“Ah!” said the Padre, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, “you are very kind. I totally forgot what I had just told you—that, with the exception of the wine, I had sent off all our stores to Vittoria.—Oh no! I mistake! Three dozen Lamego hams! Beautiful!—delicate! The choicest rarity in these parts! Oh, my Lamego hams! To think that the poor provision for my self-denying, self-mortifying, exemplary brethren should go to feed those hounds of Frenchmen!”
“Never mind,” I replied, still striving to tranquillise his agitated feelings; “should the worst come to the worst, we’ll have them out of that long before they finish your hams. But not to lose time, suppose I just step forward, and try the effects of a parley.”
CHAPTER XVI.
On approaching the house, which had now become a place d’armes, I saw no one stirring. Every shutter was closed. It was a square low building, as old as the Moors, flat-roofed, solidly built of stone. Its little windows were high above the level of the ground. As I drew nigh, I remarked that the large massive door, which usually stood open all day, was, as well as the shutters, closed. Spanish-fashion, I took the liberty of kicking at the said door, in the absence of any such superfluities as bell or knocker. A voice responded over my head, “Quien es?” (Who is it?)
I looked up. At the window above, already indicated by Francisco’s narrative, with an awfully damaged peeper, stood M. le Tisanier. He bowed politely.
“Ah!” said he. “So you have returned from your reconnaissance. Any intelligence of the French column? What sport to-day?”
Not choosing to answer the former of these inquiries, I addressed myself to the latter. “Very poor indeed. Only a brace and a half of birds, and a couple of hares. The Padre, though, has brought home a fox. Dinner ready?”
He. “Your dinner? Oh, yes, that was ready some hours ago. It awaits you at the Alcalde’s—hope you’ll enjoy it. It will merely require warming.”
I. “Shall we not, then, have the pleasure of your company?”
He. “To tell you the truth, I have made up my mind to remain where I am. The villagers, as you perceive, have maltreated me; so the idea occurred to me, my best plan would be to fortify the house.”