ress of the dinner, returned and threw
himself into a hammock a little within the doorway, crying out across
the street, "Trae la comida, muchacha." "Bring the dinner, girl." The
first course included a bowl of soup, a plate of rice, and three
spoons; rather an alarming intimation, but at the same time rather
grand, and much better than the alternative that sometimes happened, of
three plates and one spoon, or none at all; and all apprehension was
dissipated by the reappearance of the girl with another bowl and plate.
Don Juan himself followed with each hand full, and we had a bowl,
plate, and spoon apiece. The contents disposed of, another dish was
served, which, by counting the wings and legs, we ascertained to be the
substance of two fowls; and while attending to them, we were engaged in
the friendly office, which guests but rarely do for their host, of
calculating the expense he was incurring. We had too good an opinion of
Don Juans shrewdness to believe that he was making this lavish
expenditure in mere wantonness, and wondered what he could expect to
get out of us in return. We had hardly begun to speculate upon this
when, as if knowing what was passing in our minds, he called in his
wife, a respectable-looking elderly person, and disclosed another
design upon the Daguerreotype. At Nohcacab he had heard of portraits
being taken, and wanted one of his wife, and he was somewhat
disappointed, and, perhaps, went over the calculation we had just made,
when he learned that, as there were no subjects on which it could be
used to advantage we had determined not to open the apparatus.

But he did not let us off yet. His next attempt was upon Dr. Cabot, and
this, too, was in favour of his old wife. Taking her by the hand, he
led her before the doctor, and, with an earnestness that gave dignity
to his scanty wearing apparel, and ought to have found its way to the
depths of medical science, explained the nature of her maladies. It was
really a delicate case, and made more so by the length of time that had
elapsed since marriage. No such case had ever occurred in my practice,
and even Doctor Cabot was at a loss.

While the matter was under discussion several men came in. No doubt
they had all received a hint to drop in at that hour. One had an
asthma, another a swelling, and there were so many of Don Juan's
friends afflicted that we made an abrupt retreat.

In the evening Don Juan's brother, the alcalde, called upon Dr. Cabo