The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes
talent of my master. Though only a boy I fell into thought, and said to
myself, “How many more tricks will the rogues play on these innocent
people!” I was nearly four months with my fifth master, during which I
also suffered plenty of hardships.
SIXTH MASTER
HOW LAZARO TOOK SERVICE WITH A CHAPLAIN AND HOW HE PROSPERED
After this I took service with a master who painted tumbrels. My duty
was to grind the colours, and here also I suffered many evil things.
Having now grown to be a fine lad, I went into the principal church,
and one of the chaplains took me to be his servant. He gave me charge
of a donkey, four jars, and a whip. So I began to carry water for the
city. This was the first step I ascended, to reach a decent life.
For I gave thirty maravedis of profit to my master every day, and on
Saturdays I was allowed the profits for myself, and everything else
beyond the thirty maravedis a day. I went on so well that at the end
of four years I had put something by, and was able to dress myself
very well. I bought a doublet of fustian, a coat with sleeves, and a
woollen cloak, as well as a sword. Shortly I saw myself clothed like a
respectable man. I said to my master that he might take the donkey, as
I did not intend to follow that occupation any longer.
SEVENTH MASTER
HOW LAZARO TOOK SERVICE WITH A CONSTABLE AND WHAT HAPPENED AFTERWARDS
Having taken leave of the chaplain, I entered the service of a
constable, but stayed a very short time with him, for my occupation
appeared to me to be dangerous, especially one night when we were
attacked with stones and sticks. They treated my master badly, but they
could not catch me. This business made me retire from the constable’s
service.
Thinking how I should live so as to find some rest and save a little
for my old age, it pleased God to enlighten me, and to put me on a
profitable road. With the favour of friends and patrons all my labours
and hardships, up to that time, were repaid, on reaching what I sought
and obtained. [Sidenote: Lazaro gets a Government appointment, and is
married.] This was a Government appointment such as enabled no one
to thrive except those who occupied it. In it I live and reside to
this day, in the service of God and your Honour. My duty is to have
charge of the inspection of wine that is sold in this city, as well at
public sales as elsewhere, also to accompany those who are condemned
for default, and to cry out their transgressions, being a crier
speaking in good Castilian. It has happened also that almost everything
appertaining to the office passes through my hands, throughout the
whole city. He who wants to draw wine for sale may reckon on deriving
little profit, unless Lazaro de Tormes is consulted in the matter.
At this time his Honour the Archpriest of St. Saviour’s,[28] my lord
and the friend of your worship, seeing my cleverness and noticing my
presentable appearance when employed by him in announcing his wines,
made an arrangement that I should marry one of his servant girls.
Seeing myself that this would bring me benefits and favours, I gave my
consent. I was married to her, and to this day I have had no reason to
repent it, for I found her to be a good girl and diligent in service.
I have favour and help from my lord the Archpriest. He always gives us
during the year a load of wheat, meat on festivals, sometimes loaves of
fine bread, and the shoes he has left off wearing. He arranged for us
to rent a small house near his own. On almost every Sunday and on feast
days we dine in his house.
[28] Formerly there were two kinds of parishes in Toledo. Those
of the _Muzarabes_, founded by the Gothic King Athanagild, the
grandfather of St. Ildefonso, continued through Moorish times.
They were existing when Alfonso VI. took Toledo in 1085. Their
number was six, reduced to two. The others were called _Latinas_,
formed afterwards, of which there were twenty reduced to nine.
St. Saviour’s was one of the latter. It has been joined to that
of San Pedro since Lazarillo’s time.
[Sidenote: Evil tongues.]
But evil tongues are never wanting, and never let people live in peace.
They said I know not what about my wife, because she went to make the
bed and cook the dinner, and in this they spoke the truth, but she
was not a woman who would give occasion for their scoffing. My lord
the Archpriest had promised what I think he will perform, and one day
he spoke to me fully on the subject. “Lazaro de Tormes,” he said, “he
who listens to evil tongues will never prosper. I say this because
your wife may be seen entering my house and leaving it. She comes with
honour to herself and to you, and this I promise you. Do not attend to
what they say, and be assured that what I tell you is for your good.”
I replied that I was determined to care for and preserve my honesty.
“It is true,” I said, “that some of my friends have spoken to me about
this, and have even certified to me that before I was married to my
wife she had borne a child three times, speaking with reverence to your
Worship.” My wife took such oaths on the subject that I thought the
house would come down upon us, and then she began to weep and to curse
the day she had married me. She went on in such a way that I wished I
had died before I let such words out of my mouth.
