from this world to the next-第14章

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concern；　what　horror　must　I　have　felt　if；　like　princes　greedy　of

dominion；　I　had　sacrificed　such　numbers　to　my　own　pride；　vanity；

and　ridiculous　lust　of　power。



〃After　having　vented　my　sorrows　for　some　time　in　this　manner；　I

began　to　consider　by　what　means　I　might　possibly　endeavor　to

retrieve　this　misfortune；　when；　reflecting　on　the　great　number　of

priests　I　had　in　my　army；　and　on　the　prodigious　force　of

superstition；　a　thought　luckily　suggested　itself　to　me；　to

counterfeit　that　St。　James　had　appeared　to　me　in　a　vision；　and

had　promised　me　the　victory。　　While　I　was　ruminating　on　this　the

bishop　of　Najara　came　opportunely　to　me。　　As　I　did　not　intend　to

communicate　the　secret　to　him；　I　took　another　method；　and；

instead　of　answering　anything　the　bishop　said　to　me；　I　pretended

to　talk　to　St。　James；　as　if　he　had　been　really　present；　till　at

length；　after　having　spoke　those　things　which　I　thought

sufficient；　and　thanked　the　saint　aloud　for　his　promise　of　the

victory；　I　turned　about　to　the　bishop；　and；　embracing　him　with　a

pleased　countenance；　protested　I　did　not　know　he　was　present；　and

then；　informing　him　of　this　supposed　vision；　I　asked　him　if　he

had　not　himself　seen　the　saint？　　He　answered　me　he　had；　and

afterwards　proceeded　to　assure　me　that　this　appearance　of　St。

James　was　entirely　owing　to　his　prayers；　for　that　he　was　his

tutelar　saint。　　He　added　he　had　a　vision　of　him　a　few　hours

before；　when　he　promised　him　a　victory　over　the　infidels；　and

acquainted　him　at　the　same　time　of　the　vacancy　of　the　see　of

Toledo。　　Now；　this　news　being　really　true；　though　it　had　happened

so　lately　that　I　had　not　heard　of　it　（nor；　indeed；　was　it　well

possible　I　should；　considering　the　great　distance　of　the　way）；

when　I　was　afterwards　acquainted　with　it；　a　little　staggered　me；

though　far　from　being　superstitious；　till　being　informed　that　the

bishop　had　lost　three　horses　on　a　late　expedition；　I　was

satisfied。



〃The　next　morning；　the　bishop；　at　my　desire；　mounted　the　rostrum；

and　trumpeted　forth　this　vision　so　effectually；　which　he　said　he

had　that　evening　twice　seen　with　his　own　eyes；　that　a　spirit

began　to　be　infused　through　the　whole　army　which　rendered　them

superior　to　almost　any　force：　　the　bishop　insisted　that　the　least

doubt　of　success　was　giving　the　lie　to　the　saint；　and　a　damnable

sin；　and　he　took　upon　him　in　his　name　to　promise　them　victory。



〃The　army　being　drawn　out；　I　soon　experienced　the　effect　of

enthusiasm；　for；　having　contrived　another　stratagem＇9＇　to

strengthen　what　the　bishop　had　said；　the　soldiers　fought　more

like　furies　than　men。　　My　stratagem　was　this：　　I　had　about　me　a

dexterous　fellow；　who　had　been　formerly　a　pimp　in　my　amours。　　Him

I　dressed　up　in　a　strange　antic　dress；　with　a　pair　of　white

colors　in　his　right　hand；　a　red　cross　in　his　left；　and　having

disguised　him　so　that　no　one　could　know　him；　I　placed　him　on　a

white　horse；　and　ordered　him　to　ride　to　the　head　of　the　army；　and

cry　out；　'Follow　St。　James！'　　These　words　were　reiterated　by　all

the　troops；　who　attacked　the　enemy　with　such　intrepidity；　that；

notwithstanding　our　inferiority　of　numbers；　we　soon　obtained　a

complete　victory。



＇9＇　This　silly　story　is　told　as　a　solemn　truth　（i。e。；　that　St。　

James　really　appeared　in　the　manner　this　fellow　is　described）　by

Mariana；　1。7；　Section　78。





〃The　bishop　was　come　up　by　the　time　that　the　enemy　was　routed；

and；　acquainting　us　that　he　had　met　St。　James　by　the　way；　and

that　he　had　informed　him　of　what　had　passed；　he　added　that　he　had

express　orders　from　the　saint　to　receive　a　considerable　sum　for

