The British Lion and Lamb 



their barley, and unlace their cinchas^^ they might be badly 

 looked after by less affectionate and accustomed hands. 

 But we were tired and hungry, and the stable was reported 

 to be a long way off, to which we objected, and threatened 

 to go to a posada ; but they told us there were no posadas 

 with stables attached to them, except in the suburbs ; so 

 we went in under the lofty arch, and up an interminable 

 flight of stairs. When we got there, we found the house 

 was full. Some other gentlemen had arrived from Granada, 

 who had been mistaken for us, and the rooms kept for us 

 had been filled ; but a story higher, a widow kept lodgings, 

 and we might be accommodated, if we would. Here, at the 

 very top of the house, we found a very comfortable apart- 

 ment. We washed and supped, and sallied forth upon the 

 crowded lamplight ; had iced orchata (almond milk) at the 

 Cafe Suizo, in the Calle de Alcala. Since then, I have been 

 writing, and it is time now to go to bed ; the clock in the 

 Puerta del Sol has just struck twelve. 



This morning, after breakfast, we were waited upon by a 

 shabby, little, silly, chattering pretendiente^ or place-hunter. 

 He had heard of us from his friends in Granada, and came 

 to offer his services to be generally useful. I went with the 

 English interpreter to the livery-stables, where I agreed 

 with Mr. Lamb, a most disreputable, groomy-looking rogue, 

 with a long waistcoat, drab trowsers, and a straw in his 

 mouth, to keep the ponies at six reals each a day. Harry 

 has been with the pretendiente to get our luggage out of 

 the galera office. They have just returned, and are in an 

 altercation with the porters. 



They appealed to me, and I took out my watch, and said, 

 if they did not take what was offered in the course of two 



' A barbarous circingle, going over the saddle, fastened by an 

 iron hoop, a cross splint of wood, and a thong. 



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