120 DOMESTIC MANNERS OF THE SPANISH. 



strings of the instrument. This had lasted for some time, when, on a sign from 

 the master of the house, the mother quickly exclaimed, ' Get thee to bed, 

 Pepita quick ! quick! you ought to he ashamed of yourself; hut first kiss the 

 hand of the reverend father Francisco.' The poor girl was much alarmed at 

 this unexpected interruption ; and half ashamed, half angry, hastened to obey 

 the commands of the severe padrona. The monk held out his bony hand to 

 her with a malicious smile ; she kissed it hastily, and in an instant disappeared, 

 not without casting a look at the yoyng man. But Rojas was determined to 

 revenge her. ' Wait a moment, my pretty one,' said he ; 'I wish to sing you 

 an evening hymn:' and placing himself opposite the monk, he thundered forth 

 the revolutionary song, known by the name of " Tragala." Thanks to the pro- 

 found sleep which had seized o'n the guests around him, his imprudence had 

 not the luckless consequences which might have been anticipated. The monk, 

 not thinking himself the strongest, dissembled his anger; and the young mad- 

 cap, suddenly appeased by his feigned moderation, rose from the table, flung 

 himself on one of the blankets spread in different corners of the hall, wrapped 

 himself in his cloak, and, in a moment, the silence of the inn was only inter- 

 rupted by the snoring of the sleepers, and the motions of the horses and mules." 



The Don Antonio of the above sketch, is the principal personage of 

 our author's work. He is an ecclesiastic, who, alter ten years of banish- 

 ment for his attachment to the principles of the former revolution, 

 returns to his country in search of tolerance and protection, under the 

 prospects held out by this fresh struggle for independence. His high 

 character gives him an influence with the liberal party ; and the jour- 

 neys and r.egociations which he undertakes in their service, and his 

 restoration to his family, form the simple groundwork for the construc- 

 tion of his graphic details. 



The attack on the convoy, which forms the subject of the fourth 

 sketch, is peculiarly Spanish, and is drawn with liveliness and energy. 



" At this moment, the leading mules had entered a narrow defile, bordered on 

 either side by precipitous rocks covered with brushwood. In front, a small 

 hillock rose upon the view, from the summit of which the traveller discovers, 

 with delight, the lofty walls and antique towers of Carmona, the termination of 

 his adventurous journey. ' Once up there,' thought Ramon, ' we are out of 

 danger, and this hair-brained youngster, will be at liberty to joke at our expense; 

 but would that we were there.' As he ended this monologue, a horseman 

 suddenly darted from the brushwood, and, planting himself in the centre of the 

 road, cried out, in a voice of thunder, ' Halt!' ' We are in for it,' murmured 

 the mayoral. ' The Lord have mercy on us !' But, without appearing the 

 least disconcerted, he coolly called out to the new comer, ' What want you, 

 cavalier? Can we be of service to you? ' Ramon/ replied the latter, ' spare 

 yourselves and us a useless trouble. You have with you some dozen ounces of 

 gold, and the value of four hundred in goods. Count us down eight ounces, and 

 draw a check for a hundred on your house at Seville. On these conditions you 

 may pass unmolested. And as to the gentlemen who travel with you, I am 

 sure they will honour us with a few light presents.' This dialogue afforded 

 leisure for examining the troublesome intruder. The symmetry of his form 

 exhibited all the elegance of an Andalusian maijo. He was mounted on a noble 

 horse, and his large war-saddle was covered with long housings of green cloth. A 

 long gun glittered in his hand, and a smaller one, of that description denominated 

 trabuco, was strapped to the pommel of his saddle. His cartuchara, or car- 

 tridge-holder, was fastened to his waist by a leathern belt, and displayed the 

 not very gratifying spectacle of a double row of cartridges, closely packed, and 

 carefully kept ready for use, in small tin tubes. 



" Ramon did not appear much flattered by the friendly invitation of the hand- 

 some cavalier. However he replied, in the same tone, ' You are too kind, cava- 

 lier ; but surely you do not pretend to stop, by your single arm, some dozen old 



