SAN martin's reception. 



243 



hand.'^— " Indeed ! then saddle the horses again, 

 and let us be off.''' 



Instead of going straight to the palace, San 

 Martin called at the Marquis of Montemire's on 

 his way, and the circumstance of his arrival be- 

 coming known in a moment, the house, the court, 

 and the street, were soon filled. I happened to be 

 at a house in the neighbourhood, and reached the 

 audience-room before the crowd became impass- 

 able. I was desirous of seeing how the General 

 would behave through a scene of no ordinary dif- 

 ficulty ; and he certainly acquitted himself very 

 well. There was, it may be supposed, a large al- 

 lowance of enthusiasm, and high-wrought expres- 

 sion, upon the occasion ; and to a man innately 

 modest, and naturally averse to show, or ostenta- 

 tion of any kind, it was not an easy matter to re- 

 ceive such praises without betraying impatience. 



At the time I entered the room, a middle-aged 

 fine-looking woman was presenting herself to the 

 General : as he leaned forward to embrace her, she 

 fell at his feet, clasped his knees, and looking up, 

 exclaimed, that she had three sons at his service, 

 who, she hoped, would now become useful mem- 



