The illegal exports of cottons from France and illicitly passed into Spain, in 1841 and 1842, greatly exceed the amount in 1840; and in 1843 it may be estimated that at least one-third more was smuggled into Spain by way of the Pyrenees. The same system of contraband trade has always prevailed in Spain, and from the same causes. A German writes from Madrid to the Editor of the Prussian State Gazette : On the whole, it is from the same source. The principal manufacturers of Barcelona maintain their cotton fabrics far more for the purpose of a mask, to import by contraband, and sell as their own, the manufactures of France and England; the whole capital invested in the cotton-factories of Spain is said to be overrated at £200,000, and the actual number of persons employed to be under 60,000, although the reports published by Government augment the number to about 100,000 persons. Spain may be considered the very paradise of bold smugglers. The mountain passes and the headlands and inlets of a vast extent of sea"The import of foreign manufactured goods coast cannot possibly be guarded by her weak, has been hitherto strictly prohibited in Spain; ill-paid customs' officers, even if the latter were the question for the decision of the Cortes is sincerely aided by the military. Thus, there are simply under what conditions their import shall large towns and entire districts that live by this now be permitted. illicit trade, from whose bosom spring the banditti "It is well known that the cotton-manufacture that infest the roads of Spain. Their fatigues and of Spain for the last twenty years has been a habits predispose thousands of contrabandists, namatter of very minor importance. Lately, how-turally robust and valiant, to the exercise of war ever, in spite of desolating civil wars, it has recovered in an extraordinary degree, and at the present moment is on the increase. The seat of this branch of industry is confined to Catalonia, a small part of Valencia, and the Balearic islands. It is perfectly notorious that the Catalonian manufactures cannot supply more than one-third of the quantity required for consumption in Spain; nevertheless, they maintain that a protective duty of 80 to 85 per cent. is absolutely necessary to enable them to exist, if the import of foreign cotton goods is to be permitted. "From the goods so imported, the Spanish treasury does not derive one farthing benefit. The whole of the income which Spain obtains from her customs does not exceed, annually, 70,000,000 to 80,000,000 reals; whilst her comparatively insignificant neighbour, Portugal, receives 72,000,000 at any moment, from whatever cause it arises, constituting the focus of those guerilla outbreaks that incessantly shake the nation and the throne. Independently of these formidable hordes of smugglers, there is no doubt that the higher classes of public employés are engaged, and participate, in the profits of the well-organised insurancecompanies, established for the purpose of smuggling goods into Spain. In 1848 Spain, like most of the continental Governments, had a revolution; but the Government, by aid of the military, succeeded in reestablishing despotism, and at this moment the country is again as much as ever under the spiritual degradation of an ecclesiastical hierarchy, which is, as it will ever be so long as it exists, utterly incompatible with civil and political liberty-with intellectual and religious freedom. to get information about you. Oh, sir, fly! I am certain you are in real danger." "I cannot mend my fate, but I may end it ;" and he still remained irresolute. "He shall hang," screamed the beldame; ave, hang as high as Haman, although every devil of you should try to save him! What makes people speak so much about painted skin? If others lose "I hear my father's foot," resumed the girl, their sons, why should his mother not lose hers? "and if you do not do something immediately, II dreamt last night that I saw him hanged, and I may never have another opportunity of assisting you. Come, I can get you a light, and you can burn whatever you think necessary.” laughed in his face and pointed at him. Will he insult me now ?-will he call me names again ?* "Ye auld harrigal witch," replied the Newha ven damsel, in good Scotch Billingsgate, "I dinna ken what keeps me frae takin' you by the neck, and hauling you down to the harbour." She took hold of him by the arm, and led him unresistingly up the remainder of the small stair and then into his attic-room. Securing the door, she struck a light; and, holding a candle in the "Aye, duck her," shouted a dozen of voices. grate, she desired him to burn without the delay "It's a lang time sin' a witch was ducked in of a single moment every document and paper Leith," cried a sailor. "Come, lend a hand, my which might in the slightest degree endanger him. | hearties!" He yielded to her importunity, and burned all the notes that were about his person; and the process had barely