john bull on the guadalquivir-第5节

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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；　〃you　must　permit　me　to　present　to　you　my
father's　most　particular　friend；　and　my　own；Mr。　Pomfret；　John；　this
is　the　Marquis　D'Almavivas。〃

I　cannot　now　describe　the　grace　with　which　this　introduction　was
effected；　or　the　beauty　of　her　face　as　she　uttered　the　word。　　There
was　a　boldness　about　her　as　though　she　had　said；　〃I　know　it　allthe
whole　story。　　But；　in　spite　of　that　you　must　take　him　on　my
representation；　and　be　gracious　to　him　in　spite　of　what　he　has　done。
You　must　be　content　to　do　that；　or　in　quarrelling　with　him　you　must
quarrel　with　me　also。〃　　And　it　was　done　at　the　spur　of　the　moment
without　delay。　　She；　who　not　five　minutes　since　had　been　loudly
condemning　the　unknown　Englishman　for　his　rudeness；　had　already
pardoned　him；　now　that　he　was　known　to　be　her　friend；　and　had
determined　that　he　should　be　pardoned　by　others　also　or　that　she
would　share　his　disgrace。　　I　recognised　the　nobleness　of　this　at　the
moment；　but；　neverthele