john bull on the guadalquivir-第2章

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is　pretty　widely　known　that　no　uglier　river　oozes　down　to　its　bourn
in　the　sea　through　unwholesome　banks　of　low　mud。　　It　is　brown　and
dirty；　ungifted　by　any　scenic　advantage；　margined　for　miles　upon
miles　by　huge；　flat；　expansive　fields；　in　which　cattle　are　reared；
the　bulls　wanted　for　the　bullfights　among　other；　and　birds　of　prey
sit　constant　on　the　shore；　watching　for　the　carcases　of　such　as　die。
Such　are　the　charms　of　the　golden　Guadalquivir。

At　first　we　were　very　dull　on　board　that　steamer。　　I　never　found
myself　in　a　position　in　which　there　was　less　to　do。　　There　was　a
nasty　smell　about　the　little　boat　which　made　me　almost　ill；　every
turn　in　the　river　was　so　exactly　like　the　last；　that　we　might　have
been　standing　still；　there　was　no　amusement　except　eating；　and　that；
when　once　done；　was　not　of　a　kind　to　make　an　early　repetition
desirable。　　Even　Johnson　was　becoming　dull；　and　I　began　to　doubt
whether　I　was　so　desirous　as　I　once　had　been　to　travel　the　length　and
breadth　of　all　Spain。　　But　about　noon　a　little　incident　occurred
which　did　for　a　time　remove　some　of　our　tedium。　　The　boat　had　stopped
to　take　in　passengers　on　the　river；　and；　among　others；　a　man　had　come
on　board　dressed　in　a　fashion　that；　to　my　eyes；　was　equally　strange
and　picturesque。　　Indeed；　his　appearance　was　so　singular；　that　I
could　not　but　regard　him　with　care；　though　I　felt　at　first　averse　to
stare　at　a　fellow…passenger　on　account　of　his　clothes。　　He　was　a　man
of　about　fifty；　but　as　active　apparently　as　though　not　more　than
twenty　five；　he　was　of　low　stature；　but　of　admirable　make；　his　hair
was　just　becoming　grizzled；　but　was　short　and　crisp　and　well　cared
for；　his　face　was　prepossessing；　having　a　look　of　good　humour　added
to　courtesy；　and　there　was　a　pleasant；　soft　smile　round　his　mouth
which　ingratiated　one　at　the　first　sight。　　But　it　was　his　dress
rather　than　his　person　which　attracted　attention。　　He　wore　the
ordinary　Andalucian　capof　which　such　hideous　parodies　are　now
making　themselves　common　in　Englandbut　was　not　contented　with　the
usual　ornament　of　the　double　tuft。　　The　cap　was　small；　and　jaunty；
trimmed　with　silk　velvetas　is　common　here　with　men　careful　to　adorn
their　persons；　but　this　man's　cap　was　finished　off　with　a　jewelled
button　and　golden　filigree　work。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　short　jacket
with　a　stand　up　collar；　and　that　also　was　covered　with　golden　buttons
and　with　golden　button…holes。　　It　was　all　gilt　down　the　front；　and
all　lace　down　the　back。　　The　rows　of　buttons　were　double；　and　those
of　the　more　backward　row　hung　down　in　heavy　pendules。　　His　waistcoat
was　of　coloured　silkvery　pretty　to　look　at；　and　ornamented　with　a
small　sash；　through　which　gold　threads　were　worked。　　All　the　buttons
of　his　breeches　also　were　of　gold；　and　there　were　gold　tags　to　all
the　button…holes。　　His　stockings　were　of　the　finest　silk；　and　clocked
with　gold　from　the　knee　to　the　ankle。

Dress　any　Englishman　in　such　a　garb　and　he　will　at　once　give　you　the
idea　of　a　hog　in　armour。　　In　the　first　place　he　will　lack　the　proper
spirit　to　carry　it　off；　and　in　the　next　place　the　motion　of　his　limbs
will　disgrace　the　ornaments　they　bear。　　〃And　so　best；〃　most
Englishmen　will　say。　　Very　likely；　and；　therefore；　let　no　Englishman
try　it。　　But　my　Spaniard　did　not　look　at　like　a　hog　in　armour。　　He
walked　slowly　down　the　plank　into　the　boat；　whistling　lowly　but　very
clearly　a　few　bars　from　a　opera　tune。　　It　was　plain　to　see　that　he
was　master　of　himself；　of　his　ornaments；　and　of　his　limbs。　　He　had　no
appearance　of　thinking　that　men　were　looking　at　him；　or　of　feeling
that　he　was　beauteous　in　his　attire；nothing　could　be　more　natural
than　his　foot…fall；　or　the　quiet　glance　of　his　cheery　gray　eye。　　He
walked　up　to　the　captain；　who　held　the　helm；　and　lightly　raised　his
hand　to　his　cap。　　The　captain；　taking　one　hand　from　the　wheel；　did
the　same；　and　then　the　stranger；　turning　his　back　to　the　stern　of　the
vessel；　and　fronting　down　the　river　with　his　face；　continued　to
whistle　slowly；　clearly；　and　in　excellent　time。　　Grand　as　were　his
clothes　they　were　no　burden　on　his　mind。