been completed when the sound of footsteps and voices were heard below. The girl extinguished the candle and ran into an adjoining room, while Norman assumed, as he best could, an appearance of unconcern and indifference. The officers burst into the attic and seized him. "You must come along with us, sir," said the men. "Have you a warrant ?" asked the prisoner. "Yes," was the reply, and a warrant was handed to him. The threat would have speedily been executed had not the hag contrived to hobble into the tavern; and Buchanan, dreading an interruption of custom, closed the door and privately sent for the Leith authorities, in order that the mob might be dispersed. A ruse that she had escaped by a back door had the effect of drawing off the crowd from the front entrance; and, disappointed of their prey, the sailor and his associates relinquished further pursuit. Meanwhile, the hag cowered in a corner of the bar, where she was regarded as a bird of evil omen by the guests. "What makes you have such an ill-will at the On examining it, he saw that he was appre- young fellow, Luckie ?" asked our old acquaintance, hended under the name that he had assumed in Character Cook, who happened to be in Leith reLondon, and then suspicion flashed across him that garding a missing importation of leather. "I'm Copley had been the betrayer. However, he was sure you've not long time to live yourself; and determined to commit himself in no way, trusting at your time of life it should be of little consethat on a proper explanation of the real circum-quence whether people are pulled up for forgery stances of the case being made, he would be acquitted of any felonious intention. The officers hurried him down stairs, where Buchanan was in waiting. "I trust, sirs," said the landlord, "that you will tell the provost and bailies o' Embro' that I kent naething about this fellow's character, or else he should never have put a foot within my hoose. Hoo durst you, sir, come into any honest man's hoose, and ruin the name o' his premises in this way? Hoo can I expek creditable folk to be my customers, when they ken that I harbour noteforgers? Awa wi' him, officers, and tell the advocate that whatever kind o' evidence me or my wife can gi'e against him, I'll be ower glad to do it." Norman vouchsafed no reply to this address, and he was taken away; but as by this time a crowd had collected at the door, a hackney-coach was called and the party soon disappeared. The hag was in the crowd. Her thin, emaciated lips quivered, and her red seared eyes basked with joy when she saw that the victim had at last been duly secured. He's a pretty fellow, whether note-forger or no!" remarked a fresh, bouncing Newhaven fish woman. "And haven't pretty fellows gone to the gallows before now, you fool?" retorted the hag. "The gallows, ye auld ill-looking witch!" replied the naiad, "who would ha'e the heart to hang a bonny man like that?" or no." 66 My ill-wills are nothing to you, chatterbox." Come, come, no impudence, old rheumatism! If I had gone three steps to that door, and turned the key, the mob would have had you in the harbour, and you should have been well washed of your ill-nature, I assure you, before I had lent a finger to help you out." 66 66 I want none of your help; let me go!" 'Aye, go!" responded mine host; "a noteforger in a body's house is bad enough in ae day, without having a cripple spaewife into the bargain!" "And do you think you have got rid of me, or the note-forger either, when you get us out of you house? He has done that already which will make you suffer, and suffer sweetly. The thing is only beginning to work yet; when it is further on I'll come back and laugh at you, and we'll see thea who has the most power to insult, you or me! Mysterious evil is always dreaded, and especially by the ignorant and superstitious; and Buchanst stared at the prophetess with a look of dismay that betokened extreme terror. "Ye should try your cantrips on me, Luckie said Character Cook. "I'll no be feared at you. like Willie Buchanan. I'll gi'e you my name and address, and gi'e you leave to cast cups, and ride on a broomstick, or do onything else that ye like. and jist see if a' your sulphur and brimstone wi pit me about." "Ass!" replied the beldame, "you are not worth notice." "Strange," remarked Character, "that nobody will meddle wi' me! I speak treason by the ell, and, though there are fifteen Lords o' Session, nane o' them take me up! There's Hamilton and Torry have had to keep out of the road for weeks, and, maybe, winna be back till next month, although the sough has blown bye, and me never needed to leave the causey. And, noo, here's an auld asthmatic goblin o' a wife is willing to take her revenge on an ignorant publican that never harmed her, and winna sae meikle as scratch my cheek, although I were to pull her very beard. It's clear I'm never to live in history, but maun jist jog on mending shoon to the aristocracy, as my