Pious Salutations 



a novelty, formed the staple subject. You will perhaps 

 be surprised at the venteras taste, but I can assure you I 

 overheard her remark that I was a very pretty youth, " y 

 que rubios tiene los cabellos " (and what nice red hair and 

 beard). Now, though I was obliged to her for the compli- 

 ment of thinking me a pretty youth, I don't so much 

 appreciate having my hair called red. As to my beard, I 

 have been accustomed to consider it of a somewhat ferrugi- 

 nous straw-colour ; but my hair is brown, and has never 

 been called red by my bitterest enemies. 



The soldier, before I went away, civilly insinuated that he 

 should like to see my passport, and was highly delighted 

 and edified by the engraving of the arms of England, and 

 those of Lord Palmerston. " For the writing, he could 

 read the letters," he said, " but as to the words, being 

 written in English, they were far from being perspicuous : 

 and, indeed, he had been informed that there was no lan- 

 guage in the world so clear and intelligible as the Castilian ; " 

 to which the ventcra^ as if she was assenting to an ingenious 

 philological theory, replied, " Mas claro " (doubtless). They 

 settled also, between them, that I was, without doubt, a 

 pottery -man from the English porcelain manufactory in the 

 Cartuja convent. 



I now bid the ventera and militar " quedar se con Dios " 

 (remain with God), and they bid me go under His protection. 

 These pious salutations and farewells are in everybody's 

 mouth. If two men meet on the road, each says in passing, 

 " Vaya V"*^- con Dios" (may your worship go with God). 

 If you pass a man standing by the side of the road, you 

 cry, " Dios guard' V^"^- " (God keep your worship). The 

 same salutation is good on entering a posada^ only you put 

 their worships in the plural (V'°'*°'), They reply, "Venga 

 V"^- con Dios " (may your worship come with God). And 



lOI 



