.1830.3 Secrets of the Cytrt of Charles the Fourth of Spain. 199 



disappeared from the royal box, and in a few ^minutes, the gates of the 

 circus flying open, revealed to the gaze of the astonished multitude the 

 handsome chamberlain in his rich costume, mounted on one of the 

 horses of the guards, his wand of office exchanged for the ponderous 

 lance. He entered the 'arena with looks of confidence ; his fine formed 

 limbs had no prptection whatever, he was thus placed at fearful odds 

 with his dread antagonist; cries of " Hay ! qui lastima ! una sacri- 

 Jtcio!"* were heard from the females, while the- cheering shouts of 

 " Valiente cavellero /"t burst from the admiring host of male spectators. 

 Don Manoel had just time to take up his position, when the raging 

 animal rushed on him with all his collected fury. An almost universal 

 shriek followed; but the undismayed 'cavalier met his fierce assailant 

 with such dreadful precision on his lance's point, as to bury it in an 

 already gaping wound, and send the monster reeling on his haunches, 

 trembling with pain and rage ! He however quickly returned to the 

 attack ; but his approach was now slow and cautious : at length he 

 made his bound ; and at that critical moment, the bandage slipping from 

 the eyes of the cavalier's horse, the affrighted beast wheeling suddenly, 

 fled from his grim assailant ; he was already at the verge of the circus, 

 with the horns of the bull in his vitals, Another moment would have 

 been fatal to horse and rider, when the cavalier whirling his spear in the 

 air, brought round its point, and "resigning the reins for the instant, 

 vy heeling round in his saddle, aimed a deadly thrust at. the bull. A 

 lucky chance awaited this desperate effort, the lance's point fixed itself 

 in the nape of the animal's neck, and inflicted a new and horrid wound, 

 which once more forced it to retire. The acclamations were astounding, 

 and shouts of " Basta, basta I no mas, no mas /"J resounded from all 

 quarters; but the cavalier, who seemed to have set his life upon the 

 cast, quickly adjusted the bandage over his almost expiring horse's eyes, 

 and adopted the dangerous step of advancing towards the maddened 

 animal, into the very center of the arena. His horse already tottered ; 

 his own silken-bound limbs were steeped in the poor animal's gore; 

 but still untouched in person, firm and undaunted in purpose, he bore 

 himself like a hero ! The momentary prayers of thousands were put up 

 for his safety ! the panting bull, instead of facing his bold adversary, 

 kept retiring with low and hollow bellowings, pawing the earth, as if 

 collecting his remaining strength. Meanwhile the fixed and darkling 

 eye of the cavalier was never for a moment removed from the lance's 

 point. An awful pause of a few seconds gave a deeper interest to the 

 scene, when on rushed the bull in furious desperation, burying his horns 

 in the chest of the horse ! he was, however, at the same moment himself 

 fixed on the unerring lance of the bold cavalier ! Neither yielded ; the 

 bull, exerting all its strength, absolutely raised the horse from the 

 ground, when his rider throwing forward his entire weight, and giving 

 the full force of his arm to his lance, hurled the bull to earth, bleeding 

 and subdued ! In this last and crowning effort his lance was shivered ; 

 and as he waved its fragments over his victorious head, the foundation 

 of the vast building shook with the thunder of applause. He was led in 

 triumph to the gates, where his horse, no longer able to sustain him, 

 resigned his life in the circus. The conquered bull lay gasping on the 



* Ah ! what a pity ! a sacrifice ! -f- Brave cavalier ! . 



* Enough, enough ! no more, no more ! 