feyther, did before me. It really is a queer world, this! Here, you Buchanan! take your money for your yill!" The patriot left, and the hag followed. The latter, on turning the corner, came in contact with Maggie Buchanan; a large tear in her fair eye dimmed the vision of the sorrowing girl, so that, unconsciously, she slightly touched the beldame in passing. Can't you keep your own side of the pavement, milksop?" said the hag rudely. "You are crying, are you? Aye, cry on, you will yet have more occasion to blubber! I once cried, and why should not you? You'll weep prettily, won't you, the night before it takes place! You'll not sleep that night, or, if you do, your dreams will be worse than your waking thoughts. He will go through it only once, but you'll see him do it a thousand times, and each time will be worse than the first. Perhaps I'll see you there; and, while you şimper, I'll chuckle." Poor Maggie was riveted to the spot in dumb astonishment, not venturing, in her bewilderment, to utter a single word in reply to this singular attack. Character Cook, who had lingered about the spot, fortunately came to the rescue; and, taking the old woman by the shoulder, he vigorously pushed her forward. "What for do ye meddle wi' the lassie, ye illfaured limmer? If ye don't get about yer business immediately I'll raise a mob o' boys about ye, and get ye into the harbour after a'." The hag mumbled with her toothless gums, and walked on. Character then betook himself to Edinburgh; and, as his mission to Leith had " broken the day," he contented himself with simply looking in at the door of his bazaar on his arrival in the city; and having ascertained from his faithful spouse, Babie, that nothing was going on," Character resolved on whetting his appetite for the marvellous by stepping across to the Bailie Court, in order to hear what had been done with the note-forger. Curl Crawford blazed on the bench with all the dignity that person, voice and wig could confer; and Sharpnose was pert, acid and epigrammatic as ever. Character ascertained that, some cases having been in hand when the Leith prisoner was brought up, he had not yet been placed at the bar. Lucky, as usual, thought the man of leather; and he carelessly seated himself on one of the benches, in order that he might witness the result of the preliminary investigation. The Court began to fill rapidly as the time approached when it was thought probable that the important case would come on-the visitors, with that eager curiosity that attaches to all kinds of crime, being anxious to gratify themselves with a sight of the criminal's person. 'Very curious!" muttered the philosophic shoemaker. "Here's me that spoke about the constitution, and is known to every man and mother's son in Edinburgh; and here's a fellow that they think has uttered forged notes, and that nobody ever saw or heard of, and yet the haill town, forbye Leith, are rinning at his heels. Dang it, I've a good mind to try the note-forging mysel'!" "There are worse trades," whispered the hag, looking up to him with a fiendish smile. Character started at the hideous apparition. "What do you know about it?" 66 "I know no such person," answered Norman; "I never heard of such a person; let him come forward, if he is here, and substantiate his charge." Unfortunately, he has made his escape; we at first took him at his own word, and considered that he had been swindled by you, but now we are satisfied that you are associates. One or other may turn king's evidence, and so you must be remanded in the meantime." "But there is no proof whatever against me," continued Hamilton. "Call Carmichael and Carmichael's sister. Quick! now or lately Thistle Bank—quick!” Mr. Carmichael was sworn. "Mr. Carmichael," queried Sharpnose, "is this the other person who dined with you yesterdayquick?" "No." Sure?" "Certain." "Sister-Miss Carmichael-quick." Kate was sworn. "Did you ever see that person before-quick?" "Never in my born-days-that is, I micht ha'e met him in a crowd and no kent that he was there." Any more witnesses, Mr. Sharpnose," asked the bailie. "None," replied the procurator, rather chop fallen, "except the scrawl that was sent me by post." "A scrawl written by nobody knows who is no evidence in law," remarked the bailie pompously. "Has the prisoner been searched?" The officers signified acquiescence. "Nothing found in his lodgings ?" "I wish I knew who wrote the scrawl?" observed Sharpnose. "I move that the prisoner be remanded until I collect further evidence. I'll advertise for the writer of that scrawl and offer a reward. Officers, every one of you be on the look out. This is a clue got, and it must be followed up-quick!" "I wrote the scrawl," cried a voice. Bring that person here," shouted Sharpnose. Bring them forward here-quick!" A lane was opened up amongst the human forms, and the hag stood before the bench. "Come, come, be civil. Honour among thieves, you know. Had you not been about to peach on