CHAPTER XXXI 



Burgos, May i6. 

 Leaving Valladolid by the gate of Burgos, we crossed 

 the river Pisuerga by a long and handsome old bridge at 

 Cabezon, and arrived at the Fenta de Tijero about an hour 

 after dark. It was a large, square, new, clean-looking 

 place, very different from the rambling, dirty old ventas of 

 Andalucia. 



Having disposed oi our ponies, and told the 7nozo to carry 

 the alforjas up into our room, we entered the kitchen under 

 the gateway, and began to forage for our supper. There 

 were some fishes like dace lying about, and we inquired 

 what they were a dozen. 



" Your worships are not about to eat them raw ? " said 

 the fat old host, who seemed to be somewhat of a character. 



" Not so, sefior huesped^ but fried in oil, which also we 

 shall be happy to purchase of you." 



" Caramba^ that is not our way of doing business in the 

 north. The venteros here are not impostors and robbers, as 

 they are in your Andalucia. My wife shall cook you as 

 many as you can eat, and I shall charge you to-morrow 

 morning according as it pleases Providence to bless your 

 worships with an appetite." 



There was a good deal of company in the kitchen, and 

 one of them, a tall, lean old man, of a sombre cast of coun- 

 tenance, took up his parable and said, " These gentlemen, it 



