John Bull on the Guadalquivir.docx
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John Bull on the Guadalquivir.docx
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JohnBullontheGuadalquivir
JohnBullontheGuadalquivirbyAnthonyTrollopeIamanEnglishman,living,asallEnglishmanshoulddo,inEngland,andmywifewouldnot,Ithink,bewellpleasedwereanyonetoinsinuatethatshewereotherthananEnglishwoman;butinthecircumstancesofmymarriageIbecameconnectedwiththesouthofSpain,andthenarrativewhichIamtotellrequiresthatIshouldrefertosomeofthosedetails.
ThePomfretsandDaguilarshavelongbeenintradetogetherinthiscountry,andoneofthepartnershasusuallyresidedatSevilleforthesakeoftheworkswhichthefirmtherepossesses.Myfather,JamesPomfret,livedtherefortenyearsbeforehismarriage;andsincethatanduptothepresentperiod,oldMr.Daguilarhasalwaysbeenonthespot.Hewas,Ibelieve,borninSpain,buthecameveryearlytoEngland;hemarriedanEnglishwife,andhissonshadbeeneducatedexclusivelyinEngland.Hisonlydaughter,MariaDaguilar,didnotpasssolargeaproportionofherearlylifeinthiscountry,butshecametousforavisitattheageofseventeen,andwhenshereturnedImadeupmymindthatImostassuredlywouldgoafterher.
SoIdid,andsheisnowsittingontheothersideofthefireplacewithalegionofsmalllinenhabilimentsinahugebasketbyherside.
Ifelt,atthefirst,thattherewassomethinglackingtomakemycupofloveperfectlydelightful.Itwasverysweet,buttherewaswantingthatflowerofromancewhichisgenerallyaddedtotheheavenlydraughtbyaslightadmixtureofopposition.Ifearedthatthepathofmytruelovewouldruntoosmooth.WhenMariacametoourhouse,mymotherandeldersisterseemedtobequitewillingthatIshouldbecontinuallyalonewithher;andshehadnotbeentheretendaysbeforemyfather,bychance,remarkedthattherewasnothingoldMr.Daguilarvaluedsohighlyasathoroughfeelingofintimatealliancebetweenthetwofamilieswhichhadbeensolongconnectedintrade.IwasnevertoldthatMariawastobemywife,butIfeltthatthesamethingwasdonewithoutwords;andwhen,aftersixweeksofsomewhatelaborateattendanceuponher,IaskedhertobeMrs.
JohnPomfret,Ihadnomorefearofarefusal,orevenofhesitationonherpart,thanInowhavewhenIsuggesttomypartnersomecommercialtransactionofundoubtedadvantage.
ButMaria,evenatthatage,hadaboutheraquietsustaineddecisionofcharacterquiteunlikeanythingIhadseeninEnglishgirls.Iusedtohear,anddostillhear,howmuchmoreflippantistheeducationofgirlsinFranceandSpainthaninEngland;andIknowthatthisisshowntobetheresultofmanycauses--theRomanCatholicreligionbeing,perhaps,chiefoffender;but,nevertheless,Irarelyseeinoneofourownyoungwomenthesamepowerofaself-sustaineddemeanourasImeetontheContinent.Itgoesnodeeperthanthedemeanour,peoplesay.IcanonlyanswerthatIhavenotfoundthatshallownessinmyownwife.
MissDaguilarrepliedtomethatshewasnotpreparedwithananswer;shehadonlyknownmesixweeks,andwantedmoretimetothinkaboutit;besides,therewasoneinherowncountrywithwhomshewouldwishtoconsult.Iknewshehadnomother;andasforconsultingoldMr.Daguilaronsuchasubject,thatidea,Iknew,couldnothavetroubledher.Besides,asIafterwardslearned,Mr.Daguilarhadalreadyproposedthemarriagetohispartnerexactlyashewouldhaveproposedadivisionofassets.MymotherdeclaredthatMariawasafoolishchit--inwhichby-the-byesheshowedherentireignoranceofMissDaguilar'scharacter;myeldestsisterbeggedthatnoconstraintmightheputontheyounglady'sinclinations--whichprovokedmetoassertthattheyounglady'sinclinationswerebynomeansopposedtomyown;andmyfather,inthecoolestmannersuggestedthatthemattermightstandoverfortwelvemonths,andthatImightthengotoSeville,andseeaboutit!
Standoverfortwelvemonths!
WouldnotMaria,longbeforethattime,havebeensnappedupandcarriedoffbyoneofthoseinordinatelyrichSpanishgrandeeswhoarestilltobemetwithoccasionallyinAndalucia?
Myfather'sdictum,however,hadgoneforth;andMaria,inthecalmestvoice,protestedthatshethoughtitverywise.Ishouldbelessofaboybythattime,shesaid,smilingonme,butdrivingwedgesbetweeneveryfibreofmybodyasshespoke."Beitso,"Isaid,proudly."Atanyrate,IamnotsomuchofaboythatIshallforgetyou.""And,John,youstillhavethetradetolearn,"sheadded,withherdeliciouslyforeignintonation--speakingveryslowly,butwithperfectpronunciation.Thetradetolearn!
