The Dead Command

fé on the Paseo del Borne a compact circle of listeners would form around him, smiling at

f the Roger de Lauria, being one day in Algiers, I stopped before the door of the Synagogue, and an old man, after lo

cestry, glanced in every direction, as if defying the houses, the people, and the

ese shaggy adornments projected his Semitic profile, the heavy, aquiline nose, the prominent chin, the eyes with elongated

kness which impelled him to defy the traditional prejudices of the island, socially and politically, unprogressive and stagnant. The other Chuetas, cowed by centuries of persecution and scorn, concealed their origin, or tried

saints who are venerated on the altars. The butifarras boast of their ancestors, but they date scarcely fu

the antipathy to his race,

hristian who can lift a finger. We are all descendants

ause affirmed resolutely, "He who is

ies ago. The Jews had all been "converted" en masse, and the recalcitrant were burned by the Inquisition. The Chuetas of the present day were the most fervent Catholics of Majorca, bringing to their profession of faith a Semitic zealotry. They prayed aloud, they made priests of their

ones, "and yet we are still the accursed, the reprobates, as before the conversion. Isn't that queer? The Chuetas!

r this little rock, this Roqueta on which we were born; to not forsake it, they became Christians, and now, when they are really Christians at heart they are paid for it with kicks. Had they continued to be Jews

lics, the Mussulmans, with whom he had lived on his journeys to the coasts of Africa and in the ports of Asia Mino

with pride, beating his chest: "

which shall yet be for centuries and centuries masters of men. Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed are from my country. Three strong champions, eh, caballeros? And now we have given the world a fourth prophet, also of our race and of ou

iberty; persecution and cruelty were relatively modern. Jews were the treasurers of kings, doctors, the courtiers of the courts of the Peninsula. When religious feuds broke out, the richest and most astute Hebrews of the island were wise enough to become converted in time, voluntarily, mixing with the native families, and sinking their origin into

Majorcan. In vain had revolutions been made in Spain, in vain had liberal laws been passed which recognized the equality of all Spaniards; the Chueta whe

p in the order established by God in creating the classes; a vast open space which each one could people according to his caprice. Undoubtedly after the Majorcan nobles and plebeians came hogs, dogs, asses, cats, rats, and, at the tail of all these beasts of the Lord, the despised citizen of "the street," the Chueta, the pariah of the island. It mattered nothing if he were rich, like the brother of Captain Valls, or intellec

ayers in loud voices in their houses so that passersby might hear, and they cooked their food in their windows so that all should see that they ate pork. The traditional barriers could not be overcome. The Catholic Church, which entitles itself universal, was cruel and harsh with the Jews on the island, repaying their adherence with disdainful repulsion.

lies, they are more fervent Catholics even than the rest, but they are Chuetas; there must be something the matter with them to be so

that the Chuetas were covered with grease and had tails, taking advantage of an occasion when they found a lonely

my sainted brother Benito, who prays aloud, and who is so devout

in the house, never! There was no record of a Chueta having slept in the pueblo. Don Benito paid no attention to this counsel and he spent a night on his property, but scarcely had he gotten into bed than the domestics fled. When the master of the house had slept long enough he sprang from his couch. Not even the faintest ray of light entered through the crevices. He thought he must have slept at least twelve hours, yet it was still dark. He opened a window

ous!" added the captain. "My b

against him. Captain Valls was the bohemian of the family, ever on the high seas or in distant lands, leading the life of a gay bachelor. He had enough

astened to add. "In matters of inheritance there is

ulty was always settled by a joint attack upon the ward of the Chuetas, killing those who did not flee, and looting their shops. If a Majorcan batallion received orders to march to Spain in case of war, the soldiers mutinied, broke out of their barracks and sacked "the street." When the reaction follow

like mine; and there are many who are flat-nosed and present nothing of the common type. On the other hand, how

and it was additional caprice which separated one from the other. Only the descendants of those families beaten or burned by the Inquisition

s frizzled in the bonfire, and the descendants si

said the chroniclers of the epoch, "in accordance with the most brilliant functions celebrated by the triumph of the Faith in Madrid, Palermo, and Lima." Some Chuetas were burned, others were beaten, others went out to their shame wearing nothing but hoods painted as devils and with green candles in their hands; but all of them had their goods confiscated and the Holy Tribunal was enriched. After that, those suspected of Judaism, those who had no clerical protector, were

ery. They met in an orchard near the sea wall, and were counselle

in. "It was more than two centuries ago; but if he were not, I wish he

f the epoch of persecutions, and he talked o

f their property, yielded a million duros. Besides this, the Sacred Tribunal counted upon more millions wrested from former victims, and constructed a palace in Palma, the finest and most luxurious possessed by the Inquisition in any land. The prisoners were subjected to torment until they confessed what their judges desired, and on the seventh of March, 1691, the executions began

a small book bound in parchment, of antique and re

urning, of the luxurious trappings of caballeros and alguaciles mounted on prancing chargers at the head of the procession, and of the 'piety of the multitude, which burst into cries of pity when a highwayman was led to the gallows, but which remained dumb in the presence of these God-forgotten reprobates.' On that day,

f the Milanesado, chancing to be in Majorca with his fleet, took pity on the youth and beauty of a girl sentenced to the fla

pride, impelling him to curse those who condemned him to death, and refusing to reconcile himself with the Church.' But, as the Jesuit said, such