his　use；　and　that　a　certain　tax　on　corn　and　wine　should　be

settled　on　his　church　for　ever；　and　lastly；　that　a　horseman's　pay

should　be　allowed　for　the　future　to　the　saint　himself；　of　which

he　and　his　successors　were　appointed　receivers。　　The　army

received　these　demands　with　such　acclamations　that　I　was　obliged

to　comply　with　them；　as　I　could　by　no　means　discover　the

imposition；　nor　do　I　believe　I　should　have　gained　any　credit　if　I

had。



〃I　had　now　done　with　the　saint；　but　the　bishop　had　not；　for　about

a　week　afterwards　lights　were　seen　in　a　wood　near　where　the

battle　was　fought；　and　in　a　short　time　afterwards　they　discovered

his　tomb　at　the　same　place。　　Upon　this　the　bishop　made　me　a

visit；　and　forced　me　to　go　thither；　to　build　a　church　to　him；　and

largely　endow　it。　　In　a　word；　the　good　man　so　plagued　me　with

miracle　after　miracle；　that　I　was　forced　to　make　interest　with

the　pope　to　convey　him　to　Toledo；　to　get　rid　of　him。



〃But　to　proceed　to　other　matters。There　was　an　inferior　officer；

who　had　behaved　very　bravely　in　the　battle　against　the　Moors；　and

had　received　several　wounds；　who　solicited　me　for　preferment；

which　I　was　about　to　confer　on　him；　when　one　of　my　ministers　came

to　me　in　a　fright；　and　told　me　that　he　had　promised　the　post　I

designed　for　this　man　to　the　son　of　count　Alderedo；　and　that　the

count；　who　was　a　powerful　person；　would　be　greatly　disobliged　at

the　refusal；　as　he　had　sent　for　his　son　from　school　to　take

possession　of　it。　　I　was　obliged　to　agree　with　my　minister's

reasons；　and　at　the　same　time　recommended　the　wounded　soldier　to

be　preferred　by　him；　which　he　faithfully　promised　he　would；　but　I

met　the　poor　wretch　since　in　Elysium；　who　informed　me　he　was

afterwards　starved　to　death。



〃None　who　hath　not　been　himself　a　prince；　nor　any　prince　till　his

death；　can　conceive　the　impositions　daily　put　on　them　by　their

favorites　and　ministers；　so　that　princes　are　often　blamed　for　the

faults　of　others。　　The　count　of　Saldagne　had　been　long　confined

in　prison；　when　his　son；　D。　Bernard　del　Carpio；　who　had

performed　the　greatest　actions　against　the　Moors；　entreated　me；

as　a　reward　for　his　service；　to　grant　him　his　father's　liberty。　

The　old　man's　punishment　had　been　so　tedious；　and　the　services　of

the　young　one　so　singularly　eminent；　that　I　was　very　inclinable

to　grant　the　request；　but　my　ministers　strongly　opposed　it；　they

told　me　my　glory　demanded　revenge　for　the　dishonor　offered　to　my

family；　that　so　positive　a　demand　carried　with　it　rather　the　air

of　menace　than　entreaty；　that　the　vain　detail　of　his　services；

and　the　recompense　due　to　them；　was　an　injurious　reproach；　that

to　grant　what　had　been　so　haughtily　demanded　would　argue　in　the

monarch　both　weakness　and　timidity；　in　a　word；　that　to　remit　the

punishment　inflicted　by　my　predecessors　would　be　to　condemn　their

judgment。　　Lastly；　one　told　me　in　a　whisper；　'His　whole　family

are　enemies　to　your　house。'　　By　these　means　the　ministers

prevailed。　　The　young　lord　took　the　refusal　so　ill；　that　he

retired　from　court；　and　abandoned　himself　to　despair；　whilst　the

old　one　languished　in　prison。　　By　which　means；　as　I　have　since

discovered；　I　lost　the　use　of　two　of　my　best　subjects。



〃To　confess　the　truth；　I　had；　by　means　of　my　ministers；　conceived

a　very　unjust　opinion　of　my　whole　people；　whom　I　fancied　to　be

daily　conspiring　against　me；　and　to　entertain　the　most　disloyal

thoughts；　when；　in　reality　（as　I　have　known　since　my　death）；　they

held　me　in　universal　respect　and　esteem。　　This　is　a　trick；　I

believe；　too　often　played　with　sovereigns；　who；　by　such　means；

are　prevented　from　that　open　intercourse　with　their　subjects

