depreciating it as the majority of travellers are in the habit of doing.
This appealed to _la brigadiera's_ sympathies. Don Alfonso spoke easily
and naturally, but without conceit; on the contrary, in the midst of his
talk, he would correct any idea that seemed at all pretentious, and was
evidently anxious to show that he had no wish whatever to make himself
out a remarkable man.

If he spoke of women, all had "given him the mitten"; if he spoke of
art, or gave his opinion about museums and singers, he protested that he
had little or no knowledge of painting or music; if by chance he was
obliged to refer to any quarrel in which he himself had taken part, he
passed over it lightly, and did not fail to have it understood that he
had done everything possible to avoid it, and at the same time he made
sport of the duel and of duelists.

As Don Alfonso had the reputation of being lucky in love affairs, and
many of his adventures had made considerable talk, as he played the
piano pretty well, and was accounted one of the crack marksmen of Paris,
and had fought more than a dozen duels, this modesty of his in
conversation was a refreshing contrast, sure of bringing success in
society. These accomplishments were rendered still more attractive by
the slight foreign accent which made his words all the more insinuating
and suave.

Julita listened to him, gazing at him with that intense and conjuring
look by which young girls in an instant analyze all a man's physical and
moral nature.

Her cousin made a very favorable showing as the result of the analysis;
she had no idea that he was such an amiable and attractive man; the
incidents of his life which she had heard before gave him the reputation
of being haughty and violent in character, if not even coarse and
shameless.

One evening in Seville he was engaged in playing ombre, and because he
was not very successful, he became so much excited that he said all
sorts of impudent things, and finally told the ladies present that he
was going to ride into the parlor on his nag. No one placed any credence
in what he said, and he went out without any one noticing it; but in a
few minutes he made his appearance on horseback, to the amazement and
terror of all, especially the ladies, who began to scream, while he,
striking the spurs into his horse, roared with laughter.

On another occasion, being deep in an intrigue with a young woman of the
middle class, he went in full dress to the