"Oh, señor, I wish you were going to stay a week," he cried. "I did hope you would be here for at least four days."
"The fates forbid!"—horrified at the bare thought. "A week here in such weather would make one desperate, Sebastien. Remember that we have no fair Anita to turn all our thistles to roses, dull streets into a paradise."
Sebastien sighed. "To-morrow the sun will shine, señor. You would not know Manresa again under a blue sky."
"But our poet friend declares the rainy season has begun. This deluge is to last many days, if not weeks, Sebastien."
"It is a mistake," said Sebastien. "We have no rainy season. You will see that to-morrow there will be no rain, no clouds. Then if you had stayed, I am sure you would have spoken to the padrone for me, and got him to promote me to the dining-room. And then we could have been married."
Sebastien, like everyone else, was building his castles and dreaming his dreams; and it certainly caused us a slight regret that we could not help to lay them on a solid foundation. All we could do was to give him our best wishes, and tell him that if sufficiently earnest and persevering he would certainly gain the desire of his heart. It only depended on himself.
This prophecy seemed to inspire him with hope and courage; and our last reminiscence of Manresa was that of a young man, strong, handsome, fresh coloured, standing hat in hand on the platform, and begging us "with tears in his voice" to stay at least two days in Manresa the next time we passed that way and formally petition the landlord in a deputation of one for his promotion.[B]
CHAPTER XIX.
LERIDA.
Picturesque country—Approaching Lerida—Rambling inn—Remarkable duenna—Toothless and voiceless—Smiles upon H. C.—Nearly expires—Civilised chef—A procession—Lerida Dragon—City of the dead—Night study—Charging dead walls—A night encounter—Armed demon—Wise people—Watchman proves an old friend—No promotion—Locked out—Rousing the echoes—Night porter appears on the scene—Also El Sereno—Apologetic and repentant—The charming Rose—Porter congratulates himself—Cloudless morning—H. C. confronted by the Dragon—In the hands of the Philistines—A Lerida fine art—Boot-cleaner in Ordinary—Remarkable character—H. C. hilarious—Steals a march.
NO sooner had we left Manresa than the rain ceased, and though the sky remained grey, the clouds lifted.