Without waiting for my answer he hastened forward, and was speedily
out of sight.
I followed slowly behind, and entered the gate of the town; an old
dilapidated place, consisting of little more than one street.
Along this street I was advancing, when a man with a dirty foraging
cap on his head, and holding a gun in his hand, came running up to
me: "Who are you?" said he, in rather rough accents, "from whence
do you come?"
"From Badajoz and Trujillo," I replied; "why do you ask?"
"I am one of the national guard," said the man, "and am placed here
to inspect strangers; I am told that a Gypsy fellow just now rode
through the town; it is well for him that I had stepped into my
house. Do you come in his company?"
"Do I look a person," said I, "likely to keep company with
Gypsies?"
The national measured me from top to toe, and then looked me full
in the face with an expression which seemed to say, "likely
enough." In fact, my appearance was by no means calculated to
prepossess people in my favour. Upon my head I wore an old
Andalusian hat, which, from its condition, appeared to have been
trodden under foot; a rusty cloak, which had perhaps served half a
dozen generations, enwrapped my body. My nether garments were by
no means of the finest description; and as far as could be seen
were covered with mud, with which my face was likewise plentifully
bespattered, and upon my chin was a beard of a week's growth.
"Have you a passport?" at length demanded the national.
I remembered having read that the best way to win a Spaniard's
heart is to treat him with ceremonious civility. I therefore
dismounted, and taking off my hat, made a low bow to the
constitutional soldier, saying, "Senor nacional, you must know that
I am an English gentleman, travelling in this country for my
pleasure; I bear a passport, which, on inspecting, you will find to
be perfectly regular; it was given me by the great Lord Palmerston,
minister of England, whom you of course have heard of here; at the
bottom you will see his own handwriting; look at it and rejoice;
perhaps you will never have another opportunity. As I put
unbounded confidence in the honour of every gentleman, I leave the
passport in your hands whilst I repair to the posada to refresh
myself. When you have inspected it, you will perhaps oblige me so
far as to bring it to me. Cavalier, I kiss your hands."
I then made him another low bow, which he returned with one still
lower, and leaving him now staring at the passport and now looking
at myself, I went into a posada, to which I was directed by a
beggar whom I met.
