HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE INTERFERENCE OF THE BISHOP HIMSELF, IT WOULD HAVE GONE HARDLY WITH CATALINAHAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE INTERFERENCE OF THE BISHOP HIMSELF, IT WOULD HAVE GONE HARDLY WITH CATALINA'Are you sure?' she asked again. 'Yes—quite sure; certain.'Upon that Catalina whisked off the saddle-cloth, and said gaily to the mayor:'Now, your worship, if you will take the trouble to look, you will see that the horse has nothing the matter with either eye!'Then she bowed and rode away to look for a dinner.Catalina's last adventure in South America was a wild ride to the town of Cuzco, carrying on her saddle a lady whose half-mad husband was seeking to murder her. He was following fast behind, and his horse was laden with no double burden, so that in every way he had the advantage. But Catalina was a better rider, and had some start, so, in spite of a wound in her horse's flank, she won the day and placed the lady in safety in a convent. The husband, arriving just in time to see his victim escape him, at once unsheathed his sword, and inflicted some severe wounds on Catalina. Indeed, had it not been for the interference of the bishop himself, it would have gone hardly with her.But when, half fainting from loss of blood, she was carried into the palace and a doctor was summoned, she knew that the moment she had dreaded had come, and that she must now confess that, in spite of all her exploits and all her daring, she was only a woman. Always prompt to make up her mind, she asked for an interview with the bishop, who listened to her tale with amazement and sympathy. By his advice she entered a convent till he could write to Spain and to the Pope, and obtain forgiveness for having thrown off her nun's habit, nearly twenty years before. As soon as could be expected, though not till after many months, the answer came: Catalina was to be sent back to Spain.It was at the end of November 1624 that the ship entered the harbour of Cadiz, and saw a gilded barge approaching, rowed by men in royal livery. Who could it be intended for? There was no one on board either great or famous! At leastso they thought, but it appears they were wrong, for there wasoneperson whose adventures had thrilled the hearts of both king and people, and that was Catalina herself. As she left the barge and mounted the steps she beheld the famous Minister Olivarez waiting to receive her, and crowds thronged the streets through which she passed on her way to the palace.Here she was requested to tell her story to the court, and as some reward for her courage in battle and for her loyalty to the crown, a pension for life was settled upon her. Poor Catalina felt very strange in the stiff uncomfortable dress of a Spanish lady, and far more than her honours and her pension did she value the permission of the Pope (whom she visited at Rome a few months later) to wear on all occasions the uniform of a cavalry officer, together with a sword and spurs.For ten years Catalina remained in Spain, leading a quiet life, and feeling, if the truth be told, terribly dull. She was forty-three when she heard that an expedition to South America was again being fitted out, and she lost no time in joining the army. Oh, how happy she was to be back in the old life, where, even in the slow voyages of those times, a stirring adventure might befall you at any hour of the day or night! They sailed first to the Gulf of Mexico and stopped in the port of Vera Cruz, where the officers arranged to go on shore and have a grand dinner at the best inn in the place. Catalina was of course to go with them, and jumped into the boat with the rest, laughing and talking in the highest spirits as if twenty years had rolled from her. In a quarter of an hour they reached the inn, but as they gathered round the table, someone inquired: 'Where is Catalina?''Catalina? Isn't she here?' was the answer. 'Certainly she was in the boat, for she sat by me!''Well, but where has she gone?' Ah! that no one knew—and what is more, no one everdidknow!FINISSpottiswoode & Co. Ltd., Printers, Colchester, London and Eton.THE FAIRY BOOK SERIES.EDITED BY ANDREW LANG.Price Six Shillings each volume.THE BLUE FAIRY BOOK. With 138 Illustrations.THE RED FAIRY BOOK. With 100 Illustrations.THE GREEN FAIRY BOOK. With 101 Illustrations.THE GREY FAIRY BOOK. With 65 Illustrations.THE YELLOW FAIRY BOOK. With 104 Illustrations.THE PINK FAIRY BOOK. With 67 Illustrations.THE VIOLET FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 54 other Illustrations.THE CRIMSON FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 43 other Illustrations.THE BROWN FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 42 other Illustrations.THE OLIVE FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 43 other Illustrations.THE ORANGE FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 50 other Illustrations.THE LILAC FAIRY BOOK. With 6 Coloured Plates and 46 other Illustrations.THE BLUE POETRY BOOK. With 100 Illustrations.THE TRUE STORY BOOK. With 66 Illustrations.THE RED TRUE STORY BOOK. With 100 Illustrations.THE ANIMAL STORY BOOK. With 67 Illustrations.THE RED BOOK OF ANIMAL STORIES. With 65 Illustrations.THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENTS. With 66 Illustrations.THE BOOK OF ROMANCE. By Mrs.Lang. With 8 Coloured Plates and 44 other Illustrations.THE RED ROMANCE BOOK. By Mrs.Lang. With 8 Coloured Plates and 44 other Illustrations.THE BOOK OF PRINCES AND PRINCESSES. ByMrs. Lang. With 8 Coloured Plates and 43 other Illustrations.THE RED BOOK OF HEROES. ByMrs. Lang. With 8 Coloured Plates and 40 other Illustrations.THE BOOK OF SAINTS AND HEROES. By Mrs.Lang. With 12 Coloured Plates and 18 other Illustrations.THE ALL SORTS OF STORIES BOOK. ByMrs. Lang. With 5 Coloured Plates and 43 other Illustrations.THE STRANGE STORY BOOK. By Mrs.Lang. With Portrait ofAndrew Lang, 12 Coloured Plates and 18 other Illustrations.TALES OF TROY AND GREECE. ByAndrew Lang. With 17 Illustrations byH. J. Ford, and a Map. Crown 8vo. 2s.6d.net.LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO., 39 Paternoster Row, London; New York, Bombay, and Calcutta.
HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE INTERFERENCE OF THE BISHOP HIMSELF, IT WOULD HAVE GONE HARDLY WITH CATALINAHAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE INTERFERENCE OF THE BISHOP HIMSELF, IT WOULD HAVE GONE HARDLY WITH CATALINA
'Are you sure?' she asked again. 'Yes—quite sure; certain.'
Upon that Catalina whisked off the saddle-cloth, and said gaily to the mayor:
'Now, your worship, if you will take the trouble to look, you will see that the horse has nothing the matter with either eye!'
Then she bowed and rode away to look for a dinner.
Catalina's last adventure in South America was a wild ride to the town of Cuzco, carrying on her saddle a lady whose half-mad husband was seeking to murder her. He was following fast behind, and his horse was laden with no double burden, so that in every way he had the advantage. But Catalina was a better rider, and had some start, so, in spite of a wound in her horse's flank, she won the day and placed the lady in safety in a convent. The husband, arriving just in time to see his victim escape him, at once unsheathed his sword, and inflicted some severe wounds on Catalina. Indeed, had it not been for the interference of the bishop himself, it would have gone hardly with her.
But when, half fainting from loss of blood, she was carried into the palace and a doctor was summoned, she knew that the moment she had dreaded had come, and that she must now confess that, in spite of all her exploits and all her daring, she was only a woman. Always prompt to make up her mind, she asked for an interview with the bishop, who listened to her tale with amazement and sympathy. By his advice she entered a convent till he could write to Spain and to the Pope, and obtain forgiveness for having thrown off her nun's habit, nearly twenty years before. As soon as could be expected, though not till after many months, the answer came: Catalina was to be sent back to Spain.
It was at the end of November 1624 that the ship entered the harbour of Cadiz, and saw a gilded barge approaching, rowed by men in royal livery. Who could it be intended for? There was no one on board either great or famous! At leastso they thought, but it appears they were wrong, for there wasoneperson whose adventures had thrilled the hearts of both king and people, and that was Catalina herself. As she left the barge and mounted the steps she beheld the famous Minister Olivarez waiting to receive her, and crowds thronged the streets through which she passed on her way to the palace.
Here she was requested to tell her story to the court, and as some reward for her courage in battle and for her loyalty to the crown, a pension for life was settled upon her. Poor Catalina felt very strange in the stiff uncomfortable dress of a Spanish lady, and far more than her honours and her pension did she value the permission of the Pope (whom she visited at Rome a few months later) to wear on all occasions the uniform of a cavalry officer, together with a sword and spurs.
For ten years Catalina remained in Spain, leading a quiet life, and feeling, if the truth be told, terribly dull. She was forty-three when she heard that an expedition to South America was again being fitted out, and she lost no time in joining the army. Oh, how happy she was to be back in the old life, where, even in the slow voyages of those times, a stirring adventure might befall you at any hour of the day or night! They sailed first to the Gulf of Mexico and stopped in the port of Vera Cruz, where the officers arranged to go on shore and have a grand dinner at the best inn in the place. Catalina was of course to go with them, and jumped into the boat with the rest, laughing and talking in the highest spirits as if twenty years had rolled from her. In a quarter of an hour they reached the inn, but as they gathered round the table, someone inquired: 'Where is Catalina?'
'Catalina? Isn't she here?' was the answer. 'Certainly she was in the boat, for she sat by me!'
'Well, but where has she gone?' Ah! that no one knew—and what is more, no one everdidknow!
FINIS
Spottiswoode & Co. Ltd., Printers, Colchester, London and Eton.
