242 CONVERSATIONS WITH A SPANISH LIBERAL. 



fiat of a few wealthy stock jobbers. But the argument is perfectly 

 absurd, and betrays the most lamentable ignorance of human nature, 

 for such is the allurement of that master-spring of the mind, gain, 

 that hold out but favourable terms, do but dazzle the cupidity of the 

 money-lender, and, in spite of the experience of the past, he will 

 eagerly take the golden bait. 



" No, my friend, Spanish honour will not be violated ; the demands 

 of her creditors will be faithfully discharged, but she must have time 

 to allay that political fever of the blood which still distracts her 

 system to consolidate the great work of political regeneration, and 

 to develop her immense resources. Upon this every thing depends ; 

 at the same time the obstacles to be overcome, if not insuperable, I 

 must reluctantly admit are immense." 



" But a truce to politics, Mi Caro," I here exclaimed, " let us 

 now season our colloquy with something more piquant ; read me a 

 chapter of La Chronique Scandaleuse of Madrid, and sans circum- 

 locution ; tell me who is this Munoz, who has so filled the mouth of 

 public report by the extraordinary influence he has acquired over 

 ( La Reina gobernadoraS " 



" All that I can say to satisfy your curiosity on that point is, that 

 Munoz, like his prototype Godoy, was a subaltern in the royal 

 guard. Un grand blond, as the French say, beau comme I' amour, of 

 that style of beauty which is as irresistible to the dark-eyed beauties 

 of the south as those Salvatorean banditti faces which, on the 

 shoulders of a Greek count, an Italian prince, or a French marquis, 

 have since the peace made such havoc in the ranks of your rich 

 English heiresses. Thus you will perceive this royal cortejo owes 

 his elevation purely to the advantages of a fine figure a son physique ; 

 and so great is the ascendancy which he has acquired over the mind 

 of Christina that he is consulted on every occasion. So much so, 

 that the minister of Prussia is said to have termed the present ad- 

 ministration ' the ministry of Therezita and Munoz' in allusion to 

 the all powerful influence of these two favourites ; for you, of course, 

 know that La Senorita Therezita has been recalled months ago and 

 reinstated, notwithstanding the very general opinion that this 

 aventuriere has been all along playing a double game." 



" Strange," said I, " that neither the evils entailed on Spain by 

 her late consort's mother's passion for Godoy, nor the more recent 

 scandale of her sister the Duchess de Berri, should both be lost upon 

 Christina." 



" It only proves," continued my friend, "the profound observation 

 of Napoleon, ' Que les Jemmes font de mauvaises politiques, se laissant 

 toujours gouverner par le cceur.' Heedless of every consequence, she 

 has not only publicly appeared in the Prado with Munoz by her side, 

 but she has openly insulted the nobility in the person of the Duke 

 St. Ildefonso, who on that occasion actually rode behind them en 

 chasseur. The nation have beheld with indignation her treasures 

 lavished in the purchase of houses and equipages for the happy 

 favourite, who, to crown the whole, has been appointed chamberlain 

 to the queen, an office which gives him the entree to her chamber at 

 all hours." 



" Well, after all, this is but the repetition of the past," said I ; " a 



