john bull on the guadalquivir-第1部分

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John　Bull　on　the　Guadalquivir　


by　Anthony　Trollope





I　am　an　Englishman；　living；　as　all　Englishman　should　do；　in　England；
and　my　wife　would　not；　I　think；　be　well　pleased　were　any　one　to
insinuate　that　she　were　other　than　an　Englishwoman；　but　in　the
circumstances　of　my　marriage　I　became　connected　with　the　south　of
Spain；　and　the　narrative　which　I　am　to　tell　requires　that　I　should
refer　to　some　of　those　details。

The　Pomfrets　and　Daguilars　have　long　been　in　trade　together　in　this
country；　and　one　of　the　partners　has　usually　resided　at　Seville　for
the　sake　of　the　works　which　the　firm　there　possesses。　　My　father；
James　Pomfret；　lived　there　for　ten　years　before　his　marriage；　and
since　that　and　up　to　the　present　period；　old　Mr。　Daguilar　has　always
been　on　the　spot。　　He　was；　I　believe；　born　in　Spain；　but　he　came　very
early　to　England；　he　married　an　English　wife；　and　his　sons　had　been
educated　exclusively　in　England。　　His　only　daughter；　Maria　Daguilar；
did　not　pass　so　large　a　proportion　of　her　early　life　in　this　country；
but　she　came　to　us　for　a　visit　at　the　age　of　seventeen；　and　when　she
returned　I　made　up　my　mind　that　I　most　assuredly　would　go　after　her。
So　I　did；　and　she　is　now　sitting　on　the　other　side　of　the　fireplace
with　a　legion　of　small　linen　habiliments　in　a　huge　basket　by　her
side。

I　felt；　at　the　first；　that　there　was　something　lacking　to　make　my　cup
of　love　perfectly　delightful。　　It　was　very　sweet；　but　there　was
wanting　that　flower　of　romance　which　is　generally　added　to　the
heavenly　draught　by　a　slight　admixture　of　opposition。　　I　feared　that
the　path　of　my　true　love　would　run　too　smooth。　　When　Maria　came　to
our　house；　my　mother　and　elder　sister　seemed　to　be　quite　willing　that
I　should　be　continually　alone　with　her；　and　she　had　not　been　there
ten　days　before　my　father；　by　chance；　remarked　that　there　was　nothing
old　Mr。　Daguilar　valued　so　highly　as　a　thorough　feeling　of　intimate
alliance　between　the　two　families　which　had　been　so　long　connected　in
trade。　　I　was　never　told　that　Maria　was　to　be　my　wife；　but　I　felt
that　the　same　thing　was　done　without　words；　and　when；　after　six　weeks
of　somewhat　elaborate　attendance　upon　her；　I　asked　her　to　be　Mrs。
John　Pomfret；　I　had　no　more　fear　of　a　refusal；　or　even　of　hesitation
on　her　part；　than　I　now　have　when　I　suggest　to　my　partner　some
commercial　transaction　of　undoubted　advantage。

But　Maria；　even　at　that　age；　had　about　her　a　quiet　sustained　decision
of　character　quite　unlike　anything　I　had　seen　in　English　girls。　　I
used　to　hear；　and　do　still　hear；　how　much　more　flippant　is　the
education　of　girls　in　France　and　Spain　than　in　England；　and　I　know
that　this　is　shown　to　be　the　result　of　many　causesthe　Roman
Catholic　religion　being；　perhaps；　chief　offender；　but；　nevertheless；
I　rarely　see　in　one　of　our　own　young　women　the　same　power　of　a　self…
sustained　demeanour　as　I　meet　on　the　Continent。　　It　goes　no　deeper
than　the　demeanour；　people　say。　　I　can　only　answer　that　I　have　not
found　that　shallowness　in　my　own　wife。

Miss　Daguilar　replied　to　me　that　she　was　not　prepared　with　an　answer；
she　had　only　known　me　six　weeks；　and　wanted　more　time　to　think　about
it；　besides；　there　was　one　in　her　own　country　with　whom　she　would
wish　to　consult。　　I　knew　she　had　no　mother；　and　as　for　consulting　old
Mr。　Daguilar　on　such　a　subject；　that　idea；　I　knew；　could　not　have
troubled　her。　　Besides；　as　I　afterwards　learned；　Mr。　Daguilar　had
already　proposed　the　marriage　to　his　partner　exactly　as　he　would　have
proposed　a　division　of　assets。　　My　mother　declared　that　Maria　was　a
foolish　chitin　which　by…the…bye　she　showed　her　entire　ignorance　of
Miss　Daguilar's　character；　my　eldest　sister　begged　that　no　constraint
might　he　put　on　the　young　lady's　inclinationswhich　provoked　me　to
assert　that　the　young　lady's　inclinations　were　by　no　means　opposed　to
my　own；　and　my　father；　in　the　coolest　manner　suggested　that　the
matter　might　stand　over　for　twelve　months；　and　that　I　might　then　go
to　Seville；　and　see　about　it！　　Stand　over　for　twelve　months！　　Would
not　Maria；　long　before　that　time；　have　been　snapped　up　and　carried
off　by　one　of　those　inordinately　rich　Spanish　grandees　who　are　still
to　be　met　with　occasionally　in　Andalucia？

