I have said that the Basques abhor servitude, and are rarely to be found serving as domestics amongst the Spaniards.  I allude, however, merely to the males.  The females, on the contrary, have no objection whatever to enter houses as servants.  Women, indeed, amongst the Basques are not looked upon with all the esteem which they deserve, and are considered as fitted for little else than to perform menial offices, even as in the East, where they are viewed in the light of servants and slaves.  The Basque females differ widely in character from the men; they are quick and vivacious, and have in general much more talent.  They are famous for their skill as cooks, and in most respectable houses of Madrid a Biscayan female may be found in the kitchen, queen supreme of the culinary department.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

The Prohibition—­Gospel Persecuted—­Charge of Sorcery—­Ofalia.

About the middle of January a swoop was made upon me by my enemies, in the shape of a peremptory prohibition from the political governor of Madrid to sell any more New Testaments.  This measure by no means took me by surprise, as I had for some time previously been expecting something of the kind, on account of the political sentiments of the ministers then in power.  I forthwith paid a visit to Sir George Villiers, informing him of what had occurred.  He promised to do all he could to cause the prohibition to be withdrawn.  Unfortunately at this time he had not much influence, having opposed with all his might the entrance of the moderado ministry to power, and the nomination of Ofalia to the presidency of the cabinet.  I, however, never lost confidence in the Almighty, in whose cause I was engaged.

Matters were going on very well before this check.  The demand for Testaments was becoming considerable, so much so, that the clergy were alarmed, and this step was the consequence.  But they had previously recourse to another, well worthy of them, they attempted to act upon my fears.  One of the ruffians of Madrid, called Manolos, came up to me one night, in a dark street, and told me that unless I discontinued selling my “Jewish books,” I should have a knife “nailed in my heart”; but I told him to go home, say his prayers, and tell his employers that I pitied them; whereupon he turned away with an oath.  A few days after, I received an order to send two copies of the Testament to the office of the political governor, with which I complied, and in less than twenty-four hours an alguazil arrived at the shop with a notice prohibiting the further sale of the work.

One circumstance rejoiced me.  Singular as it may appear, the authorities took no measures to cause my little despacho to be closed, and I received no prohibition respecting the sale of any work but the New Testament, and as the Gospel of Saint Luke, in Romany and Basque, would within a short time be ready for delivery, I hoped to carry on matters in a small way till better times should arrive.