〃What　is　he？〃　said　I；　going　up　to　my　friend　Johnson　with　a　whisper。

〃Well；　I've　been　looking　at　him；〃　said　Johnsonwhich　was　true
enough；　〃he's　a　　an　uncommonly　good…looking　fellow；　isn't　he？〃

〃Particularly　so；〃　said　I；　〃and　got　up　quite　irrespective　of　expense。
Is　he　aaa　gentleman；　now；　do　you　think？〃

〃Well；　those　things　are　so　different　in　Spain　that　it's　almost
impossible　to　make　an　Englishman　understand　them。　　One　learns　to　know
all　this　sort　of　people　by　being　with　them　in　the　country；　but　one
can't　explain。〃

〃No；　exactly。　　Are　they　real　gold？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　dare　say　they　are。　　They　sometimes　have　them　silver
gilt。〃

〃It　is　quite　a　common　thing；　then；　isn't　it？〃　asked　I。

〃Well；　not　exactly；　thatAh！　yes；　I　see！　of　course。　　He　is　a
torero。〃

〃A　what？〃

〃A　mayo。　　I　will　explain　it　all　to　you。　　You　will　see　them　about　in
all　places；　and　you　will　get　used　to　them。〃

〃But　I　haven't　seen　one　other　as　yet。〃

〃No；　and　they　are　not　all　so　gay　as　this；　nor　so　new　in　their　finery；
you　know。〃

〃And　what　is　a　torero？〃

〃Well；　a　torero　is　a　man　engaged　in　bull…fighting。〃

〃Oh！　he　is　a　matador；　is　he？〃　said　I；　looking　at　him　with　more　than
all　my　eyes。

〃No；　not　exactly　that；not　of　necessity。　　He　is　probably　a　mayo。　　A
fellow　that　dresses　himself　smart　for　fairs；　and　will　be　seen　hanging
about　with　the　bull…fighters。　　What　would　be　a　sporting　fellow　in
Englandonly　he　won't　drink　and　curse　like　a　low　man　on　the　turf
there。　　Come；　shall　we　go　and　speak　to　him？〃

〃I　can't　talk　to　him；〃　said　I；　diffident　of　my　Spanish。　　I　had
received　lessons　in　England　from　Maria　Daguilar；　but　six　weeks　is
little　enough　for　making　love；　let　alone　the　learning　of　a　foreign
language。

〃Oh！　　I'll　do　the　talking。　　You'll　find　the　language　easy　enough
before　long。　　It　soon　becomes　the　same　as　English　to　you；　when　you
live　among　them。〃　　And　then　Johnson；　walking　up　to　the　stranger；
accosted　him　with　that　good…natured　familiarity　with　which　a
thoroughly　nice　fellow　always　opens　a　conversation　with　his　inferior。
Of　course　I　could　not　understand　the　words　which　were　exchanged；　but
it　was　clear　enough　that　the　〃mayo〃　took　the　address　in　good　part；
and　was　inclined　to　be　communicative　and　social。

〃They　are　all　of　pure　gold；〃　said　Johnson；　turning　to　me　after　a
minute；　making　as　he　spoke　a　motion　with　his　head　to　show　the
importance　of　the　information。

〃Are　they　indeed？〃　said　I。　　〃Where　on　earth　did　a　fellow　like　that
get　them？〃　　Whereupon　Johnson　again　returned　to　his　conversation　with
the　man。　　After　another　minute　he　raised　his　hand；　and　began　to
finger　the　button　on　the　shoulder；　and　to　aid　him　in　doing　so；　the
man　of　the　bull…ring　turned　a　little　on　one　side。

〃They　are　wonderfully　well　made；〃　said　Johnson；　talking　to　me；　and
still　fingering　the　button。　　〃They　are　manufactured；　he　says；　at
Osuna；　and　he　tells　me　that　they　make　them　better　there　than　anywhere
else。〃

〃I　wonder　what　the　whole　set　would　cost？〃　said　I。　　〃An　enormous　deal
of　money　for　a　fellow　like　him；　I　should　think！〃

〃Over　twelve　ounces；〃　said　Johnson；　having　asked　the　question；　〃and
that　will　be　more　than　forty　pounds。〃

〃What　an　uncommon　ass　he　must　be！〃　said　I。

As　Johnson　by　this　time　was　very　closely　scrutinising　the　whole　set
of　ornaments　I　thought　I　might　do　so　also；　and　going　up　close　to　our
friend；　I　too　began　to　handle　the　buttons　and　tags　on　the　other　side。
Nothing　could　have　been　more　good…humoured　than　he　wasso　much　so
that　I　was　emboldened　to　hold　up　his　arm　that　I　might　see　the　cut　of
his　coat；　to　take　off　his　cap　and　examine　the　make；　to　stuff　my
finger　in　beneath　his　sash；　and　at　last　to　kneel　down　while　I
persuaded　him　to　hold　up　his　legs　that　I　might　look　to　the　clocking。
The　fellow　was　thorough　good…natured；　and　why　should　I　not　indulge　my
curiosity？

〃You'll　upset　him　if　you　don't　take　care；〃　said　Johnson；　for　I　had
got　fast　hold　of　him　by　one　ankle；　and　was　determined　to　finish　the
survey　completely。

〃Oh；　no；　I　shan't；〃　said　I；　〃a　bull…fighting　chap　can　surely　stand　on
one　leg。　　But　what　I　wonder　at　is；　how　o