who moved on with their heads close to the ground.  The only sound which we heard was the plash of a stream, which tumbled down the pass.  I expected every moment to feel a knife at my throat, but “It was not so written.”  We threaded the pass without meeting a human being, and within three quarters of an hour after the time we entered it, we found ourselves within the posada of the town of Onas, which was filled with troops and armed peasants expecting an attack from the grand Carlist army, which was near at hand.

Well, we reached Burgos in safety; we reached Valladolid in safety; we passed the Guadarama in safety; and were at length safely housed in Madrid.  People said we had been very lucky; Antonio said, “It was so written”; but I say, Glory be to the Lord for his mercies vouchsafed to us.

CHAPTER XXXVI

State of Affairs at Madrid—­The New Ministry—­Pope of Rome—­The Bookseller of Toledo—­Sword Blades—­Houses of Toledo—­The Forlorn Gypsy—­Proceedings at Madrid—­Another Servant.

During my journey in the northern provinces of Spain, which occupied a considerable portion of the year 1837, I had accomplished but a slight portion of what I proposed to myself to effect in the outset.  Insignificant are the results of man’s labours compared with the swelling ideas of his presumption; something, however, had been effected by the journey, which I had just concluded.  The New Testament of Christ was now enjoying a quiet sale in the principal towns of the north, and I had secured the friendly interest and co-operation of the booksellers of those parts, particularly of him the most considerable of them all, old Rey of Compostella.  I had, moreover, disposed of a considerable number of Testaments with my own hands, to private individuals, entirely of the lower class, namely, muleteers, carmen, contrabandistas, etc., so that upon the whole I had abundant cause for gratitude and thanksgiving.

I did not find our affairs in a very prosperous state at Madrid, few copies having been sold in the booksellers’ shops, yet what could be rationally expected during these latter times?  Don Carlos, with a large army, had been at the gates; plunder and massacre had been expected; so that people were too much occupied in forming plans to secure their lives and property, to give much attention to reading of any description.

The enemy, however, had now retired to his strongholds in Alava and Guipuscoa.  I hoped that brighter days were dawning, and that the work, under my own superintendence, would, with God’s blessing, prosper in the capital of Spain.  How far the result corresponded with my expectations will be seen in the sequel.  During my absence in the north, a total change of ministers had occurred.  The liberal party had been ousted from the cabinet, and in their place had entered individuals attached to the moderado or court party:  unfortunately, however, for my prospects, they consisted of persons with whom I had no acquaintance whatever, and with whom my former friends, Galiano and Isturitz, had little or no influence.  These gentlemen were now regularly laid on the shelf, and their political career appeared to be terminated for ever.