Her husband made a half irritable gesture. “Oh, my love, I am not sure if you have met Miguel de Cervantes, a playmate of mine in student days. A distinguished soldier, who has also turned his hand to plays and poems “
Miguel rose to his feet and gave her a bow, which she barely acknowledged. “My Lady, I knew your husband, as he says, in the days of his youth, and I come to pay a call long overdue “
“Oh, you have called before,” said the lady. “Twas you, was it not, who escaped three times from the Turks and was thrice recaptured; but that is old news. Andres, this is the second time I have come home and Sebastiano is not at the door to hand me down! I think in the morning he should be beaten.”
“I’ll see to it, my love,” said Prada cynically. “No doubt you found the auto de ye tiring. There is wine and food laid in the next chamber.”
“I am going out again,” she said. “I came but to change after the day. Don Diego will be calling for me within the hour.”
She left the room and an awkward silence fell, in which I thought the old man would take his leave. But clearly he was used to being treated as of no account; perhaps his condition had long been too desperate for him to be too tender of his honour. Yet as he sat down again I saw that he had not lost his bearing or his dignity.
“I say to you, Andres, I still believe in the old ideals, rarely though they emerge in the present palace and court. From what I have seen of it since I came to Madrid from Andalusia.”
“Oh, it is a superficial blemish that you exaggerate,” Prada said impatiently. “The King could scarcely be more holy “
“Oh, the King, yes indeed, he turns his court into a monastery. But under the assumed piety of the religious form every sort of immorality and corruption exists. Spanish ladies, once a model for the world, are loose and immodest in their lives. The behaviour even of many of those men who have taken the vows of a priestly life, the behaviour of many such is licentious and evil.”
“Senor,” said Father Rafael gently, “you speak harsh words which would be dangerous outside this house. Even in it they give offense.””
“As for you, father,” said Miguel, “if I speak ill of your cloth I mean no personal slight. But many others say as I do. The Treasury is empty, and the riches of the Indies flow into it and then out to enrich the peculators in Spain and the Bankers and Jews in other lands. Under the cloak of the church the state decaysI”
He reached for the buckskin bag containing the wine, and poured himself some and drank it. Then he wiped his long moustache with his withered hand.
“And if you were in my position,” said de Prada, “you would contrive to change it all?”
“Nay, friend, I have no easy remedy; do not mistake me. But I think no country can prosper while corruption is so widespread, while the worst poverty and the most lavish luxury are separated by a street’s width. I think no country can fight a just war while it is being bled white from within; and while it is dominated by 22,000 spies in the habit of the Holy Office! We have many wars on our hands. The Netherlands remain a cockpit. Henry of Navarre has entered Paris by a ruse and our troops forced out. Did you hear he stood upon a balcony of Porte St Denis and saluted them as they marched away, calling, ‘Commend me to your master but never come back’? He’ll be at war with us ere long, you mark my words … And as for England every preparation for the Second Armada is hampered by lack of money, lack of supplies. You know that, Andres, without my telling you...”
“I know, Miguel, without you telling me.”
Prada’s cold voice at last made an impression on the other man’s eloquence. “Aye, well, you should be far better informed than any of us … No doubt I talk out of place. Did I not see Lopez de Soto leaving here the other day? If so, you will know all about the naval preparations.”
“You did and I do. Captain de Soto says it is due to the corruption of minor officials such as yourself that the Armada is not more ready to sail.”
Miguel de Cervantes’ face went a deep colour like the faces of the burning men; an old scar whitened on his cheek. “Of many it is true; I have said so. That way they live. Because I would not so tarnish my good name I am reduced to beggary and to supplicating help from old friends! As you know I have been in prison, but never for any act injurious to my honour!”
“Well, I will help you if I can,” said Prada. “But perhaps I cannot.” He rose. “You must excuse me now.”
“When may I see you again?”
“I will let you know. Have you no other friends?”
“None so close to the court. While men like Lope de Vega strut in society I am destitute.”
“Tut, tut, we’ll meet again, no doubt. But I’m not the King, you know.”
The old soldier was edged towards the door. As I also rose Señor Prada spoke sharply in English.
“I wish to see you, boy.”
“Now, sir?”
“Yes. Wait there. You may go, Rodez.”
Father Rafael picked up his rosary and followed Rodez from the room. I was left to wait alone.
Andres Prada’s face was irritable as he sat down again at the table. He took up a palm leaf and fanned the brasero bowl to make the charcoal glow. He coughed as the smoke caught his throat.
“What would you say, boy, if I offered you your freedom?”
I stared at him. “I would thank you from my heartl”
“There would be conditions.”
“What conditions?”
“You would be required to convey a message back to England.”
“Gladly ” then I stopped. “Where would I have to take it? “
“That matters?”
“Yes, sir. If …”
He put the palm leaf down. “The message would be to your father.”
“To my ~
“Would you carry a message to him?”
“Willingly … To my father?”
“Yes. Verbally.”
“If yes, I think so.”
“There would be other conditions concerned with the message.”
The charcoal had died again, being nearly burned through, and the chill of the night seemed to come out of the white plaster walls.
Senor Prada said dryly: “We thought to convert you to Christ before offering you freedom. The King was unwilling to make any move to restore you to your family until you had come to see your error. But I prevailed upon him otherwise.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“I win be plain with you, boy. I did not intervene on your behalf out of love for you. Those freebooters who brought you here hoping for a reward, got it because you were of some small use coming fresh from England, and that part of England, for the information you gave us. But there is this second use to which you may now be put. Have you been well treated here?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Fed, clothed, used as a guest?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Put in chains, beaten, starved, stretched on the rack?”
“No, sir.”
“An attempt has been made to persuade you to reaccept the old religion. That failing, has coercion been used?”
“No, sir.”
“Well, remember those things. If God sees fit to favour us in war, and we take England, there will be clemency and justice shown as well as the rigour of holy law. Remember that and tell your father.”
“Was that what you wished me to tell him?”
“Not that alone.” He paused, biting his finger thoughtfully. “Answer this, boy, I know little of your Calvinist religion. Do you still use the Bible of Christ?”
“Yes … It is in all our churches.”
“So that an oath sworn on it would be binding upon you as we should swear upon holy relics?”
“Yes.”
He peered hard at me as if trying to assure himself.