which；　as　it　would　greatly　endear　the　person　of　the　prince　to　the

people；　so　might　it　often　prove　dangerous　to　a　minister　who　was

consulting　his　own　interest　only　at　the　expense　of　both。　　I

believe　I　have　now　recounted　to　you　the　most　material　passages　of

my　life；　for　I　assure　you　there　are　some　incidents　in　the　lives

of　kings　not　extremely　worth　relating。　　Everything　which　passes

in　their　minds　and　families　is　not　attended　with　the　splendor

which　surrounds　their　throneindeed；　there　are　some　hours

wherein　the　naked　king　and　the　naked　cobbler　can　scarce　be

distinguished　from　each　other。



〃Had　it　not　been；　however；　for　my　ingratitude　to　Bernard　del

Carpio；　I　believe　this　would　have　been　my　last　pilgrimage　on

earth；　for；　as　to　the　story　of　St。　James；　I　thought　Minos　would

have　burst　his　sides　at　it；　but　he　was　so　displeased　with　me　on

the　other　account；　that；　with　a　frown；　he　cried　out；　'Get　thee

back　again；　king。'　Nor　would　he　suffer　me　to　say　another　word。〃





CHAPTER　XVIII



Julian　passes　into　a　fool。



〃The　next　visit　I　made　to　the　world　was　performed　in　France；

where　I　was　born　in　the　court　of　Lewis　III；　and　had　afterwards

the　honor　to　be　preferred　to　be　fool　to　the　prince；　who　was

surnamed　Charles　the　Simple。　　But；　in　reality；　I　know　not　whether

I　might　so　properly　be　said　to　have　acted　the　fool　in　his　court

as　to　have　made　fools　of　all　others　in　it。　　Certain　it　is；　I　was

very　far　from　being　what　is　generally　understood　by　that　word；

being　a　most　cunning；　designing；　arch　knave。　　I　knew　very　well

the　folly　of　my　master；　and　of　many　others；　and　how　to　make　my

advantage　of　this　knowledge。



〃I　was　as　dear　to　Charles　the　Simple　as　the　player　Paris　was　to

Domitian；　and；　like　him；　bestowed　all　manner　of　offices　and

honors　on　whom　I　pleased。　　This　drew　me　a　great　number　of

followers　among　the　courtiers；　who　really　mistook　me　for　a　fool；

and　yet　flattered　my　understanding。　　There　was　particularly　in

the　court　a　fellow　who　had　neither　honor；　honesty；　sense；　wit；

courage；　beauty；　nor　indeed　any　one　good　quality；　either　of　mind

or　body；　to　recommend　him；　but　was　at　the　same　time；　perhaps；　as

cunning　a　monster　as　ever　lived。　　This　gentleman　took　it　into　his

head　to　list　under　my　banner；　and　pursued　me　so　very　assiduously

with　flattery；　constantly　reminding　me　of　my　good　sense；　that　I

grew　immoderately　fond　of　him；　for　though　flattery　is　not　most

judiciously　applied　to　qualities　which　the　persons　flattered

possess；　yet　as；　notwithstanding　my　being　well　assured　of　my　own

parts；　I　passed　in　the　whole　court　for　a　fool；　this　flattery　was

a　very　sweet　morsel　to　me。　　I　therefore　got　this　fellow　preferred

to　a　bishopric；　but　I　lost　my　flatterer　by　it；　for　he　never

afterwards　said　a　civil　thing　to　me。　　



〃I　never　balked　my　imagination　for　the　grossness　of　the

reflection　on　the　character　of　the　greatest　noblenay；　even　the

king　himself；　of　which　I　will　give　you　a　very　bold　instance。　　One

day　his　simple　majesty　told　me　he　believed　I　had　so　much　power

that　his　people　looked　on　me　as　the　king；　and　himself　as　my　fool。



At　this　I　pretended　to　be　angry；　as　with　an　affront。　　'Why；　how

now？'　says　the　king；　'are　you　ashamed　of　being　a　king？'　'No；

sir；'　says　I；　'but　I　am　devilishly　ashamed　of　my　fool。'



〃Herbert；　earl　of　Vermandois；　had　by　my　means　been　restored　to

the　favor　of　the　Simple　（for　so　I　used　always　to　call　Charles）。　

He　afterwards　prevailed　with　the　king　to　take　the　city　of　Arras

from　earl　Baldwin；　by　which　means；　Herbert；　in　exchange　for　this

city；　had　Peronne　restored　to　him　by　count　Altmar。　　Baldwin　came

to　court　in　order　to　procure　the　rest