10. A Prisoner of Albuera (5)
Three Days March to Tocina
May 22nd. This day we reached Guadalcanal, and having given our parole were at liberty to make our situation as comfortable as circumstances permitted. We knocked at a large house, where we were immediately admitted. Within its decayed walls lived an old lady and her two daughters, who received us politely, and seeing our fatigue kindly prepared beds and food for us. The old lady was extremely pleased to find that I could speak Italian, and began a conversation in that language. She told me she was the daughter of a man of rank in Portugal, and had married a Spanish nobleman who lately, from grief at the misfortunes of his country and his family, had died of a broken heart. Before the French had arrived in Spain they had lived in great affluence, but now they had deprived her of everything, from her plate to the cattle and corn in her fields. During this long and melancholy tale I felt extremely fatigued, but whenever I attempted to stir the old lady detained me by taking hold of my coat. I was at last released by one of General Gazan’s aides-de-camp, who came to ask if I wanted another billet, but finding me provided, politely bowed to us and left.
May 23rd. We marched this day to Constantina. I was billeted on a carpenter, who received me in a civil manner, made up a bed for me in a corner of the room, and began to prepare food. I was not long seated when two graceful and elegant young Spanish ladies, dressed in pelisses and half-boots, entered the room. One of them had a long whip in her hand—at first sight I concluded that they belonged to a Spanish whip-club—but from the respect that the people of the house paid them I soon saw that they were persons of distinction. They addressed me in Spanish, but, finding I did not well understand their language, made me comprehend, in the best way they could, that they had brought a surgeon to dress my wounds. He was called in, and was followed by a group of young women, gaping with open mouths, like one of Hogarth’s caricatures. The doctor unbound my head, dressed it, and tied it up again. Some of the girls were then called forward, with a basket filled with sweetmeats, fruit, and cake, and at least a gallon and a half of excellent wine, of which the young ladies pressed me to partake. They endeavoured to cheer my spirits, which from excessive fatigue were very low: they seated themselves on my right hand and on my left, and one of them desired a girl to come forward with some cigars: she gave one to her sister, and having lighted another, put it to her own mouth, and then passed it to me. At first I received it with some reluctance, until I understood that this was the highest compliment a Spanish lady could pay a gentleman. They remained with me some time, then politely wishing me good night, left me to enjoy the rest that wearied nature craved.
May 24th. This day we moved on to Tocina, a very long day’s work. We crossed the river Guadalquivir about two o’clock. We found only one large boat to carry over the whole convoy. At that time it consisted of about 4,200 infantry and 800 cavalry, beside the prisoners and the vast assembly of wounded. But by this time there remained but few of the English prisoners, nearly all who were not either wounded or on parole having escaped on the road. I asked a commandant to permit the English officers to go over early, which he was kind enough to allow us to do. But, although assisted by our French guards, we found great difficulty in getting to the boat: several times I was completely crushed in, and found it likely that I should lose a part of my coat. We saw many horses pushed into the river by the press. We at last arrived at the opposite bank, and proceeded to Tocina, where we were billeted in the house of a gentleman-farmer.
The place was so crowded that we had only a small room for six officers, and in one beyond it a French sergeant of dragoons had taken up his abode. I never saw such a fop: several times he passed through the room in which we lay, whistling loudly and swinging his cap in his hand. Altogether his conduct was so noisy and unpleasant that some of the officers went to the Alcalde, to endeavour to get him moved, but in vain, for the Alcalde was a timid man and fearful of the French. The sergeant was so insolent that they wished to kick him out, from which I saved him by representing to my young friends the danger they would bring on themselves in case he made complaint. I also said that the fellow would soon have the assurance to address us, in which case I requested that no gentleman present would make any reply whatever, which would mortify the sergeant much more than any other conduct we could pursue. Soon after he did, indeed, impudently bring forward a chair, and place it in the midst of us six, and then, turning to one after the other, inquired which of us understood French: no reply whatever being made, he rested a short time, stalked out, and we never saw him after.
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