A GATHERING STORM. 



113 



arrived at the village. I was curious to know who 

 could be the proprietor of the vacant seat, when the 

 gentleman himself (an acquaintance) entered, and 

 asked me to take it. I did not require much urging, 

 and, in taking it, turned first to the padre to ac- 

 knowledge my good fortune in obtaining it, which 

 communication I thought he did not receive quite 

 as graciously as he might have done. The corrida 

 opened bravely ; bulls were speared, blood flowed, 

 and men were tumbled over. I had never taken so 

 much pleasure in the opening scenes ; but a storm 

 was gathering; the iieavens put on black; clouds 

 whirled through the air ; the men stood up, seeming 

 anxious and vexed, and the ladies were uneasy 

 about their mantillas and headdresses. Darkness 

 increased, but man and beast went on fighting in the 

 ring, and it had a wild and strange efiect, with the 

 black clouds scudding above us, to look from the 

 fierce struggle up to the sea of anxious faces on the 

 other side of the scaflbld, and beyond, over the top, 

 to the brilliant arch of a rainbow illuminating with a 

 single line the blackness of the sky. I pointed out 

 the rainbow to the lady as an indication that there 

 would be no rain ; but the sign disappeared, a fu- 

 rious gust of wind swept over the frail scaffold, the 

 scalloped papers fluttered, shawls and handkerchiefs 

 flew, a few drops of rain fell, and in three minutes 

 the Plaza de Toros was empty. I had no umbrel- 

 la to offer the lady ; some ill-natured person carried 

 her off ; and the matador de cochinos extended his 

 Vol. IL-^P 