that confederate of yours, I should not have meddled with you.” "He insulted me." "And wad you hang a man because he insulted you, silly body?" 66 Aye, three times ower would I do it, if I hated him." "And why don't you hate me, my beauty?" That night the moon rose clear and unclouded, It was such a night as that on which Norman had first left Thornton; and now, within the space of little more than a year, how had matters changed! Then a high-minded, generous, and respected "This is wretched work!" said Norman, in an youth; and now a degraded, sunken, forlorn outexcited tone. "This miserable wretch offered to cast, the tenant of a loathsome cell, surrounded by sell me forged notes in the street one night, and criminals of the lowest order, and himself branded because I refused somewhat sharply to have any- with a felon's infamy, and with the horrid doom thing to do with her, she assailed me with impre-of a felon's end all but hanging over him. cations, and threatened me with vengeance afterwards." "What say, old woman? Never mind him. Wrote the scrawl, eh? Speak-quick!” The hag was about to answer, when her eye caught that of Character Cook, who held up his forefinger in a menacing attitude. She was immediately paralysed. The words she had uttered to him not five minutes before would, if divulged by Cook, in whose discretion she had no confidence, corroborate the statement of the object of her unaccountable hatred, and invalidate the evidence she had so rashly essayed to give. With the quickness of thought she resolved on the course neces sary to be pursued, and possibly her decision might have been accelerated by the fact that on her person, at that very moment, some forged notes were concealed. "Don't mumble, but speak--quick! Did you send me a scrawl about this person ?" 66 No." "No? then why did you say you did?-quick!" "I did not say that I had written it. I am very poor and very cold. Give me something, your honour! I only said that I wished I had written the scrawl, because then, you know, I should have got something. I am very old, gentlemen, and very hungry. Do give me something! None of you would miss a few coppers to poor old Magdalene. I'll sing to you, gentlemen." fool-quick!" 66 Put away the crazy The hag was unceremoniously thrust aside, and the order was given to remand the prisoner. "Ye're a queer ane, luckie," remarked Character to the Sybil, and I'm rather thinkin' a dangerous ane." "You'll find that, if you cross my path again!" Premature age had stamped itself on that once fair brow, now furrowed with care. Through that dark matted hair, which adhered in stiffened tresses to his fevered temples, fair fingers had often been passed in loving fondness; that crouching, despairing form had once been erect and manly; and those eyes, that now gleamed with unearthly fierceness, had once been lighted up by the mild lustre of happy innocence. There was joy and mirth in Edinburgh that night, although none fell to the share of the wretched captive. Mothers kissed the rosy cheeks of sleeping babes, without dreaming that the fate of him who in the next street lay prostrate on the damp prison floor might in a few short years come to be theirs. Young men and maidens laughed and shouted by the merry fireside, elder companies had their less boisterous amusements, and all rejoiced in health, prosperity and gladness. No present fear was on them, and the shadow of no approaching terror cast its gloom on their onward path. But he, the unhappy, miserable prisoner, was then racked with despair and dark forebodings, with none to sooth, none to cheer, and none to sympathise. And yet, during that long, weary night, when every moment was an hour, and every hour a day, slender form stood without that gloomy prison, and gazed on its sullen walls till dawn. a CHAPTER XXIV. LEGAL PROOF. MR. BUCHANAN, of the Kirkgate, was disappointed when he heard that there was a probability of his late guest being dismissed for want of evidence. Mr. Spencer had not worked or begged while living under his roof; and having no idea that a poor gentleman could support himself honestly, the host arrived somewhat rapidly at the conclusion that he must have perpetuated existence by fraudulent appliances. If not a forger of notes, then he was something else that was bad; and, if bad at best, why not this as well as any other form of iniquity? This might have been reasoning within a circle; but logicians themselves have been often guilty of numerous sophisms, and therefore it need not be great matter for wonder if an illiterate publican failed in carrying out the syllogistic form of ratiocination. on that score, one thing is certain, that Buchanan's servant-wench discovered by chance, in a recess in the attic room vacated by Hamilton, the identical bunch of notes which Copley, as mentioned before, had given him during their interview on the seabeach. The slattern took the parcel down stairs to her master. The new, stiff and crisp