john bull on the guadalquivir-第4章

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necessary　to　effect　by　the　exclusion　of　light；　consequently　the
church　is　dark；　mysterious；　and　almost　cold。　　On　the　morning　in
question；　as　we　entered；　it　seemed　to　be　filled　with　gloom；　and　the
distant　sound　of　a　slow　footstep　here　and　there　beyond　the　transept
inspired　one　almost　with　awe。　　Maria；　when　she　first　met　me；　had
begun　to　talk　with　her　usual　smile；　offering　me　coffee　and　a　biscuit
before　I　started。　　〃I　never　eat　biscuit；〃　I　said；　with　almost　a
severe　tone；　as　I　turned　from　her。　　That　dark；　horrid　man　of　the
plazawould　she　have　offered　him　a　cake　had　she　been　going　to　walk
with　him　in　the　gloom　of　the　morning？　　After　that　little　had　been
spoken　between　us。　　She　walked　by　my　side　with　her　accustomed　smile；
but　she　had；　as　I　flattered　myself；　begun　to　learn　that　I　was　not　to
he　won　by　a　meaningless　good　nature。　　〃We　are　lucky　in　our　morning
for　the　view！〃　that　was　all　she　said；　speaking　with　that　peculiarly
clear；　but　slow　pronunciation　which　she　had　assumed　in　learning　our
language。

We　entered　the　cathedral；　and；　walking　the　whole　length　of　the　aisle；
left　it　again　at　the　porter's　porch　at　the　farther　end。　　Here　we
passed　through　a　low　door　on　to　the　stone　flight　of　steps；　and　at
once　began　to　ascend。　　〃There　are　a　party　of　your　countrymen　up
before　us；〃　said　Maria；　〃the　porter　says　that　they　went　through　the
lodge　half　an　hour　since。〃　　〃I　hope　they　will　return　before　we　are　on
the　top；〃　said　I；　bethinking　myself　of　the　task　that　was　before　me。
And　indeed　my　heart　was　hardly　at　ease　within　me；　for　that　which　I
had　to　say　would　require　all　the　spirit　of　which　I　was　master。

The　ascent　to　the　Giralda　is　very　long　and　very　fatiguing；　and　we　had
to　pause　on　the　various　landings　and　in　the　singular　belfry　in　order
that　Miss　Daguilar　might　recruit　her　strength　and　breath。　　As　we
rested　on　one　of　these　occasions；　in　a　gallery　which　runs　round　the
tower　below　the　belfry；　we　heard　a　great　noise　of　shouting；　and　a
clattering　of　sticks　among　the　bells。　　〃It　is　the　party　of　your
countrymen　who　went　up　before　us；〃　said　she。　　〃What　a　pity　that
Englishmen　should　always　make　so　much　noise！〃　　And　then　she　spoke　in
Spanish　to　the　custodian　of　the　bells；　who　is　usually　to　be　found　in
a　little　cabin　up　there　within　the　tower。　　〃He　says　that　they　went　up
shouting　like　demons；〃　continued　Maria；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　she
looked　as　though　I　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　the　name　of　an　Englishman。
〃They　may　not　be　so　solemn　in　their　demeanour　as　Spaniards；〃　I
answered；　〃but；　for　all　that；　there　may　be　quite　as　much　in　them。〃

We　then　again　began　to　mount；　and　before　we　had　ascended　much　farther
we　passed　my　three　countrymen。　　They　were　young　men；　with　gray　coats
and　gray　trousers；　with　slouched　hats；　and　without　gloves。　　They　had
fair　faces　and　fair　hair；　and　swung　big　sticks　in　their　hands；　with
crooked　handles。　　They　laughed　and　talked　loud；　and；　when　we　met
them；　seemed　to　be　racing　with　each　other；　but　nevertheless　they　were
gentlemen。　　No　one　who　knows　by　sight　what　an　English　gentleman　is；
could　have　doubted　that；　but　I　did　acknowledge　to　myself　that　they
should　have　remembered　that　the　edifice　they　were　treading　was　a
church；　and　that　the　silence　they　were　invading　was　the　cherished
property　of　a　courteous　people。

〃They　are　all　just　the　same　as　big　boys；〃　said　Maria。　　The　colour
instantly　flew　into　my　face；　and　I　felt　that　it　was　my　duty　to　speak
up　for　my　own　countrymen。　　The　word　〃boys〃　especially　wounded　my
ears。　　It　was　as　a　boy　that　she　treated　me；　but；　on　looking　at　that
befringed　young　Spanish　Donwho　was　not；　apparently；　my　elder　in
ageshe　had　recognised　a　man。　　However；　I　said　nothing　further　till
I　reached　the　summit。　　One　cannot　speak　with　manly　dignity　while　one
is　out　of　breath　on　a　staircase。

