12 Don Alonso. [Juny, 
The expression, “ enemies of God,’’ is to be understood as applying to 
all who, in 1820, the time when the author crossed the Spanish frontier, 
supported the constitution of the Cortes against absolute monarchy.—At 
length, Francisca promises to procure him some refreshment ; but she is 
diverted from the task by the arrival of her lover, a jolly muleteer, who, 
notwithstanding his occupation, can boast of good blood in his veins. A 
conversation then commences between the alcalde, the monk, and the 
arriero. The subject, as may readily be supposed, was politics—the only 
one which had then any interest. The following extracts (sometimes 
abridged) afford a pretty fair specimen of the feeling then existing :— 
““* Most reverend father,’ asked the arriero, ‘ are you then of opinion that 
all will end ill ?’—‘ Friend,’ replied he, ‘1 know not what Providence destines 
for unhappy Spain ; but I do know, that, when a people imprisons and outrages 
its king, the rebellion is always followed by a dreadful punishment.’ —‘ Reverend 
father, you are beyond the mark. Who canever think of injuring Don Ferdi- 
nand? They who would attempt it well know how we defended him once. 
Myself, for example, with the assistance of St. Anthony, and Our Lady of 
Atocha, felled great numbers of the invaders.’ A stranger (who had hitherto 
sat unnoticed in an obscure corner of the room), hearing the words Cortes, 
constitution, revolt, afterwards uttered by the monk, asked the landlord what 
was meant by the terms. ‘Senor Basque,’ answered the latter, ‘ the nation 
is in rebellion against its king: It has compelled me to take the heretical title 
of Constitutional Alcalde: instead of being head of the village by hereditary 
right, according to the privilege obtained by my ancestors in 1684, I must in 
future, it appears, be elected by the people. This is not all: I must also 
send in my accounts.’—‘ But,’ interrupted the stranger, ‘ what constitute now 
governs the kingdom? Who has made it? who has granted it ?’>—* Repub- 
licans,’ replied the monk, turning round for the first time—‘ that is to say, 
enemies of God and the king, have fashioned it; and, lastly, some soldiers 
and pedlars have imposed it on the king our lord.. It is called the Constitution ~ 
of Cadiz.’ At these words, the stranger threw down a piece of money on the 
table, and disappeared. The Spaniards looked at each other. ‘I am much 
deceived,’ said the monk, ‘ or this gentleman has not always been accustomed 
to the names of the Pyrenees.’—‘ I recognized him,’ cried the muleteer, ‘ not- 
withstanding his strange costume, and long absence.’ The latter then paden ties 
arose: ‘I could not be mistaken; I will.run after him. —‘ Beware of that? _ 
thundered the monk, who seemed transported with apeeT : ‘do you not know as 
this man? a wretch, sullied with the greatest crimes !’—‘ Reverend father, I E 
should prefer a wretch, such as heis, to a thousand servants of God suchasI 
could name. I must follow him ; happy shall I beif I can trace his footsteps.” 
—‘ By all the saints, fellow, I forbid thee to leave the house! Remain, I say, — 
or be excommunicated!’ The arriero seemed highly indignant ; fury shone in 
his eyes ; but the crucifix, extended before him, rivetted him to the place.” 
This stranger was well known to the muleteer, and, doubtless, to the 
monk, as one of the most powerful supporters of the constitutional 
cause. On the suppression of the charter, and the restoration of despot- 
ism, he had been exiled from the court, and sought a retreat from the 
fury of his enemies in the heart of the Pyrenees. He afterwards turns 
out to be Don Axonso, the hero of the novel. 
“© At this moment, a man, with importance in his looks, entered the room. 
He scarcely deigned to honour the alcalde with the precipitate motion of his 
fingers, as he protruded his hand from beneath his blue cloak—the usual form 
of salutation throughout the Peninsula. The whole family rose to receive him 
with respect. He approached the monk, and presented his reverence with 
some papers, the sight of which appeared to give pleasure to the circle: there 
was a list of names enrolled for the military service. ‘I hope,’ said Dona 