! Now you shall hear with what evangelical pity h

e tried to shield himself, he resisted until he could bear no more. He was as fat as a sucking pig, and, being on fire inside in such a way that even before the flames reach

rkened, and Captain Valls looked around with his amber-colored eyes, breathing satisfacti

not yourself, but one of your ancestors, one of the Febrers, who carried the green flag as the chief ensign of

this reminder, shr

? No one but some crazy fellow like you! Come, Pablo, tell us

ame as in those olden times. Odium of the Jewish religion and race still endured

e all men who have knocked about the world, he co

ey both had squandered money prodigally, but Valls, with the active genius of his race, had known how to earn as much as he had spent, and now, ten years older than Jaime, he

cosmopolitan ports where congregated the exotic vices and the women of all races. Valls, in his youth, when he was in command of his father's ships

affairs in Jaffa, when the

aime was a good boy, worthy of a better fate, with no defect other t

n to return to Palma, he pushed back the soft felt hat which he wore on all occas

the news. I've been told all about it, and since the

ends opened the garden gate they saw approaching them a gentleman with white whiskers, leaning on a cane. It was Don Benito Valls. He greeted Febrer with a weak, holl

ain, with a malicious smile. "Am I

yes revealed uneasiness. His brother inspired him with a certain fe

aime was breakfasting here, I invited myself, sure of givi

e was modern and vulgar. Some chromos and a few hideous paintings

besprinkled with rice powder, revealing the haste with which she had

s. Her youthful figure was full and firm, announcing a greater expansion for the future, as in all the women of her race. She seemed of a sweet and gentle disposition, a good companion, not likely to be in the way during the journey of

spoke to the common girls of Palma in the small hours of the night in some restaurant on the Paseo del Borne

old customs were kept up; twelve o'clock sharp! They took their seats around the table, and Febrer, who s

eable rattle. Like all sick people he was eager to talk, and his sentences were long drawn out from a combination of stammering and pauses which left him with palpitating chest and eyes aloft, as if he were about to die of asphyxia.

explained the sick man. "In Valldemo

in her voice, which was like that of a timid little nu

a is bett

demosa," added the captain,

en bellows. By good luck he might die soon. An annoyance of some months, b

aime's ancestors, of the illustrious Febrers, t

a great friend-of your-g

th them all, but ever maintaining a gravity which imposed respect in others without alienating them; but as for being his friend

. "I worked for him-when he was running-for deputy. Those were-different times-from these

gh. His brother was a conservative now a

customs-and I think it right-for those who have-something to lose to be-i

h enthusiasm. He fixed aloft his pain-clouded eyes, adoring with a respect i

overed breath. "You know him-a wild-headed fellow-a republican; a man who

e you'll get the

ed, as if she feared that the noisy scenes which she had often witnessed when

good head, a heart of gold, but he was mad, stark mad! With his exalted ideas, and his loud talk in the c

ns with gestures of humility, avoiding the word

olence, desired his hasty words to be forgotten,

Whenever he ate at their table he amaze

a kind of pride. "I have suffered real hunger, the kind of h

ed not give him an order, seeing in him the son of the ship-owner. At this rate he would never have become a real sailor, rugged and expert. With the tenacious energy of his race he had taken passage unknown to his father on a frigate bound for the Chinchas Islands for a cargo of guano, manned by a crew of many races-deserters from the English navy, bargemen from Valparaiso, Peruvian Indians, black sheep of every family, all under command of a Catalonian, a niggardly ruffian, m

rupulously, like a well brought up boy, carefully picking out the little beasts, but after the hous

at he was going to say, and pushing away her

. It is true I ate at night-I've eaten lots of them, girl! Finally he only gave us one a day, an

ke Se?or Febrer and show him some exotic rose bushes which he had recently planted. The two brothers remained in the room, which served as a

nded by poorer girls who took advantage of every opportunity to tease her, through envy of her wealth and hatred learned from their parents. She was a Chueta. She could only mingle with those of her own race, and even they, eager to ingratiate themselves with the enemy, played false to their own kind, lacking energy and cohesion for a common defense. When school let out the C

orn of her old-time companions had followed her, embittering the pleasures of the young woman despite her riches. What was the use of being elegant? On the avenues none but her father'

