, to enable me to support the part I had to perform at Genoa, and concluded them already my own. As my man had not the slightest suspicion of me, being already well convinced, as he conceived, of my honesty, he walked before, and I followed him, pretending now and then that I was obliged to rest myself a little, as if my burthen were too great, although, in truth, I could have wished it much heavier. I never was so anxious to meet a crowd of people as on this occasion, or even a sly turning by which I could suddenly disappear from my unsuspecting friend the Apothecary. We chanced, however, shortly to pass a house with which I was well acquainted, the front and back doors of which stood most invitingly open. I could not allow this opportunity to escape me, but entered instantly, and passed through the house without meeting with any interruption; and in less than two minutes had got through two or three streets as though I had wings to my feet. I then resumed my usual pace, to avoid suspicion, being far enough from my Apothecary, and walked on as demurely as though nothing had happened.
In this manner I soon arrived at the gate de la Vega, that is to say, the open country, whence, with the same grave countenance I gained the bank of the Mançanares; then crossing over to Casa del Campo, I travelled a good league through woods and thickets, and, as night approached, stopped among some poplars very near to the river, where I began to consider how I should proceed. “It is not enough,” said I, “to have begun so well, I must continue in the same manner. Of what use will this prize be to me if I cannot take care of it now that I have got it? If I should happen to be nabbed, I shall not only be obliged to refund, but may lose both my ears to wit; let me, therefore, look out for some place where I may deposit my money in safety.”
After having looked about for some time I made a hole about two feet deep at the bottom of the river, and let down my basket and bags of money into it. Then covering them with large stones, to prevent them from floating, I set up a stake in the sand near the spot, that I might be sure of recollecting where my darling treasure lay concealed. After this grand operation I went to sleep at the foot of a tree hard by, where I passed the night, not altogether free from anxiety, though perfectly well satisfied with the reflection that I was now so well off. When day-light appeared, I hid myself in a thicket until it was dark again, when hunger, which drives the wolf from the wood, obliged me to leave my haunts to go and purchase some provisions, not at either of the villages in the environs, where, in all probability, the Apothecary would have sent the alguazils after me, but at Madrid itself, where I could be best concealed. Having a little money in my pocket, independent of my hoard, I ventured into the town, whence I returned in about three hours with a hamper containing provisions sufficient for eight days, and spent the greater part of the night in cramming myself with this good cheer.
When I awoke the next morning, I felt most curious to examine the contents of the three bags. In vain did I reflect that it must be the Devil that tempted me, and that I could not satisfy my curiosity without running the risk of being observed. I could not help yielding to this gratification, which was certainly the sincerest I had ever felt in my life. I advanced to the side of the river, and after having looked on all sides to see if any body was near, I drew my basket out of the water, and carried it, dripping with wet as it was, into my place of retreat. Here I opened my bags, and found about two thousand five hundred reals in them, all in silver, with the exception of thirty pistoles in gold, which I discovered carefully wrapped up in one of the bags. I spent the whole of this day with the sincerest pleasure in counting my pieces over and over again; and when night came on, I put the whole into the basket again, and secured them in their former hiding-place.