they do, until she could do this with perfect ease and
sureness. In this habit the Don, who was mightily pleased with her
looks, took her to the house of his friend and employer, Sidi ben Ahmed,
where she ingratiated herself so greatly with the women of his household
that they would have her come to them again the next day, and after that
the next,--indeed, thenceforth she spent far more of her time with these
new friends than with us. And here, from the necessity of making herself
understood, together with an excellent memory and a natural aptitude,
she learned to speak the Moorish tongue in a marvellously short space of
time. Dawson and I were frequently asked to accompany Moll, and we went
twice to this house, which, though nothing at all to look at outside,
was very magnificently furnished within, and the entertainment most
noble. But Lord! 'twas the most tedious, wearisome business for us, who
could make out never a word of the civil speeches offered us without the
aid of Don Sanchez and Moll, and then could think of no witty response,
but could only sit there grinning like Gog and Magog. Still, it gave us
vast pleasure to see how Moll carried herself with this company, talking
as freely as they, yet holding herself with the dignity of an equal, and
delighting all by her vivacity and sly, pretty ways.

[Illustration: "SHE PRACTISED DAY AFTER DAY BY CARRYING A PITCHER OF
WATER ON HER HEAD."]

I think no country in Europe can be richer than this Elche in fruits and
vegetation, more beautiful in its surrounding aspects of plain and
mountain, more blessed with constant, glorious sunlight; and the effect
of these charms upon the quick, receptive spirit of our Molly was like a
gentle May upon a nightingale, so that the days were all too short for
her enjoyment, and she must need vent her happiness in song; but on us
they made no more impression than on two owls in a tower, nay, if
anything they did add to that weariness which arose from our lack of
occupation. For here was no contrast in our lives, one day being as like
another as two peas in a pod, and having no sort of adversities to give
savour to our ease, we found existence the most flat, insipid, dull
thing possible. I remember how, on Christmas day, Dawson did cry out
against the warm sunshine as a thing contrary to nature, wishing he
might stand up to his knees in snow in a whistling wind, and taking up
the crock Moll had filled with roses (which here bloom more