THE FAIRY BOOK SERIES.EDITED BY ANDREW LANG.Price Six Shillings each volume.THE BLUE FAIRY BOOK. With 138 Illustrations.THE RED FAIRY BOOK. With 100 Illustrations.THE GREEN FAIRY BOOK. With 101 Illustrations.THE GREY FAIRY BOOK. With 65 Illustrations.THE YELLOW FAIRY BOOK. With 104 Illustrations.THE PINK FAIRY BOOK. With 67 Illustrations.THE VIOLET FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 54 other Illustrations.THE CRIMSON FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 43 other Illustrations.THE BROWN FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 42 other Illustrations.THE OLIVE FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 43 other Illustrations.THE ORANGE FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 50 other Illustrations.THE LILAC FAIRY BOOK. With 6 Coloured Plates and 46 other Illustrations.THE BLUE POETRY BOOK. With 100 Illustrations.THE TRUE STORY BOOK. With 66 Illustrations.THE RED TRUE STORY BOOK. With 100 Illustrations.THE ANIMAL STORY BOOK. With 67 Illustrations.THE RED BOOK OF ANIMAL STORIES. With 65 Illustrations.THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENTS. With 66 Illustrations.THE BOOK OF ROMANCE. By Mrs.Lang. With 8 Coloured Plates and 44 other Illustrations.THE RED ROMANCE BOOK. By Mrs.Lang. With 8 Coloured Plates and 44 other Illustrations.THE BOOK OF PRINCES AND PRINCESSES. ByMrs. Lang. With 8 Coloured Plates and 43 other Illustrations.THE RED BOOK OF HEROES. ByMrs. Lang. With 8 Coloured Plates and 40 other Illustrations.THE BOOK OF SAINTS AND HEROES. By Mrs.Lang. With 12 Coloured Plates and 18 other Illustrations.THE ALL SORTS OF STORIES BOOK. ByMrs. Lang. With 5 Coloured Plates and 43 other Illustrations.THE STRANGE STORY BOOK. By Mrs.Lang. With Portrait ofAndrew Lang, 12 Coloured Plates and 18 other Illustrations.TALES OF TROY AND GREECE. ByAndrew Lang. With 17 Illustrations byH. J. Ford, and a Map. Crown 8vo. 2s.6d.net.LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO., 39 Paternoster Row, London; New York, Bombay, and Calcutta.
THE FAIRY BOOK SERIES.
EDITED BY ANDREW LANG.
Price Six Shillings each volume.
THE BLUE FAIRY BOOK. With 138 Illustrations.
THE RED FAIRY BOOK. With 100 Illustrations.
THE GREEN FAIRY BOOK. With 101 Illustrations.
THE GREY FAIRY BOOK. With 65 Illustrations.
THE YELLOW FAIRY BOOK. With 104 Illustrations.
THE PINK FAIRY BOOK. With 67 Illustrations.
THE VIOLET FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 54 other Illustrations.
THE CRIMSON FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 43 other Illustrations.
THE BROWN FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 42 other Illustrations.
THE OLIVE FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 43 other Illustrations.
THE ORANGE FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and 50 other Illustrations.
THE LILAC FAIRY BOOK. With 6 Coloured Plates and 46 other Illustrations.
THE BLUE POETRY BOOK. With 100 Illustrations.
THE TRUE STORY BOOK. With 66 Illustrations.
THE RED TRUE STORY BOOK. With 100 Illustrations.
THE ANIMAL STORY BOOK. With 67 Illustrations.
THE RED BOOK OF ANIMAL STORIES. With 65 Illustrations.
THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENTS. With 66 Illustrations.
THE BOOK OF ROMANCE. By Mrs.Lang. With 8 Coloured Plates and 44 other Illustrations.
THE RED ROMANCE BOOK. By Mrs.Lang. With 8 Coloured Plates and 44 other Illustrations.
THE BOOK OF PRINCES AND PRINCESSES. ByMrs. Lang. With 8 Coloured Plates and 43 other Illustrations.
THE RED BOOK OF HEROES. ByMrs. Lang. With 8 Coloured Plates and 40 other Illustrations.
THE BOOK OF SAINTS AND HEROES. By Mrs.Lang. With 12 Coloured Plates and 18 other Illustrations.
THE ALL SORTS OF STORIES BOOK. ByMrs. Lang. With 5 Coloured Plates and 43 other Illustrations.
THE STRANGE STORY BOOK. By Mrs.Lang. With Portrait ofAndrew Lang, 12 Coloured Plates and 18 other Illustrations.
TALES OF TROY AND GREECE. ByAndrew Lang. With 17 Illustrations byH. J. Ford, and a Map. Crown 8vo. 2s.6d.net.
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO., 39 Paternoster Row, London; New York, Bombay, and Calcutta.