they could carry no more; but theirdepredations would be discovered. The earthquake had not committedsufficient ravages to satisfy them; they must increase the destructionand confusion. Some houses were already in flames; they seized ontorches, and, like the intoxicated Macedonians in Persepolis of old,they rushed through the city, setting fire to every mansion theyplundered in their course.
They passed the royal palace. "The King it was who imprisoned us," theycried; "we will be revenged on him." A great part of the edifice hadalready fallen; but that did not satisfy them; they ransacked theremainder, though, at the risk of their lives, throwing away what theyhad before collected, for the sake of what they now found; and thenapplying their torches in every direction, quitted it exultingly, asthey beheld the flames burst forth with relentless fury. Away they spedagain, to commit further havoc. No one thought of offering anyresistance; so paralysed were the energies of all men, that while theirhouses and property were being consumed, they looked on, withoutattempting to interfere. At length the savage horde appeared satiatedwith plunder, and other yet more brutal passions excited them to freshdeeds of violence. Hapless, alas! were the unfortunate beings who fellinto their power: they laughed at the tears and prayers of theirvictims--wealth could not bribe them; the whole of the city was at theirdisposal--fear could not intimidate them; they thought not of themorrow, and that day they were lords of all. High rank, youth orbeauty, were but greater incentives to their fury--many a grey-hairedsire, and gallant husband or brother, fell beneath their blood-stainedknives, in striving to protect those they held dearest to them on earth.Not greater atrocities were ever committed in a town taken by assault,and given up to the indiscriminate license of an infuriated soldiery,than did those vile monsters of humanity perpetrate during that and thefollowing days.
At length, having loaded themselves with spoil, four of the ruffiansseparated from their companions, and slunk away together: they had beenthe most active and choice in seizing on the booty, leaving to othersthe work of spilling blood to gratify their savage dispositions. Two ofthem were the wretches we introduced in the commencement of thischapter, the others had joined them during the day, in their coursethrough the city, and with one of them also we have already as intimatean acquaintance as we could wish.
"Hist, Miguel, hist!" said one, fearful that their companions shouldhear them. "Where dost purpose to hide thy wealth? It will never do toplace it where others may come and seize it."
"Fear not for that, man, there are plenty of places where none willthink of hunting; the earthquake has stood our friend in this case, asin many others," said Miguel.
"Say then, Miguel, where wouldest advise to hide it--under the ruins ofsome church or other?"
"No, fool, no; the churches were too full of gold, and numbers will soongo to dig for it," answered his companion. "That would never do. Harkthee, Baltar! There are plenty of vaults under the monasteries andconvents, where no one will think of going. Who will take the troubleto dig out the lazy monks or nuns? So come along; we have no time tolose, and then we may set to work and gain more."
Away they hurried, the other two men following. They examined severalplaces, but none seemed to satisfy them. They saw that they wereobserved, and, drawing their knives, they waited till the others cameup.
"What! think you to rob us of our property?" they exclaimed, withdreadful curses, flying at them with the fury of savage beasts. Theyplunged their knives into the breast of the foremost, who, with ashriek, sunk dead among the ruins; but the other was prepared for them,and, instead of flying, he stood on the defensive.
"This is folly, to kill each other, when we have so much betteremployment for our time," exclaimed the man who was the assassinemployed by Count San Vincente, and he held out his hand towards thosewho had just slaughtered his friend.
They laughed. "You are a brave fellow," said Miguel; "so come along.We will hide our booty together."
They examined several other spots, without finding one sufficientlysecure for their purpose; at last they reached a vast heap of ruins: nota wall was standing of what had once been an extensive building.
"Ah! this will suit us; and there is no one to observe us!" theyexclaimed.
