mine. It will be the working of His own holy will.

I had scarcely written the above lines when I heard the voice of the
donkey in the court-yard, and going out I found my host returned. He had
disposed of his whole cargo of twenty Testaments at the old Moorish
village of Vargas, distant from hence about two leagues, and all in the
space of about half an hour. Eight poor harvest-men, who were refreshing
themselves at the door of the wine-house, purchased each a copy; whilst
the village schoolmaster took all the rest for the little ones beneath
his care, lamenting at the same time the great difficulty he had long
experienced in obtaining religious books, owing to their scarcity and
extravagant price. Many other persons were also anxious to procure
Testaments, but my envoy (Juanito Lopez) was unable to supply them. At
his departure they requested him to return within a few days.

I will not conceal from you that I am playing a daring game, and it is
very possible that when I least expect it I may be seized, tied to the
tail of a mule, and dragged either to the prison of Toledo or Madrid.
Yet such a prospect does not discourage me in the least, but rather urges
me on to persevere; for I assure you--and in this assertion there lurks
not the slightest desire to magnify myself and produce an effect--that I
am eager to lay down my life in this cause, and whether a Carlist's
bullet or the jail-fever bring my career to an end, I am perfectly
indifferent. But I have other matters now to speak of.

You hint that a desire is entertained at home to have a personal
conference with me. In the name of the Highest I entreat you all to
banish such a preposterous idea. A journey home (provided you intend
that I should return to Spain) could lead to no result but expense and
the loss of precious time. I have nothing to explain to you which you
are not already perfectly well acquainted with by my late letters. I was
fully aware at the time I was writing them that I should afford you
little satisfaction, for the plain unvarnished truth is seldom agreeable.
But I now repeat, and these are perhaps among the last words which I
shall ever be permitted to pen, that I cannot approve, and I am sure no
Christian can, of the system which has lately been pursued in the large
sea-port cities of Spain, and which the Bible Society has been supposed
to sanction, notwithstanding the most unreflecting person could easily
foresee that such a line