ted to her entering a monastery in Majorca, where he could see his daughter every day, but not a convent would open its doors to her. The Superiors, tempted by the father's fortune, which would in the end revert to the order, showed them

g her back upon the young Chuetas who fluttered about her, attracted by Don Benito's millions, until the noble Febrer presented himself, like a fairy prince, to make her his wife. How good God is! She fanc

ime Febrer! Catalina had always seen him at a distance, but when she whiled away her monotonous hours with incessant novel reading, certain characters, the most interesting on account of their adventures and daring, always reminded her of that noble from the ward of the Cathedral who dashed about the world with elegant women dissipating his fortune. Then, suddenly, her father had spoken of this remarkable personage, giving her to understand that he was goi

arriages filled with women arrayed in the latest fashions, of broad stone steps in front of theaters down which came cascades of diamonds, ostri

le cringing and trembling beneath the weight of traditional odium, would visit these cities, would figure in the procession of riches, would have opened to her doors w

"I am condemned to live on the island, I am a poor girl who has never har

alina." He had come to Valldemosa solely to see her, to speak to her. He offered her a new life. All

it from his lips! She sat still for some time without answering, and at last stammered out a few words. I

ve time! This is

ng him vociferously. They must return to Palma; he had already given the driver orders to hi

rvous hostility, protesting at the coachman's delay. It was evident the brothers had been having a violent discussion. The elde

he himself a true friend desirous of serving him. If he needed his assistance he could dispose of him as he wished, just as if he were one of the family! He mentioned

d Jaime, giving Catalina a

ther and daughter waving their hands, was lost

e to have me for an uncle of yo

forced him to leave the house, gave expression to his choler. What business was it of his?

r's hat thrust on the back of his head. "Halt! my young gallant! I meddle in the affair bec

erhaps Catalina would think well of i

her uncle, and her uncle protests, and he

An absurdity to marry a Febrer! Possi

live? You can be my friend, the friend of the Chueta, Pablo Valls, he whom you see in the café

with him if he were to commit a murder. His aunt, the Popess Juana, would scream as if she had witnessed a sacrilege. He would lose everything, and his nie

ain; her uncl

of the island must be respected, under penalty of death, as his brother Benito would die, for lack of air. It was dangerous to try to change all at once the work o

a Chueta, and the Chuetas are very bad people.' The woman laughed. What barbarity! What out-of-date notions prevail here on the island! There were Jews everywhere and they were people like any other. After a while we met less frequently, they sa

years, and finally Febrer would regret his ostracism, he would realize his mistake in running counter to the traditions of the grand majority, and the one to suffer the consequences would be Catalina, looked upo

inded Pablo of his vigorous propagand

to have the people from 'the street' looked upon as different from ordinary huma

were many on the island who revealed this mixture by their surnames. And what was the result? Odium and separation continued the same. No, not the same; a little more tempered than in other days, but latent still. The things which would end this situation we

cally on seeing Jaime

ored of Catal

ermit him to lie. Enamored?... No, not enamored; but love was not indispensable to mar

ned even m

you will cost him, but he has a mania for name; he respects and adores the past, and he will put up with anything. But don't trust him, Jaime. He is the type of those Jews represented in plays, with a fat pocke

say about this matter. Pablo was a crazy fellow accustomed to saying whatever he thought, but h

nd once and for all that the girl's uncle opposes y

y. They separated on the Paseo del Born

d upon a table in the reception hall an oil lamp whose flame

night on the boat; the master of the vessel wished to set sail before sunrise. Mammy spoke with kindly interest of these people who seemed to her to have

to his dormitory she looked him over with unconcealed curiosity, eager to read something in his face. What had taken pl

e; he would dine at the Casino. By the light of a lamp which but dimly illuminated his vast apartment, he changed his suit and

being received with profuse manifestations of friendship. In the Casino the men respected him for the calm way in which he drew handfuls of bank notes from his pockets. A native of a town in the interior, he had, by force of courage and dangers, become chief of a mysterious industry of which everyone had heard, but whose secret operations remained in shadow. He had hundreds of

matter so much, but there were seven men in her; I've sailed that

old boat carrying a few bales of tobacco to be captured, to satisfy his pursuers by letting them boast of a triumph. When there was an epidemic in African ports the authorities of the island, powerless to guard s

es, seeking the advice of his rustic astuteness. He, who would never dream of soliciting a loan from his friends

about his trip, thanks to the facility with which the most insignificant news circulat

ial Majorcan dialect, "something that I can't believe. The

so quickly, dared not deny it. Yes, it was tr

n, while his eyes, accustomed to the gr

mistake, Jaime,

as if dealing wi

ked with any one else. But he was ruined, dear Toni! Nothing that remained in his

ion. The rude native, the contrabandist who

d get out of your money troubles any way you can, but not th

vigorous handclasp, as if he

er," he said with a reproachful expres