1830.] Secrets of the Court of Charles the Fourth of Spain. 193 



proceeds to his awful task. This is the most serious part of the fete, 

 yet from being so, loses much of the interest which the former bustling, 

 battling scenes excited. 



The matador cautiously approaches the bull, waving his little red 

 flag across his eyes ; feeble, and exhausted as the animal has become 

 from its former exertions, its native courage appears to revive, and it 

 makes a desperate struggle to meet this last enemy with closed eyes 

 and lowered snout, it rushes on the swordsman, who, dexterously 

 avoids the shock by substituting the flag for his person, baffling the 

 bull's rage by the trick ; again and again this manoeuvre is practised, 

 the matador so contriving his movements as to keep the bull to a con- 

 stantly rotatory motion for a few minutes, then watching the precise 

 moment of his delirium, he presents the fatal point directly to the vital 

 part, and once more exciting the bull's attention by the rustling flag 

 before his dim and fading vision, the animal makes his final plunge, 

 the keen blade is sheathed in his spine, and down he sinks in death. 



Having thus rather tediously detailed the whole ceremony of the 

 Fiesto de Toros, from the first assembling of the company to the 

 catastrophe of the scene, the reader will the better understand the perilous 

 part borne in one of those barbarous encounters, by a Personage for" 

 whose history curiosity had been some years before so strongly excited. 



Amongst the crowd of rank and title attendant on the royal pair at 

 this grand festival, one individual who, unnobled and untitled, bore no 

 other name than Don Manoel (or, as he was familiarly termed by his 

 royal mistress and her obsequious satellites Manoelito*), evidently 

 basked in the sunshine of royal favour j he stood rather at the left side, 

 than behind the chair of her majesty Maria Louisa, with the white wand 

 pf office, and richly embroidered dress of one of the chamberlains of the 

 palace; on his coat-sleeves he bore the two distinguished bars of a 

 lieutenant-colonel, which military rank he was evidently proud to dis- 

 play, the profession of arms being considered in itself noble, and 

 entitling its members to aspire to the hand of the child of the first 

 grandee in the land ; an honour to which the opulent merchant, or rich 

 but entitled landowner, would in vain seek by the influence of wealth 

 and independence. 



This Cavalier was above the middle height, graceful and dignified in 

 person, a countenance in which were combined all the manlier beauties, 

 with the most seducing sweetness of expression, his luxuriant hair 

 floated in short natural ringlets, bright as polished jet, over his fine 

 expressive brow, as he bent the head in fond, but respectful attention to 

 the remarks which his royal mistress from time to time deigned to direct 

 to his peculiar ear. 



Between the chairs of the royal pair, and about a pace out of the 

 line, stood the proud Godoy j his even then fine face, and majestic 

 figure, set off by the most splendid attire, called forth marks of reluctant 

 praise ; various were the surmises of the provincials as to the name and 

 quality of the new favourite ; and while every glass was directed to the 

 royal box, admiration of the stranger fell from every tongue. At length 

 the audible whisper ' ' El Prisonero !" " El Hermoso Americano de Id 



* The endearing diminutive of Manoel. 



M.M. New Series VOL. X. No. 56. 2 B 



