588 Blaquiere's Spain and Spanish Revolution. 
doomed to a species of exile in the very 
province which had witnessed his most 
brilliant triumphs. Having, in the spring 
of 1817, visited Caldetes, a village on 
the sea coast near Barcelona, for the pur- 
pose of drinking its mineral waters. Lacy 
there met some old friends and kindred 
minds, with whom it was natural to de- 
plore the wretched fate of their common 
country, and not Jess so to confer on 
those means by which its liberties migi t 
be restored. 
Lacy had long been regarded as one of 
the best officers in the Peninsula; he had 
won the affections of the army, and was, 
above all, the staunch and enlightened 
advocate of liberty. General Milans, 
Lacy’s companion during several cam- 
aigns, together with his brother Don 
afael, a retired colonel of cavalry, were 
amongst the friends he found at Caldetes ; 
both these meritorious characters placed 
themselves at his entire disposal; while 
Don Jose Quer, Lieutenant-Colonel of 
the Tarragona regiment, stationed at 
Arens del Mar, a small seaport in the 
vicinity, undertook to ensure the co- 
operation of that corps. ‘Though the 
continued enormities of government were 
such as to justify a belief on the part of 
Lacy and his coadjutors, that even a par- 
tial movement would be followed by the 
whole army, it was not until he had com- 
municated with the different garrisons, 
and received positive assurances of sup- 
port from all those in Catalonia, that he 
consented once more to raise the standard 
of independence. Matters being thus 
arranged, the 5th of April was named for 
carrying the project into execution; con- 
sidering the state of public opinion, and 
the abilities of those engaged in the enter- 
prise, sanguine hopes were indulged that 
fortune would be more propitious than 
heretofore; these hopes, however, were 
cruelly disappointed; for when on the 
point of being realized, two subalterns, 
named Appentel and Nandin, formed the 
design of betraying the patriots: this act 
was rendered the more atrocious, from 
the traitors having been indebted to the 
bounty and protection of Lacy, while 
Captain-general ; a fact which alone had 
induced Quer to employ them as his 
chief agents in gaining over the regiment. 
When informed of the meditated rising, 
the first step of Lassala, the colonel, was 
to hasten to the officers’ quarters, and ask 
them whether they were prepared to shed 
their blood in defence of the King? On 
being answered in the affirmative, the 
battalion was immediately assembled on 
the Parade, where, theservile chief con- 
trivec by flattery and promises. to dis= 
suade the men from following two com- 
panies, which had already marched under 
Quer and his friend, Don Antonio Oli- 
ver, to join the leaders at Caldetes. As 
it was too late to bring these back, the 
utmost Lassala could do, was to de- 
spatch emissaries alter them to induce 
their return by the assurance of a liberal 
reward, and such other offers as were 
most likely to detach them from Lacy. 
‘The remainder of the corps was then con- 
ducted to an adjacent height, there to 
await events, and be removed from the pro- 
bable consequences of having their loy- 
alty shaken by the inhabitants, who ap- 
peared extremely anxious to second the 
views of Lacy and his friends, 
Creditable as the above resolution was 
to the patriots, the commencement was 
too disheartening to afford any hopes of 
success : they had accordingly been only 
a few hours on the road, before the 
agents employed by Lassala prevailed on 
the soldiers suddenly to turn round, and 
take the Girection of Arens del Mar, 
leaving Lacy and his companions to their 
fate. It was in vain that Milans and the 
other officers expostulated with them on 
this unexpected defection; their fears 
had been so worked upon by Cuero, the 
principal emissary, that neither entreaties 
nor remonstranzes had any effect: it 
therefore only remained for the leaders 
to provide for their own safety in the best 
manner they could. 
A severe fate attended Lacy, and those 
who had to share his fortunes. In con- 
sequence of an order issued by the go- 
vernor of Mataro, calling upon the pea- 
santry on pain of death to assist in the 
pursuit, the fugitives were foreed to take- 
refuge in a farm-house, whose proprietor 
was base enough to betray them soon 
after their departure for the frontiers. In- 
timidated by the above peremptory man- 
date, and strictly enjoined to obey it by 
their spiritual advisers, who had, as usual, 
made common cause with the servile 
leaders, a large party came up with Lacy 
and his friends, and threatened to fireon 
them if they did not surrender. On hear- 
ing this unexpected summons from those 
who had been till then regarded as 
friends, the general came forward, and 
with great calmness replied, that he was 
ready to do so, but would not deliver his 
sword, or be taken alive except by a 
military officer. The dignified manner 
in which Lacy expressed himself, had. 
such an effect on the infatuated peasants 
that many of them instantly retired; a. 
few, however, calculating on the reward. 
which 