〃There；　John；〃　she　said；　stretching　her　hands　away　over　the　fair
plain　of　the　Guadalquivir；　as　soon　as　we　stood　against　the　parapet；
〃is　not　that　lovely？〃

I　would　not　deign　to　notice　this。　　〃Maria；〃　I　said；　〃I　think　that　you
are　too　hard　upon　my　countrymen？〃

〃Too　hard！　no；　for　I　love　them。　　They　are　so　good　and　industrious；
and　come　home　to　their　wives；　and　take　care　of　their　children。　　But
why　do　they　make　themselves　sosowhat　the　French　call　gauche？〃

〃Good　and　industrious；　and　come　home　to　their　wives！〃　thought　I。　　〃I
believe　you　hardly　understand　us　as　yet；〃　I　answered。　　〃Our　domestic
virtues　are　not　always　so　very　prominent；　but；　I　believe；　we　know　how
to　conduct　ourselves　as　gentlemen：　　at　any　rate；　as　well　as
Spaniards。〃　　I　was　very　angrynot　at　the　faults；　but　at　the　good
qualities　imputed　to　us。

〃In　affairs　of　business；　yes；〃　said　Maria；　with　a　look　of　firm
confidence　in　her　own　opinionthat　look　of　confidence　which　she　has
never　lost；　and　I　pray　that　she　may　never　lose　it　while　I　remain　with
her〃but　in　the　little　intercourses　of　the　world；　no！　　A　Spaniard
never　forgets　what　is　personally　due　either　to　himself　or　his
neighbours。　　If　he　is　eating　an　onion；　he　eats　it　as　an　onion　should
be　eaten。〃

〃In　such　matters　as　that　he　is　very　grand；　no　doubt；〃　said　I；
angrily。

〃And　why　should　you　not　eat　an　onion　properly；　John？　　Now；　I　heard　a
story　yesterday　from　Donabout　two　Englishmen；　which　annoyed　me　very
much。〃　　I　did　not　exactly　catch　the　name　of　the　Don　in　question　but　I
felt　through　every　nerve　in　my　body　that　it　was　the　man　who　had　been
talking　to　her　on　the　plaza。

〃And　what　have　they　done？〃　said　I。　　〃But　it　is　the　same　everywhere。
We　are　always　abused；　but；　nevertheless；　no　people　are　so　welcome。
At　any　rate；　we　pay　for　the　mischief　we　do。〃　　I　was　angry　with　myself
the　moment　the　words　were　out　of　my　mouth；　for；　after　all；　there　is
no　feeling　more　mean　than　that　pocket…confidence　with　which　an
Englishman　sometimes　swaggers。

〃There　was　no　mischief　done　in　this　case；〃　she　answered。　　〃It　was
simply　that　two　men　have　made　themselves　ridiculous　for　ever。　　The
story　is　all　about　Seville；　and；　of　course；　it　annoys　me　that　they
should　be　Englishmen。〃

〃And　what　did　they　do？〃

〃The　Marquis　D'Almavivas　was　coming　up　to　Seville　in　the　boat；　and
they　behaved　to　him　in　the　most　outrageous　manner。　　He　is　here　now
and　is　going　to　give　a　series　of　fetes。　　Of　course　he　will　not　ask　a
single　Englishman。〃

〃We　shall　manage　to　live　even　though　the　Marquis　D'Almavivas　may
frown　upon　us；〃　said　I；　proudly。

〃He　is　the　richest；　and　also　the　best　of　our　noblemen；〃　continued
Maria；　〃and　I　never　heard　of　anything　so　absurd　as　what　they　did　to
him。　　It　made　me　blush　when　Don　　told　me。〃　　Don　Tomas；　I　thought
she　said。

〃If　he　be　the　best　of　your　noblemen；　how　comes　it　that　he　is　angry
because　he　has　met　two　vulgar　men？　　It　is　not　to　be　supposed　that
every　Englishman　is　a　gentleman。〃

〃Angry！　　Oh；　no！　he　was　not　angry；　he　enjoyed　the　joke　too　much　for
that。　　He　got　completely　the　best　of　them；　though　they　did　not　know
it；　poor　fools！　　How　would　your　Lord　John　Russell　behave　if　two
Spaniards　in　an　English　railway　carriage　were　to　pull　him　about　and
tear　his　clothes？〃

〃He　would　give　them　in　charge　to　a　policeman；　of　course；〃　said　I；
speaking　of　such　a　matter　with　the　contempt　it　deserved。

〃If　that　were　done　here　your　ambassador　would　be　demanding　national
explanations。　　But　Almavivas　did　much　better；he　laughed　at　them
without　letting　them　know　it。〃

〃But　do　you　mean　that　they　took　hold　of　him　violently；　without　any
provocation？　　They　must　have　been　drunk。〃

