His doctor's diploma had prepared the way for
their union, and nothing more was wanting but the dispensation of
the Pope, on account of their consanguinity. Then, if he could get the
post of Medico of the fortress, his happiness would be complete! I
congratulated him on the judgment and good taste he had shown in his
choice of a helpmate, invoked all possible felicity on their union,
and trusted that the abundant affections of the kind-hearted little
Dolores would in time have more stable objects to occupy them than
recreant cats and truant pigeons.
It was indeed a sorrowful parting when I took leave of these good
people and saw them slowly descend the hills, now and then turning
round to wave me a last adieu. Manuel, it is true, had cheerful
prospects to console him, but poor Mateo seemed perfectly cast down.
It was to him a grievous fall from the station of prime minister and
historiographer, to his old brown cloak and his starveling mystery
of ribbon-weaving; and the poor devil, notwithstanding his
occasional officiousness, had, somehow or other, acquired a stronger
hold on my sympathies than I was aware of. It would have really been a
consolation in parting, could I have anticipated the good fortune in
store for him, and to which I had contributed; for the importance I
had appeared to give to his tales and gossip and local knowledge,
and the frequent companionship in which I had indulged him in the
course of my strolls, had elevated his idea of his own
qualifications and opened a new career to him; and the son of the
Alhambra has since become its regular and well-paid cicerone, insomuch
that I am told he has never been obliged to resume the ragged old
brown cloak in which I first found him.
Pages:
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463