look and feel of the notes satisfied Buchanan that they were contraband; and he immediately prepared himself for a journey to Edinburgh. "Look after the bar, Mrs. Buchanan," he called to his wife. "I've got some of that rascal's notes. Mysie faund them up-stairs. He's sure to hang noo!" "What's that ye say, Willie ?" "I say that Spencer fellow, or whatever else be his name, is sure to hang noo." "And wad ye be the means o' hangin' him, Willie ?" asked his wife solemnly. "What for no? has he no been forging notes? Besides, it's no me that hangs him, it's the law." "Willie, he may fa' into some ither body's hands; he never cheated us, and we shouldna meddle wi' him." How men should live is a problem which may be settled by any one who takes the trouble of consulting that venerable compendium of ethics, the "Whole Duty of Man," but how men do live is a question which no printed work can tell; and doubtful is it if those omnipotent gentlemen called royal commissioners, whose labours, like a rocket, end in something blue, could expiscate the mystery. Look over the street at your neighbours, the Peacocks. Old Peacock walks abroad every day, so does his wife, and the sons and daughters lawfully begotten of them. Their house-rent is higher than yours, and eke, by parity of reasoning, their taxes; they do nothing that any mortal can discover, and the query and wonder of the whole neighbourhood is, How do they live? They are all well-dressed-a month or so behind the fashion, but still passing well. Call for the directory. L—M▬N—O—P-that's it-" Peacock, Theophilus, 13, Paradise-row." What do you make of that, wife of my bosom? No word of army, or navy, ordnance, artillery, marines, or even of H.E.I.C.S. Will he have cash in the funds? "Perhaps," suggests your suggestive wife, "he writes for the magazines." "Poor devil! I pity him! But no-he has not the hard-up, brokendown, hand-to-mouth aspect of literature's jour-me!" neymen." "Bless me, Alfred, I thought that the men who wrote in magazines were laughing, merry fellows. I am sure they often say funny things in print." Ah, my dear madam, if you and Alfred derive the means of your subsistence from the three per cent. consols, adhere to that investment and eschew literature. You and he can look in the fire when you have a mind; but here I, the author of this tradition, have had to sit down, like a galley-slave, and write whether I will or no. I have done nothing for a fortnight, and the editor is at my heels. For any sake, good reader, let me have your sympathy while I endeavour to proceed; and just consider, that although it may be hard for you to read it is harder for me to write. Buchanan minutely examined the apartment so recently occupied by Norman, but he failed in discovering anything suspicious. It sometimes happens, however, that those who search diligently do not find what they seek; and, contrariwise, those who investigate listlessly, or, perhaps, scarcely use their vision at all, pounce upon the very things that are sought. Sir John Herschel denies that scientific discoveries are made by chance. We have our doubts as to the correctness of that proposition; but whether Sir John or we be correct Stuff and nonsense! Look after the house!" "Willie," continued the wife," my feyther had to gi'e evidence against a man who was hanged for sheep-stealing. Ae word frae my feyther would ha'e saved his life; but my feyther couldna say that word without forswearing himsel'; and yet, ever after, that word and the man's look haunted my feyther nicht and day. He couldna get peace by day or sleep by nicht; and to his dying hour he never forgot that trial. Naebody kens about thae notes, pit them in the fire, and say nae mair about them." "What, and defate the ends o' justice?-catch "Do it, then; but, mark my words! you'll repent o' this as lang as ye live!" Buchanan seemed half-conscious that his mission was, after all, somewhat doubtful, and he left his house hurriedly, as if to drown reflection. Mysie, the servant, was a spectator and auditor of the scene just narrated, and slowly awoke to a consciousness that she was implicated in the dread catastrophe hinted at by her mistress. "Did ye say, mem," asked Mysie sobbing, "that thae siller notes will mauk yon grand gentleman to be hanged?" "I doot it, Mysie," replied Mrs. Buchanan. Weel, then, I wis' my fingers had been amang the red het coals whaun I lifted them.” "If ye had only brocht them to me, lassie!" was the unavailing plaint of the mistress. "I'll tell Maggie!" was the triumphant reply of Mysie, who regarded her young mistress as a species of oracle, having influence with both her employers, and who never conceived of any dilemma that was beyond Maggie's power of extrication. Maggie entered shortly after her mother and Mysie had retired to their respective spheres of duty, and was informed, without loss of time, by the handmaid, as to the incident which had occurred. The girl was about to dart out of the |
