' when they see me turning the
corner, and it is for fear of them that my son must run like a
partridge to his own home, now that he has done waiting on your
worship, lest they meet him in the street and kill him with their
knives!"
"You tell me that you were acquainted with Gomez: what kind of man
might he be?"
"A middle-sized man," replied the innkeeper; "grave and dark. But
the most remarkable personage in appearance of them all was the
Sawyer: he is a kind of giant, so tall, that when he entered the
doorway he invariably struck his head against the lintel. The one
I liked least of all was one Palillos, who is a gloomy savage
ruffian whom I knew when he was a postillion. Many is the time
that he has been at my house of old; he is now captain of the
Manchegan thieves, for though he calls himself a royalist, he is
neither more nor less than a thief: it is a disgrace to the cause
that such as he should be permitted to mix with honourable and
brave men; I hate that fellow, Don Jorge: it is owing to him that
I have so few customers. Travellers are, at present, afraid to
pass through La Mancha, lest they fall into his hands. I wish he
were hanged, Don Jorge, and whether by Christinos or Royalists, I
care not."
"You recognized me at once for an Englishman," said I, "do many of
my countrymen visit Cordova?"
"Toma!" said the landlord, "they are my best customers; I have had
Englishmen in this house of all grades, from the son of Belington
to a young medico, who cured my daughter, the chica here, of the
ear-ache. How should I not know an Englishman? There were two
with Gomez, serving as volunteers. Vaya que gente; what noble
horses they rode, and how they scattered their gold about; they
brought with them a Portuguese, who was much of a gentleman but
very poor; it was said that he was one of Don Miguel's people, and
that these Englishmen supported him for the love they bore to
royalty; he was continually singing
'El Rey chegou - El Rey chegou,
E en Belem desembarcou!' {11}
Those were merry days, Don Jorge. By the by, I forgot to ask your
worship of what opinion you are?"
The next morning, whilst I was dressing, the old Genoese entered my
room: "Signore," said he, "I am come to bid you farewell. I am
about to return to Seville forthwith with the horses."
"Wherefore in such a hurry," I replied; "assuredly you had better
tarry till to-morrow; both the animals and yourself require rest;
repose yourselves to-day and I will defray the expense."
"Thank you, Signore, but we will depart forthwith, for there is no
tarrying in this house."
"What is the matter with the house?" I inquired.