〃Oh；　no；　they　were　sober　enough。　　I　did　not　see　it；　so　I　do　not　quite
know　exactly　how　it　was；　but　I　understand　that　they　committed
themselves　most　absurdly；　absolutely　took　hold　of　his　coat　and　tore
it；　and；　but　they　did　such　ridiculous　things　that　I　cannot　tell
you。〃　　And　yet　Don　Tomas；　if　that　was　the　man's　name；　had　been　able
to　tell　her；　and　she　had　been　able　to　listen　to　him。

〃'What　made　them　take　hold　of　the　marquis？〃　said　I。

〃Curiosity；　I　suppose；〃　she　answered。　　〃He　dresses　somewhat
fancifully；　and　they　could　not　understand　that　any　one　should　wear
garments　different　from　their　own。〃　　But　even　then　the　blow　did　not
strike　home　upon　me。

〃Is　it　not　pretty　to　look　down　upon　the　quiet　town？〃　she　said；　coming
close　up　to　me；　so　that　the　skirt　of　her　dress　pressed　me；　and　her
elbow　touched　my　arm。　　Now　was　the　moment　I　should　have　asked　her　how
her　heart　stood　towards　me；　but　I　was　sore　and　uncomfortable；　and　my
destiny　was　before　me。　　She　was　willing　enough　to　let　these　English
faults　pass　without　further　notice；　but　I　would　not　allow　the　subject
I　drop。

〃I　will　find　out　who　these　men　were；〃　said　I；　〃and　learn　the　truth　of
it。　　When　did　it　occur？〃

〃Last　Thursday；　I　think　he　said。〃

〃Why；　that　was　the　day　we　came　up　in　the　boat；　Johnson　and　myself。
There　was　no　marquis　there　then；　and　we　were　the　only　Englishmen　on
board。〃

〃It　was　on　Thursday；　certainly；　because　it　was　well　known　in　Seville
that　he　arrived　on　that　day。　　You　must　have　remarked　him　because　he
talks　English　perfectlythough　by…the…bye；　these　men　would　go　on
chattering　before　him　about　himself　as　though　it　were　impossible　that
a　Spaniard　should　know　their　language。　　They　are　ignorant　of　Spanish；
and　they　cannot　bring　themselves　to　believe　that　any　one　should　be
better　educated　than　themselves。〃

Now　the　blow　had　fallen；　and　I　straightway　appreciated　the　necessity
of　returning　immediately　to　Clapham　where　my　family　resided；　and
giving　up　for　ever　all　idea　of　Spanish　connections。　　I　had　resolved
to　assert　the　full　strength　of　my　manhood　on　that　tower；　and　now
words　had　been　spoken　which　left　me　weak　as　a　child。　　I　felt　that　I
was　shivering；　and　did　not　dare　to　pronounce　the　truth　which　must　be
made　known。　　As　to　speaking　of　love；　and　signifying　my　pleasure　that
Don　Tomas　should　for　the　future　be　kept　at　a　distance；　any　such
effort　was　quite　beyond　me。　　Had　Don　Tomas　been　there；　he　might　have
walked　off　with　her　from　before　my　face　without　a　struggle　on　my
part。　　〃Now　I　remember　about　it；〃　she　continued；　〃I　think　he　must
have　been　in　the　boat　on　Thursday。〃

〃And　now　that　I　remember；〃　I　replied；　turning　away　to　hide　my
embarrassment；　〃he　was　there。　　Your　friend　down　below　in　the　plaza
seems　to　have　made　out　a　grand　story。　　No　doubt　he　is　not　fond　of　the
English。　　There　was　such　a　man　there；　and　I　did　take　hold〃

〃Oh；　John；　was　it　you？〃

〃Yes；　Donna　Maria；　it　was　I；　and　if　Lord　John　Russell　were　to　dress
himself　in　the　same　way〃　　But　I　had　no　time　to　complete　my
description　of　what　might　occur　under　so　extravagantly　impossible　a
combination　of　circumstances；　for　as　I　was　yet　speaking；　the　little
door　leading　out　on　to　the　leads　of　the　tower　was　opened　and　my
friend；　the　mayo　of　the　boat；　still　bearing　gewgaws　on　his　back；
stepped　up　on　to　the　platform。　　My　eye　instantly　perceived　that　the
one　pendule　was　still　missing　from　his　jacket。　　He　did　not　come
alone；　but　three　other　gentlemen　followed　him；　who；　however；　had　no
peculiarities　in　their　dress。　　He　saw　me　at　once　and　bowed　and
smiled；　and　then　observing　Donna　Maria；　he　lifted　his　cap　from　his
head；　and　addressing　himself　to　her　in　Spanish；　began　to　converse
with　her　as　though　she　were　an　old　friend。

〃Senor；〃　said　Maria；　after　the　first　words　of　greeting　had　been
spoken　between　them