JOURNEY TO GUATEMALA. 



73 



resorted to by the lovers respectively in furtherance of 

 their pretensions, constitute the play, which, as it is also 

 enlivened by the witticisms of a gracioso, is not with- 

 out some interest and merit. Of course the preference is 

 given to the poor lover, much to the satisfaction of the 

 audience, who applaud the lady for her good taste. 



It was amusing to observe how much regard Was paid 

 by the people to the character represented, and how little 

 to the manner of performance. The poor lover, as an 

 actor, was decidedly inferior to the rich one ; yet he was 

 the favourite of the public, who were lavish in their praise 

 of him, while the other, whenever he came on the stage, 

 was received with murmurs, and ran the risk of being 

 hissed. 



It would be unfair to criticise the acting. They did 

 their best ; especially the prompter, who^ if the actors com- 

 mitted any blunders, was certainly not to blame, for he 

 read their parts to them loud enough for all of us to hear. 

 He had a hard time of it, too, poor fellow, now pushing 

 in one actor, now pulling out another, and occasionally, 

 in a fit of impatience, thwacking his manuscript over their 

 heads. 



The play was followed by a sdynete, or afterpiece ; and 

 when the curtain dropped, the people were so well pleased, 

 that they gave a shout of applause, and cried out, Brava 

 Comedia ! Viva el patron ! 



The only person who did not enjoy the fiesta was my 

 English friend. The play, he said, was a bore, St. Isidro 

 a humbug, and the people all fools. Soon after the com- 

 mencement 6f the play, he retired into the house, and 

 passed part of the time in taking a nap. 



It was near midnight before we returned to Gualan. 

 On arriving there, I was shown into a neat room, where I 

 found a good bed, with the whitest linen, a id with a mos- 

 quito net of the finest gauze ; so that this time I had no 

 reason to be envious of Don Jose. 



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