John Bull on the Guadalquivir | Page 5

off, leaving a bit of torn cloth on the side of his jacket.
"Upon my word, I am quite unhappy," said I; "but I always am so
awkward." Whereupon he bowed low.
"Couldn't I make it right?" said I, bringing out my purse.
He lifted his hand, and I saw that it was small and white; he lifted it and
gently put it upon my purse, smiling sweetly as he did so. "Thank you,
no, senor; thank you, no." And then, bowing to us both, he walked
away down into the cabin.
"Upon my word he is a deuced well-mannered fellow," said I.
"You shouldn't have offered him money," said Johnson; "a Spaniard
does not like it."
"Why, I thought you could do nothing without money in this country.
Doesn't every one take bribes?"
"Ah! yes; that is a different thing; but not the price of a button. By Jove!
he understood English, too. Did you see that?"
"Yes; and I called him an ass! I hope he doesn't mind it."
"Oh! no; he won't think anything about it," said Johnson. "That sort of

fellows don't. I dare say we shall see him in the bull-ring next Sunday,
and then we'll make all right with a glass of lemonade."
And so our adventure ended with the man of the gold ornaments. I was
sorry that I had spoken English before him so heedlessly, and resolved
that I would never be guilty of such gaucherie again. But, then, who
would think that a Spanish bull-fighter would talk a foreign language? I
was sorry, also, that I had torn his coat; it had looked so awkward; and
sorry again that I had offered the man money. Altogether I was a little
ashamed of myself; but I had too much to look forward to at Seville to
allow any heaviness to remain long at my heart; and before I had
arrived at the marvellous city I had forgotten both him and his buttons.
Nothing could be nicer than the way in which I was welcomed at Mr.
Daguilar's house, or more kind--I may almost say affectionate--than
Maria's manner to me. But it was too affectionate; and I am not sure
that I should not have liked my reception better had she been more
diffident in her tone, and less inclined to greet me with open warmth.
As it was, she again gave me her cheek to kiss, in her father's presence,
and called me dear John, and asked me specially after some rabbits
which I had kept at home merely for a younger sister; and then it
seemed as though she were in no way embarrassed by the peculiar
circumstances of our position. Twelve months since I had asked her to
be my wife, and now she was to give me an answer; and yet she was as
assured in her gait, and as serenely joyous in her tone, as though I were
a brother just returned from college. It could not be that she meant to
refuse me, or she would not smile on me and be so loving; but I could
almost have found it in my heart to wish that she would. "It is quite
possible," said I to myself, "that I may not be found so ready for this
family bargain. A love that is to be had like a bale of goods is not
exactly the love to suit my taste." But then, when I met her again in the
morning I could no more have quarrelled with her than I could have
flown.
I was inexpressibly charmed with the whole city, and especially with
the house in which Mr. Daguilar lived. It opened from the corner of a
narrow, unfrequented street--a corner like an elbow--and, as seen from

the exterior, there was nothing prepossessing to recommend it; but the
outer door led by a short hall or passage to an inner door or grille, made
of open ornamental iron-work, and through that we entered a court, or
patio, as they I called it. Nothing could be more lovely or deliciously
cool than was this small court. The building on each side was covered
by trellis-work; and beautiful creepers, vines, and parasite flowers, now
in the full magnificence of the early summer, grew up and clustered
round the windows. Every inch of wall was covered, so that none of the
glaring whitewash wounded the eye. In the four corners of the patio
were four large orange-trees, covered with fruit. I would not say a word
in special praise of these, remembering that childish promise she had
made on my behalf. In the middle of the court there was a fountain, and
round about on the marble floor there were chairs, and here and there a
small table, as though the