My　father's　dictum；　however；　had　gone　forth；　and　Maria；　in　the
calmest　voice；　protested　that　she　thought　it　very　wise。　　I　should　be
less　of　a　boy　by　that　time；　she　said；　smiling　on　me；　but　driving
wedges　between　every　fibre　of　my　body　as　she　spoke。　　〃Be　it　so；〃　I
said；　proudly。　　〃At　any　rate；　I　am　not　so　much　of　a　boy　that　I　shall
forget　you。〃　　〃And；　John；　you　still　have　the　trade　to　learn；〃　she
added；　with　her　deliciously　foreign　intonationspeaking　very　slowly；
but　with　perfect　pronunciation。　　The　trade　to　learn！　　However；　I　said
not　a　word；　but　stalked　out　of　the　room；　meaning　to　see　her　no　more
before　she　went。　　But　I　could　not　resist　attending　on　her　in　the　hall
as　she　started；　and；　when　she　took　leave　of　us；　she　put　her　face　up
to　be　kissed　by　me；　as　she　did　by　my　father；　and　seemed　to　receive　as
much　emotion　from　one　embrace　as　from　the　other。　　〃He'll　go　out　by
the　packet　of　the　1st　April；〃　said　my　father；　speaking　of　me　as
though　I　were　a　bale　of　goods。　　〃Ah！　that　will　be　so　nice；〃　said
Maria；　settling　her　dress　in　the　carriage；　〃the　oranges　will　be　ripe
for　him　then！〃

On　the　17th　April　I　did　sail；　and　felt　still　very　like　a　bale　of
goods。　　I　had　received　one　letter　from　her；　in　which　she　merely
stated　that　her　papa　would　have　a　room　ready　for　me　on　my　arrival；
and；　in　answer　to　that；　I　had　sent　an　epistle　somewhat　longer；　and；
as　I　then　thought；　a　little　more　to　the　purpose。　　Her　turn　of　mind
was　more　practical　than　mine；　and　I　must　confess　my　belief　that　she
did　not　appreciate　my　poetry。

I　landed　at　Cadiz；　and　was　there　joined　by　an　old　family　friend；　one
of　the　very　best　fellows　that　ever　lived。　　He　was　to　accompany　me　up
as　far　as　Seville；　and；　as　he　had　lived　for　a　year　or　two　at　Xeres；
was　supposed　to　be　more　Spanish　almost　than　a　Spaniard。　　His　name　was
Johnson；　and　he　was　in　the　wine　trade；　and　whether　for　travelling　or
whether　for　staying　at　homewhether　for　paying　you　a　visit　in　your
own　house；　or　whether　for　entertaining　you　in　histhere　never　was
（and　I　am　prepared　to　maintain　there　never　will　be）　a　stancher
friend；　choicer　companion；　or　a　safer　guide　than　Thomas　Johnson。
Words　cannot　produce　a　eulogium　sufficient　for　his　merits。　　But；　as　I
have　since　learned；　he　was　not　quite　so　Spanish　as　I　had　imagined。
Three　years　among　the　bodegas　of　Xeres　had　taught　him；　no　doubt；　to
appreciate　the　exact　twang　of　a　good；　dry　sherry；　but　not；　as　I　now
conceive；　the　exactest　flavour　of　the　true　Spanish　character。　　I　was
very　lucky；　however；　in　meeting　such　a　friend；　and　now　reckon　him　as
one　of　the　stanchest　allies　of　the　house　of　Pomfret；　Daguilar；　and
Pomfret。

He　met　me　at　Cadiz；　took　me　about　the　town；　which　appeared　to　me　to
be　of　no　very　great　interest；though　the　young　ladies　were　all　very
well。　　But；　in　this　respect；　I　was　then　a　Stoic；　till　such　time　as　I
might　be　able　to　throw　myself　at　the　feet　of　her　whom　I　was　ready　to
proclaim　the　most　lovely　of　all　the　Dulcineas　of　Andalucia。　　He
carried　me　up　by　boat　and　railway　to　Xeres；　gave　me　a　most　terrific
headache；　by　dragging　me　out　into　the　glare　of　the　sun；　after　I　had
tasted　some　half　a　dozen　different　wines；　and　went　through　all　the
ordinary　hospitalities。　　On　the　next　day　we　returned　to　Puerto；　and
from　thence　getting　across　to　St。　Lucar　and　Bonanza；　found　ourselves
on　the　banks　of　the　Guadalquivir；　and　took　our　places　in　the　boat　for
Seville。　　I　need　say　but　little　to　my　readers　respecting　that　far…
famed　river。　　Thirty　years　ago　we　in　England　generally　believed　that
on　its　banks　was　to　be　found　a　pure　elysium　of　pastoral　beauty；　that
picturesque　shepherds　and　lovely　maidens　here　fed　their　flocks　in
fields　of　asphodel；　that　the　limpid　stream　ran　cool　and　crystal　over
bright　stones　and　beneath　perennial　shade；　and　that　every　thing　on
the　Guadalquivir　was　as　lovely　and　as　poetical　as　its　name。　　Now；　it
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；
trim