“That is your fault, John,” answered Death. “Men ought to be always prepared for my coming, and then I should never take them by surprise.”
[1] Hato, a portion of provisions taken out with them by shepherds when they have to be absent from home in the mountains for several days together. [↑]
[2] Simancas is situated at the confluence of the Douro and Pisuergo, not far from Valladolid. The archives of Spain were kept there for centuries, in a strong alcázar originally built by the Moors. [↑]
[3] An equivalent for our “Before you could say ‘Jack Robinson,’” though I have never been able to make out the derivation of either tilin or “Jack Robinson.” [↑]
[4] “Nothing goes right with the unlucky.” [↑]
[6] “May your worship live a thousand years!”—a common salutation, equivalent to “God grant you long life!” [↑]
[7] “More surely than the clock,” i.e., as irrevocably as time as we should say, “as sure as a gun.” [↑]
[8] There used to be several sinecure offices in Spain, the symbol of which was a silver key slung over the pocket-flap on the left side. [↑]