The Alhambra . , our long-legged guard striding ahead, with his escopeta on his shoulder;Manuel and Mateo on each side of the tartana, and the oldinvalids behind. At some little distance to the north of Granada, the roadgradually ascends the hills; here I alighted and walked upslowly with Manuel, who took this occasion to confide to methe secret of his heart and of all those tender concerns betweenhimself and Dolores, with which I had been already informedby the all-knowing and all-revealing Mateo Ximenes. Hisdoctors diploma had prepared the way for their union, andnothing more was wanting but
The Alhambra . , our long-legged guard striding ahead, with his escopeta on his shoulder;Manuel and Mateo on each side of the tartana, and the oldinvalids behind. At some little distance to the north of Granada, the roadgradually ascends the hills; here I alighted and walked upslowly with Manuel, who took this occasion to confide to methe secret of his heart and of all those tender concerns betweenhimself and Dolores, with which I had been already informedby the all-knowing and all-revealing Mateo Ximenes. Hisdoctors diploma had prepared the way for their union, andnothing more was wanting but the dispensation of the Pope, on F F 434 THE ALIIAMBRA account of their consanguinity. Then, if he could get thepost of Medico of the fortress, his happiness would be complete II congratulated him on the judgment and good taste he hadshown in his choice of a helpmate ; invoked all possible felicityon their union, and trusted that the abundant affections ofthe kind-hearted little Dolores would in time have more. stable objects to occupy them than recreant cats and truantpigeons. It was indeed a sorrowful parting when I took leave ofthese good people and saw them slowly descend the hills ; nowand then turning round to wave me a last adieu. Manuel, itis true, had cheerful prospects to console him, but poor IMateoseemed perfectly cast down. It was to him a grievous fallfrom the station of prime minister and historiographer, to his THE AUTHORS FAREWELL TO GRANADA 435 old brown cloak and his starveling mystery of ribbon-weaving ;and the poor devil, notwithstanding his occasional officiousness,had, spmehow or other, acquired a stronger hold on mysympathies than I was aware of. It would have really beena consolation in parting, could I have anticipated the goodfortune in store for him, and to which I had contributed; forthe importance I had appeared to give to his tales and gossipand local knowledge, and the frequent companionship in whichI had indulged him in the course of my strolls
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherlondon, bookyear190
