to
elope with the Dragon?"

"I simply want my boots," said H. C. unromantically. "I rang away at the
bell just as we knocked at the door last night, and with the same
result. The place _must_ be bewitched. Then I opened the door and
clapped my hands, and the Dragon suddenly sprang out upon me from a dark
cupboard close by, right into my very arms. I nearly had a fit of
convulsions. And now when I ask for my boots all she does is to mouth
and shake her head. What's to be done? Is it a plot to keep us here?
Have we fallen into the hands of the Philistines?"

Being in a more advanced stage of toilet than H. C., we marched forth in
search of the landlord on what we hoped would not prove a bootless
errand. He was in his counting-house counting out his money--and
arranging his dinners. On making anxious inquiries we discovered that in
Lerida boot-cleaning was considered one of the fine arts. There was a
Boot-cleaner in Ordinary to the town, who took the inns in turn and was
paid according to his work. People had to wait his pleasure. That
morning he had not yet arrived; we had risen early.

Fortunately he appeared at the moment: an old, grey-bearded man with a
fine presence, who looked almost past boot-cleaning or any other
occupation. We found him quite above his humble employment. He was a
Frenchman by birth, but had lived in Spain for nearly seventy years--was
now verging on ninety, and his old wife, he told us, was eighty-seven,
and two years ago had gone blind. He had not forgotten his native
language, which he still spoke very purely. In his last days he was
supporting himself and his old wife by cleaning boots. It was the custom
of the town. The hotels would do anything for you but clean boots. As
far as he was concerned he just managed to keep the wolf from the door,
and that after all was all they wanted.

He went off to his task, and returning to H. C. we found a change had
come over the spirit of his dream. He sat hilarious and comforted before
an empty tray of rolls and coffee, our own share as well as his having
disappeared, whilst the Dragon had departed to adorn other realms.

In due time the old man arrived with his boots, was duly paid for his
work, and we presently found ourselves under the blue skies of Lerida.

CHAPTER XX.

THE STORY OF A LIFE.

Lerida by daylight--Second city in Catalonia--Past history--Days of
the Goths--And Moors--Becomes a bishopric--Troublous times--Brave