It happened that the water of Verdolay was not very nice for drinking purposes, being full of minerals and salts, while that of La Luz was delicious. A poor woman, who did charing jobs for the farmer above-mentioned, was delighted to be allowed to carry us heavy cantaros full of La Luz water, a mile and a half, for the pay of fivepence a cantaro. One day after the sketch was finished she came in with a look of importance on her face.
"My Señora," she said, "is enamoured of the little painting which you have done of her house and farm. She wishes to buy the sketch."
I had had some experience of Spanish prices, so I said:
"These paintings are made to exhibit in England. It is of no use to tell you the price, because English prices and Spanish prices are different."
"But, Señora," said the woman, "my masters are very rich, excessively rich. They will pay any price that you like to ask."
But I suspected her protestations. The sketch was one of the best I had done in Spain. I was not very eager to part with it. But owing to her entreaties, against my better judgment, fixing a low price because of Spain, I said at last:
"Two hundred pesetas."[15]
Her mouth dropped open. For a moment she remained speechless with amazement. Then hastily crossing herself she gasped out:
"Madre Maria Sanctissima!"