Gadshill 



very full, and the hostess and her daughters in a great 

 bustle. We could only be accommodated by having beds 

 set up in the store-room ; and while w^e were going to bed, 

 they were constantly coming in, to get cakes and boUos out 

 of a large chest. At last we lost our patience, and said 

 that they had better take all they wanted once for all, for if 

 they came again, we would not let them in. The old woman 

 had asked us whether we were not Spaniards — somebody 

 had suggested we were French, but she did not believe it. 

 I asked her what she thought we were. She answered 

 Madrilenians, and we did not contradict her. I suppose on 

 the strength of this she settled the question among the 

 gossips of the household ; for next morning, when a little 

 boy helping in the stables talked about the French gentle- 

 man's hack, the mozo de la cuadra rebuked him, saying he 

 ought to know better than to mistake Spaniards for 

 Frenchmen. 



We were up very early, and started half an hour before 

 sunrise. The confusion of arrieros getting their mules 

 packed in the dark court-yard, and going about with lan- 

 terns, reminded us of the Carriers' scene in the hostel of 

 Gadshill : — 



1st Carrier. — "I think this be the most rascally house 

 for fleas in all London-road." 



2nd Carrier. — "It must be near four of the clock. 

 Charles's wain is over the new chimney." 



3rd Carrier. — " Lend me thy lantern, friend ! " 



ist Carrier. — "Lend thee my lantern? ay! when? 

 Lend me thy lantern, quotha ! I know a trick worth two 

 of that." 



We had eaten a little chocolate before starting. We 

 baited our beasts at Villa Nueva, but did not breakfast, 

 though I, being very hungry, had a pennyworth of aguardi- 



373 