They looked cautiously around, and then, clambering over the remains ofa garden-wall, they wandered among beautiful shrubs and floweringplants, which hid from their view the scene of havoc which surroundedthem. Those had stood while the proud fabrics raised by the hands ofmen had fallen. In the centre were round tanks, which had in themorning thrown up glittering jets to cool the air; but the water haddeserted them, and the gold and silver fish lay dead at the bottom. Alittle farther on, the plants were crushed by the fallen stones; andhere and there might be seen some female form, killed by the sameterrific shower, in a vain endeavour to escape; or, perhaps, at themoment of the shock, employed in tending those very plants which nowbloomed sweetly near her. From others the breath had scarcely departed;and the ruffians even fancied that they heard faint sighs proceedingfrom some; but, uttering brutal jests, they passed on among the ruins.They looked about in every direction, to discover some place convenientfor their purpose; and, after climbing over some of the ruins which hadfallen the furthest outward, Miguel, who was in advance, came to a spotwhere, descending a short distance among the vast piles of masonry, heobserved the top of a small arched door. He endeavoured to open it, buthis single strength was not sufficient.
"Here is the very place to suit us!" he exclaimed, calling his friendsto his assistance. "None will ever think of looking here. Nowremember, comrades, we swear by the holy Virgin never to reveal the spotto any one, or to rob each other."
"Agreed, agreed!" said the other two.
"Now let us see into what place this door opens; for if we stay talkingabout it, the city will be half burnt down before we have time tocollect our share of the booty which Providence has bestowed."
The three ruffians having come to this resolution, set to work withenergy to clear away the stones and mortar which blocked up the entranceto the vault,--a task which, after some labour, and considerable risk ofbeing crushed by the crumbling walls, they at length accomplished. Butthey had now a new difficulty to overcome; for it was discovered thatthe door opened against them, having evidently led into an outerchamber, in which they were standing. They, in despair of opening thedoor, which resisted all their efforts, were about to relinquish theattempt, when an iron bar, which had fallen from some window, caughtMiguel's eye, and, searching about, they discovered several others.Thus armed, they renewed their attacks; and, although the door wasstrong, it could not resist their joint efforts, when once they hadmanaged to insinuate the ends of the bars within a crevice in the wall.On entering beneath the arch, they found themselves in a low, vaultedpassage, which appeared to lead off in two different directions; but,after proceeding a short distance in the dark, the foremost stumbledover a heap of stones, which had, probably, fallen from above; and,having no light to guide them, nor means at hand for procuring one, theywere fearful of going further. Returning, therefore, to the mouth ofthe vault, they examined it narrowly on every side, and succeeded indiscovering a place in which they considered their treasure would besecure, and could be removed without labour at any time. This was asmall recess in the wall,--for what purpose formed, it was difficult tosay, unless it could be one of those living tombs in which common reportaffirms the unhappy victims of monastic tyranny who had broken theirvows, or divulged any of the secrets of their order, were at timesimmured. Having convinced themselves that they could not fix on abetter place, they deposited all their treasure within it, in threeseparate parcels, piling up stones in front, so as completely to concealthe entrance; and then, closing the door, and throwing rubbish in frontof it, to secure it further, they hurried off in search of fresh booty.
Volume 2, Chapter XIII.
It is a very common saying, that there is honour among thieves; inwhich, from the information we have collected on the subject, weperfectly agree, provide
d they are convinced it is their interest tomaintain it; but, at the same time, they will ever be very unwilling toplace more confidence in each other than they know is absolutelynecessary. So thought Senhor Rodrigo, the most noted villain andprofessional bravo of Lisbon, and so think we, perhaps, of a certainportion of mankind, who are not professional cut-throats, and would befurious if they were not considered men of perfect honour. As soon,therefore, as the bravo saw his two companions busily engaged inplundering, and after he had contrived to fill his own pockets withgold, and had secured as much plate as he could conceal about hisperson, he hastily returned to the place of concealment they hadselected, from whence he intended taking out his own share of the booty,and hiding it with what he had last acquired, in a spot known only tohimself. He had cleared away the stones in front of the door, and wasabout to open it,