tleman, and gave him the cigars. He was serious at first,
but the sight of them put him into good humour, and in a few minutes
Donna Seraphina (they call a lady a Donna in Spain) came in, saluting me
ceremoniously, as if we had not been kissing for the hour together. I
did not remain long, as it was getting late, so I took a glass of the
old gentleman's sour wine, and walked off with a request from him to
call again.

"Well, Mr Simple, I met her again and again, until I was madly in love,
and the father appeared to be aware of what was going on, and to have no
objection. However, he sent for a priest to talk with me, and I again
said that I was a good Catholic.

"The priest asked me whether I had confessed lately. I knew what he
meant, and answered that I had not. He motioned me down on my knees;
but as I could not speak Spanish enough for that, I mumble-jumbled
something or another, half Spanish and half English, and ended with
putting four dollars in his hand for _carita_, which means charity. He
was satisfied at the end of my confession, whatever he might have been
at the beginning, and gave me absolution. And now, sir, comes the
winding-up of this business. Seraphina told me that she was going to
the opera with some of her relations, and asked me if I would be there;
that the captain of the frigate, and all the other officers were going,
and that she wished me to go with her. You see, Mr Simple, although
Seraphina's father was so poor, that a mouse would have starved in his
house, still he was of good family, and connected with those who were
much better off. He was a Don himself, and had fourteen or fifteen long
names, which I forget now. I refused to go with her, as I knew that the
service would not permit a boatswain to sit in an opera-box, when the
captain and first lieutenant were there. I told her that I had promised
to go on board to hook after the men while the captain went on shore;
thus, as you'll see, Mr Simple, making myself a man of consequence,
only to be mortified in the end. After she had gone to the opera, I was
very uncomfortable: I was afraid that the captain would see her, and
take a fancy to her. I walked up and down, outside, until I was so full
of love and jealousy, that I determined to go into the pit, and see what
she was about. I soon discovered her in a box, with some other ladies,
and with them were my captain and first lieutenant. The captain, who
spoke the language well