y visit Lerida at long
intervals, and wherever we went we found ourselves attracting an amount
of attention that might have confused more bashful minds. As in most
other places, the people were especially interested in our little
kodak, and seemed to think the honour of being taken equal to
canonisation. In the market-place men and women threw themselves into
groups and attitudes, set out their stalls to the best advantage, and
begged the favour of being made immortal.

But as the day wore on the crowd dispersed and disappeared, the
market-place grew empty, arcades lost their loungers; the afternoon
shadows lengthened; there were not so many sun-flashes in the air;
outlines mellowed as the sky behind them grew less dazzling; the river
lost some of its jewels.

We were gazing at the latter, at the wonderful outlines of the town
rising gradually upon its rock, crowned by that magnificent fortress
with its imposing and impressive tower, when a voice suddenly said
beside us: "We hope, senor, you have spent a happy day in Lerida and
seen the interior of the old cathedral--now nothing but a useless
barrack. The commandant suffers from dyspepsia and is capricious. No one
ever knows beforehand whether he will grant or withhold permission. It
entirely depends upon his digestion."

We turned and saw our Boot-cleaner in Ordinary standing meekly and
humbly beside us. Noting his fine face--it was really dignified in spite
of his office--his white hair, his nearly ninety years, we thought
humility should have been on our side.

"How is it that you, a Frenchman, come to be living on Spanish ground?"
we asked.

[Illustration: WINE-PRESSERS: LERIDA.]

"Ah, senor, thereby hangs a tale. If I am to give you my reason, I must
go back seventy years in my life, for it dates from that time. And that,
you see, will take us very nearly to the days of Waterloo. All my people
were respectable and well-to-do, some even distinguished: there was a
prosperous life before me. I was in the French army, serving my time. I
had been unfortunate and drawn a low number in conscription; besides
which, soldiers were wanted and few escaped. Napoleon in devastating
other countries had not spared his own. It was then I committed the one
great folly of my life, which has ever since been one of repentance. I
fell in love with a beautiful Norman girl of gentle blood and breeding;
so madly, so desperately, that I think for the time being I lost the
balance of