He has too much pride - too many fancies;
and he has at length persuaded me to bring him to Valladolid, where
I have arranged with a merchant who lives in the Plaza to take him
on trial. I wish he may not find his way to the prison: if he do,
he will find that being a prisoner is a very different thing from
being a son of the prison.
Myself. - As there is so much merriment at Toro, you of course
attend to the comfort of your prisoners.
Gaoleress. - Yes, we are very kind to them; I mean to those who are
caballeros; but as for those with vermin and miseria, what can we
do? It is a merry prison that of Toro; we allow as much wine to
enter as the prisoners can purchase and pay duty for. This of
Valladolid is not half so gay: there is no prison like Toro. I
learned there to play on the guitar. An Andalusian cavalier taught
me to touch the guitar and to sing a la Gitana. Poor fellow, he
was my first novio. Juanito, bring me the guitar, that I may play
this gentleman a tune of Andalusia.
The carcelera had a fine voice, and touched the favourite
instrument of the Spaniards in a truly masterly manner.
