Now, thought I, a fig for your Wombwells, Curtoys, &c.
The first minister's favour, and the _shining countenance_ of Madam
O'Reilly, must carry me through every thing. But alas! it was quite
otherwise;--the _courier_ who brought my letter had directions to
deliver it into my own hands; but either by _his blunder_, or _Madam
O'Reilly's_, I did not get it till _nine hours_ after it arrived, and
then _from the hands_ of _Madam O'Reilly's_ servant. The contents of
this letter were soon known: the favour of the minister at _Madrid_ did
not shine upon me at the _Court of Barcelona_! I visited Madam O'Reilly,
who looked at me,--if I may use such a coarse expression,--"like God's
revenge against murder." I could not divine what I had done, or what
omitted to do. I could get no admittance at the Intendant's, neither. I
proposed going to _Montserrat_, and asked my _fair_ countrywoman for a
letter to one of the monks; but--_she knew nobody there, not she_:--Why
then, madam, said I, perhaps I had better go back to France:--Oh! but,
says she, perhaps the _Marquis of Grimaldi_ will not let you; adding,
that the laws of France and Spain were very different.--But, pray,
madam, said I, what have the laws of either kingdom to do with me, while
I violate none of them? I am a citizen of the world, and consequently
free in every country.--Now, Sir, to decypher all this, which I did by
the help of some _characters_ an honest Spaniard gave me:--Why, says he,
they say you are a _great Captain_; that you have had an attention shewn
you by the _Marquis of Grimaldi_, which none of the O'Reilly's ever
obtained; and they are afraid that you are come here to take the eldest
brother's post from him, and that you are to command the troops upon the
second expedition to _Algiers_; for every body is much dissatisfied
with his conduct on the first; adding, that the Spaniards do not love
him.--I told him, that might arise from his being a stranger; but I had
been well assured, and I firmly believed it, that he is a gallant, an
able, and a good officer; but, said I, that cannot be the reason of so
much shyness in the _Intendant_, even if it does raise any uneasiness in
the O'Reilly's family:--Yes, said he, it does; for the Captain-General
O'Reilly is married lately to one of the Intendant's daughters. So you
see here was another mine sprung under me; and I determined to set out
in a day or two for _Montserrat_. I had but one card more to play, and
that was t