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Then followed a glowing account in Spanish of the delights of a great bull-fight shortly to take place at Cadiz, setting forth the ferocity of the bulls, the number of horses that might be expected to die in the arena, and the fame of the picadores and espadas who were then and there to exhibit.
Both the Government and private individuals offer large prizes for skilful archers, who command almost as much admiration as do the famous espadas in the bull-fights of Spain. The King, of course, keeps the pick of these men to himself; they are kept in constant training and frequently display their skill before His Majesty and the Court.
The most famous espadas are all Spaniards, and they all wear the traditional dress of their calling. If, on the one hand, there is not the thrill of the actual killing of the bull, on the other there are no miserable old horses to be ripped up, and no smell of blood.
First came the espadas or matadores, their hair clubbed behind like a woman's, dressed in bright-coloured jackets, and breeches seamed with broad silver lace, white stockings, shoes fastened with immense rosettes, and having their waists girt with silk sashes, bearing on their arms the blood-coloured cloaks that were to lure the bull upon the sword-point.
One of the most fashionable amusements in Madrid is to attend on the morning of the bull-fight while the espadas choose the particular bulls they wish to have as enemy, and affix their colours, the large rosette of ribbon which shows which of the toreros the bull is to meet in deadly conflict. The bulls are then placed in their iron cages in the order in which they are to enter the arena.
* A coffer of great richness In a pillar's heart they found, Within it lay new banners, With figures to astound. And an instant afterwards, at the accents which she imparted to this stanza, Alarabes de cavallo Sin poderse menear, Con espadas, y los cuellos, Ballestas de buen echar, Gringoire felt the tears start to his eyes.
That part was put in to show how much the public will stand for in a work of fiction. I believe one of the espadas tried it some time after the book appeared and was immediately killed. "Fiction, history, poetry, criticism, at their best, are all the same thing. When they inflame the imagination and stir the pulse they are identical: all creative work. It does not matter what a man writes about.
But on the very day of the outbreak a body of our troops will begin a march to the capital from every town as soon as the local victory has been won. The thing is so well planned that it is an impossibility for us to fail. I meself will lead the troops from here. The new president will be Senor Espadas, now Minister of Finance in the present cabinet. "'What do you get? I asked.
L. left me at the latter place, returning direct to Southampton, while I arranged to proceed through Spain and viâ Paris, home. Cadiz Custom-House Officers Spanish Courtship Marketplace Leave for Seville Jerez de la Frontera Seville Pilate's House Las Delicias Triana Madrid Bull Fighting "Espadas" A Bull Fight Frascuelo Cruelty to Horses Leave for Paris A Stormy Passage Home Again Adieu.
These refuges were little used, however, except by the underlings, the capadores, or by capsized picadores; espadas and banderilleros disdained them.
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