l-footed
_Guadalaxarenas_--not of old Spain, but of the rich Mexican province
Guadalaxara. _He_ had been quartered there.

So ran the talk--rough and ribald--upon that delicate theme--woman. The
presence of the trio of churchmen was no restraint. On the contrary,
both padres and cura boasted of their _liaisons_ with as much bawd and
brass as the others, for padres and cura were both as depraved as any of
their dining companions. Any little reserve either might have shown
upon ordinary occasions had disappeared after a few cups of wine; and
none of them feared the company, which, on its part, stood as little in
awe of them. The affectation of sanctity and self-denial was meant only
for the simple poblanos and the simpler peons of the settlement. At the
dinner-table it was occasionally assumed by one or the other, but only
by way of joke,--to give point and piquancy to the relation of some
adventure. In the midst of the conversation, which had grown somewhat
general and confused, a name was pronounced which produced a momentary
silence. That name was "Carlos the cibolero."

At the mention of this name several countenances changed expression.
Roblado was seen to frown; on Vizcarra's face were portrayed mixed
emotions; and both padres and cura seemed to know the name unfavourably.

It was the beau Echevarria who had mentioned it.

"'Pon the honour of a cavallero! the most impudent thing I ever
witnessed in all my life, even in republican Paris! A fellow,--a demned
trader in hides and tasajo--in short, a butcher of demned buffaloes to
aspire--_Parbleu_!"

Echevarria, though talking Spanish, always swore in French. It was more
polite.

"Most insolent--intolerable!" cried several voices.

"I don't think the lady seemed over angry withal," remarked a blunt
young fellow, who sat near the lower end of the table.

A chorus of voices expressed dissent from this opinion. Roblado's was
the loudest.

"Don Ramon Diaz," said he, addressing himself to the young fellow, "you
certainly could not have observed very carefully on that occasion. I
who was beside the lady know that she was filled with disgust--" (this
was a lie, and Roblado knew it), "and her father--"

"Oh, her _father_, yes!" cried Don Ramon, laughing. "Any one could see
that _he_ was angry--that was natural enough. Ha! ha!"

"But who is the fellow?" inquired one.

"A splendid rider," replied Don Ramon. "The Comandante will admit
that." And the