I on one side and the Archpriest on the other entreated her to leave
off crying, and I swore that never in all my life would I refer to the
matter again. I declared that I should rejoice to see her go in and out
of our patron’s house whenever she liked, as I was convinced of her
honesty. [Sidenote: A good understanding.] So we all three continued to
have a good understanding as to this, and have never heard more about
it. When any one tries to say anything I stop him by saying: “Look
here! if you are a friend do not say anything that will annoy me, for I
do not look upon him as my friend who causes me sorrow, more especially
if he tries to make trouble between me and my wife, for she is the
thing in the world that I care for most. I love her, and may God show
favour to her. She is a far better wife than I deserve, and I swear
before the consecrated host that she is as good a woman as can be
found within the gates of Toledo. He who says the contrary shall answer
to me for it.” By this means I manage that they shall say nothing, and
I have peace in my house.
[Sidenote: Conclusion.]
This was in the same year that our victorious Emperor entered into this
famous city of Toledo, and held the Cortes here,[29] and there were
great rejoicings as your Worship will have heard. At this time I was
prosperous and at the summit of all good fortune.
[29] In 1525, at the time when Francis I. arrived as a prisoner
at Madrid, Charles held a General Cortes of Castille at Toledo.
There were present most of the Grandees, and all the foreign
Ambassadors. The Viceroy Carlos de Lannoy arrived at Toledo,
and was cordially received by the Emperor, after having brought
Francis to Madrid. The Cortes petitioned Charles to marry Isabel,
the Infanta of Portugal; while the English Ambassadors proposed
to him his cousin, Mary Tudor. The Cortes sat until the end of
August.--_Sandoval_, i. 664 (2).
PRINTED AT BURGOS IN THE HOUSE OF JUAN DE JUNTA IN THE YEAR 1554
INDEX
PEOPLE MENTIONED
PAGE
Alexander the Great, blind man compared to 31
Antonia Perez, Lazaro’s mother 4
Antonio (sword-maker) mentioned by the esquire 56
Arcos, Count of (the esquire had such an air about him that
he might have been related to) 59
Comendador de la Magdalena (his stables) 6
Emperor Charles V. held Cortes at Toledo 103
Escalona, Duke of, town belonging to 23-24
Galen, blind man knew more than 16
Gonçales (see Thomé), Lazaro’s father 4
Lazaro de Tormes 4
Ovid, esquire making love using words of 61
Penelope-web (the priest stopping a rat-hole in his chest
by day and Lazaro opening it by night) 42
Perez (see Antonia) 4
Pliny, quoted in Prologue 1
Thomé Gonçales, Lazaro’s father 4
Tully, quoted in Prologue 2
Zayde, groom flogged for stealing gear 7, 8
PLACES MENTIONED
Almorox, road to Toledo 22
Escalona, road to Toledo 23
Gelves Island, where Lazaro’s father was killed 11
Maqueda, road to Toledo 30
Murcia, lettuce of (present of the seller of Indulgences
to clergy) 84
Old Castille, where the esquire came from 74
Salamanca, start from 4-8
St. Saviour’s, church at Toledo 98
Tejares, birthplace of parents 4
Toledo, Lazaro came to, and lived at 47
Tormes, river where the mill was. Lazaro’s birthplace 4
Torrijos, road to Toledo 29
Valencia, conserves of (priest talked as if upstairs were
all the) 32
Valladolid, esquire from near 75
Venice, riches of (esquire thought so much of his real,
as if it was all the) 70
VICTUALS AND DRINK MENTIONED BY LAZARO
*Bodigo (small loaves made of the finest flour offered
to the Church)
_Dic. Acad._ quotes Lazaro. 31
*Horca de cebollas (string of onions) 31, 32
*Caldo (gravy) 32
Conservas de Valencia 32
Duraznos (nectarines) 84
Lechuga Murciana (lettuce) 84
Limas (limes) 84
*Longaniza (sausage) 17, 24
Melocoton (peaches) 84
Nabo (colewort), a root much used of a plant like a
“rabano” (radish) but smaller 24
Naranjas (oranges) 84
*Pedaços de Pan (bits of bread) 7
*Queso (cheese) 31, 42
*Razimo de uvas, (bunch of grapes) 22
*Torreznos (Pedazo de Tocino cortado, frito), (fried
bacon) 31
*Tripas cocidas (boiled tripe) 62
Uña de vaca (cow’s foot), Lazaro gave it to the poor
esquire 66
Pedaços de carne (bits of meat), Lazaro only got the gravy 32
Cabeza de carnero (sheep’s head), Lazaro only got the