However,Isaidnotaword,butstalkedoutoftheroom,meaningtoseehernomorebeforeshewent.ButIcouldnotresistattendingonherinthehallasshestarted;and,whenshetookleaveofus,sheputherfaceuptobekissedbyme,asshedidbymyfather,andseemedtoreceiveasmuchemotionfromoneembraceasfromtheother."He'llgooutbythepacketofthe1stApril,"saidmyfather,speakingofmeasthoughIwereabaleofgoods."Ah!
thatwillbesonice,"saidMaria,settlingherdressinthecarriage;"theorangeswillberipeforhimthen!
"Onthe17thAprilIdidsail,andfeltstillverylikeabaleofgoods.Ihadreceivedoneletterfromher,inwhichshemerelystatedthatherpapawouldhavearoomreadyformeonmyarrival;and,inanswertothat,Ihadsentanepistlesomewhatlonger,and,asIthenthought,alittlemoretothepurpose.Herturnofmindwasmorepracticalthanmine,andImustconfessmybeliefthatshedidnotappreciatemypoetry.
IlandedatCadiz,andwastherejoinedbyanoldfamilyfriend,oneoftheverybestfellowsthateverlived.HewastoaccompanymeupasfarasSeville;and,ashehadlivedforayearortwoatXeres,wassupposedtobemoreSpanishalmostthanaSpaniard.HisnamewasJohnson,andhewasinthewinetrade;andwhetherfortravellingorwhetherforstayingathome--whetherforpayingyouavisitinyourownhouse,orwhetherforentertainingyouinhis--thereneverwas(andIampreparedtomaintainthereneverwillbe)astancherfriend,choicercompanion,orasaferguidethanThomasJohnson.
Wordscannotproduceaeulogiumsufficientforhismerits.But,asIhavesincelearned,hewasnotquitesoSpanishasIhadimagined.
ThreeyearsamongthebodegasofXereshadtaughthim,nodoubt,toappreciatetheexacttwangofagood,drysherry;butnot,asInowconceive,theexactestflavourofthetrueSpanishcharacter.Iwasverylucky,however,inmeetingsuchafriend,andnowreckonhimasoneofthestanchestalliesofthehouseofPomfret,Daguilar,andPomfret.
HemetmeatCadiz,tookmeaboutthetown,whichappearedtometobeofnoverygreatinterest;--thoughtheyoungladieswereallverywell.But,inthisrespect,IwasthenaStoic,tillsuchtimeasImightbeabletothrowmyselfatthefeetofherwhomIwasreadytoproclaimthemostlovelyofalltheDulcineasofAndalucia.HecarriedmeupbyboatandrailwaytoXeres;gavemeamostterrificheadache,bydraggingmeoutintotheglareofthesun,afterIhadtastedsomehalfadozendifferentwines,andwentthroughalltheordinaryhospitalities.OnthenextdaywereturnedtoPuerto,andfromthencegettingacrosstoSt.LucarandBonanza,foundourselvesonthebanksoftheGuadalquivir,andtookourplacesintheboatforSeville.Ineedsaybutlittletomyreadersrespectingthatfar-famedriver.ThirtyyearsagoweinEnglandgenerallybelievedthatonitsbankswastobefoundapureelysiumofpastoralbeauty;thatpicturesqueshepherdsandlovelymaidensherefedtheirflocksinfieldsofasphodel;thatthelimpidstreamrancoolandcrystaloverbrightstonesandbeneathperennialshade;andthateverythingontheGuadalquivirwasaslovelyandaspoeticalasitsname.Now,itisprettywidelyknownthatnouglierriveroozesdowntoitsbournintheseathroughunwholesomebanksoflowmud.Itisbrownanddirty;ungiftedbyanyscenicadvantage;marginedformilesuponmilesbyhuge,flat,expansivefields,inwhichcattlearereared,--thebullswantedforthebullfightsamongother;andbirdsofpreysitconstantontheshore,watchingforthecarcasesofsuchasdie.
SucharethecharmsofthegoldenGuadalquivir.
Atfirstwewereverydullonboardthatsteamer.Ineverfoundmyselfinapositioninwhichtherewaslesstodo.Therewasanastysmellaboutthelittleboatwhichmademealmostill;everyturnintheriverwassoexactlylikethelast,thatwemighthavebeenstandingstill;therewasnoamusementexcepteating,andthat,whenoncedone,wasnotofakindtomakeanearlyrepetitiondesirable.EvenJohnsonwasbecomingdull,andIbegantodoubtwhetherIwassodesirousasIoncehadbeentotravelthelengthandbreadthofallSpain.Butaboutnoonalittleincidentoccurredwhichdidforatimeremovesomeofourtedium.Theboathadstoppedtotakeinpassengersontheriver;and,amongothers,amanhadcomeonboarddressedinafashionthat,tomyeyes,wasequallystrangeandpicturesque.Indeed,hisappearancewassosingular,thatIcouldnotbutregardhimwithcare,thoughIfeltatfirstaversetostareatafellow-passengeronaccountofhisclothes.Hewasamanofaboutfifty,butasactiveapparentlyasthoughnotmorethantwentyfive;hewasoflowstature,butofadmirablemake;hishairwasjustbecominggrizzled,butwasshortandcrispandwellcaredfor;hisfacewasprepossessing,havingalookofgoodhumouraddedtocourtesy,andtherewasapleasant,softsmileroundhismouthwhichingratiatedoneatthefirstsight.Butitwashisdressratherthanhispersonwhichattractedattention.HeworetheordinaryAndaluciancap--ofwhichsuchhideouspar
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