The Hon. Robert Dundas Murray- 

 eggs and salad, though there were immense quantities of 

 handsome pots and pans hanging in burnished array round 

 the kitchen. 



Our hostess was obh'ging and unsophisticated, but garru- 

 lous to an extent that impeded the supper. 



" So you are countrymen of Don Roberto ? Don Roberto 

 dwelt here for some weeks. Probably these gentlemen have 

 been recommended to our house by Don Roberto. Seiiores, 

 are you acquainted with Don Roberto ? " 



" Caramba ! Senora huespeda^ quien sabe (who knows) ? 

 Will you please to be quick with the salad ? There are at 

 least five hundred thousand Don Robertos in England uno 

 mas inconocido que otro (one more unknown than the other) ; 

 and unless you know his other name, como se puede averiguar 

 (how can it be verified) ? " 



" His worship's apellido (surname) was Duendas^ was it 

 not, Pedrillo ? " referring to her nephew, who sat smoking 

 in the corner. "Pedrillo, gentlemen, guided his worship 

 about the country ; and who knows but he would have 

 taken Pedrillo back to England, only Pedrillo would not 

 leave his novia (sweetheart) ? " 



"Yes, he was called Don Roberto Duendas de Monroy, 

 and I used to go with him to fish and shoot. Don Ro- 

 berto was muy aficionado a la caza (a great sportsman), 

 and carried an escopet (musket) of the richest, with two 

 strokes." 



" Don Roberto was buen mozo (a handsome youth)," 

 continued the landlady, " muy guapo y liberal (very pretty 

 and generous) ; we all loved him, and were sorry when 

 he went away ; and we love all Englishmen for his 

 sake." 



" If you love «5, don't talk so much, most affable of hos- 

 tesses, but use your endeavours to bring the supper to a 



329 



V 



