Struck by what the priest related, for a while I meditated How to find if what he stated were the very truth, or no. Then I said, "You live so near it, that methinks 'tis somewhat queer it Is not better known down here." "It, Senor," said he, "is not so! Por, sus gallos y gallinas, envueltos en basquinas Viven en profundas minas, lest they should be heard to crow." Slily to DOLORES winking, straight I left the Padre drinking, And departed quickly, thinking, "I will make a journey there." Soon I paid the Mesoñero; sought me out an Arrièro, Asked the road, and hired a pair o' steady mules and paid the fare. Dificil y peregrino se mostraba el camino; Nunca Mulatèro vino on that lonely road before; Por las selvas mas obscuras, y profundas espesuras, Where the jaguar would be sure, as we appeared, to give a roar, Por los montes y fuentes, y arroyas sin puentes, Where the alligator spent his leisure hours, on we bore; Till the Mulatèro dying, I was forced to leave him, lying On the mountain after trying circulation to restore. Then for want of preparation for my novel situation I was threatened with starvation; ate the very clothes I wore; Comi yo de las albardas por el tanto Sol asadas; Cenè de las almohadas sodden in the streams I past; Till one day, desaliñado, flaco, manco, fatigado, I attained (A! desdichado!) Iximaya's walls at last.
Ricos hombres, bellas damas, que con frescas verdes ramas Gobernaron blancas llamas, came to meet me at the gate, En su lengua me hablaron, y mi garbo alabaron, (Though I must have looked a rare one) led me in, in wondrous state: Took me to the Casa Real, where the King and Queen at tea, all Joyful any white to see, allowed me there to stop and sup. Quando dormir partiamos, El Rey dijo, "Te amàmos Antesque al lecho vamos, let us take a parting cup!" Early the ensuing morning, I my person was adorning, When without the slightest warning, some one came into my room. Su semblante presumido, y su limpio vestido Con toallas guarnecido, made me for a while presume 'Twas the barber come to shave me, curl, shampoo, perfume, and lave me; But an awful turn it gave me, when I saw he had a knife. Thought I, "If it's not the barber, peor esta que estaba, Some designs they sure must harbour 'gainst my sad unhappy life," Hombres de colossal talle metièron me en calle, Saying to each other, "Shall he cheat the sun and stars and moon? No! but at the rich and costly shrine of HUETZILOPOZTLI (That's the god they worship mostly) he shall be a victim soon." Y llevaron me eutonces to the temple, for the dunces Didn't know that more than once his life the stranger tried to beg. But a condor o'er me flying, just as I was sadly lying On the sacrificial stone and crying, let me catch him by the leg. One priest held me by the paletôt, but the condor soared in alto Aire with me till, por falto de fuerzas, down he fell, And I woke in the posada, where my reverend camarada At the self-same almohada I was holding tugged as well. So if you should hear one day a little more of Iximaya, In the speaker's ear just say a single verse of CALDERON, "In this world, so full of seeming, all the sons of men live dreaming; That their dreams are true still deeming. '_Y sueños sueños son._'"