Besides, as your excellency well knows, a soldier
is never very particular about the faith of his company, and
soldiers of all countries are comrades on peaceable ground."
The governor again nodded assent.
"Well, as I was saying, I invited him to share my supper, such as it
was, for I could not do less in common hospitality. 'I have no time to
pause for meat or drink,' said he, 'I have a long journey to make
before morning.'
"'In which direction?' said I.
"'Andalusia,' said he.
"'Exactly my route,' said I, 'so, as you won't stop and eat with me,
perhaps you will let me mount and ride with you. I see your horse is
of a powerful frame, I'll warrant he'll carry double.'
"'Agreed,' said the trooper; and it would not have been civil and
soldier-like to refuse, especially as I had offered to share my supper
with him. So up he mounted, and up I mounted behind him.
"'Hold fast,' said he, 'my steed goes like the wind.'
"'Never fear me,' said I, and so off we set.
"From a walk the horse soon passed to a trot, from a trot to a
gallop, and from a gallop to a harum-scarum scamper. It seemed as if
rocks, trees, houses, every thing, flew hurry-scurry behind us.
"'What town is this?' said I.
"'Segovia,' said he; and before the word was out of his mouth, the
towers of Segovia were out of sight. We swept up the Guadarama
mountains, and down by the Escurial; and we skirted the walls of
Madrid, and we scoured away across the plains of La Mancha.
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