Five Nights

was a delight to me, and I felt how infinitely mo

the train she glanced over him, demurely enough, but with the eye of a connoisseur. The glorious beauty, however

d hardly tear my gaze, and this little almond-eyed doll sat in a lump on the seat opposite me yawning and fidgeting, or else r

go and play, if she wished, or buy oranges and pictures from the train-venders, do anything she liked, in

preciate, was mostly sulky and pettish through the day, regai

. Her extreme youth, her beauty, her joy in love, made her irresistible at such moments. And as I was young, at

imit. Beyond this

l sorts of subjects that interested us both, all this which I had had with Viola, and which filled so perfect

a part of his life as another man's delight in food o

hem enormously. One can easily imagine a gourmand being dissatisfie

s, the deep purple edges of the vast table-lands rising against the amber or the blood red evening skies, I longe

tall as that of an English hay-field, seemed touched with fire; far on every side stretched the open plain, absolutely level, bounded at last in

a pair of coyotes, distinct against the sunset behind them. Only these two were visible in all that great lonely plain, and they s

ith that scene, I thought regretfully

Iturbide and took a room high up on the third floor, to be

o us in this, at one time, palace, but when she saw that the bed was comfortable and ther

for it was dark in spite of the tall window which opened o

k red curtains and had a deep,

e, of which the lower part was often shop or restaurant, it presented somewhat the same heavy, gloomy appearance as the streets in Italian towns. The air was thick, dust-laden, and evil-smelling, for the City of Mexico, though at an elevation of

he delights of this new big city-as big as 'Frisco, she thought. And what gay hats the women wore! She saw them passing un

uld, watching h

She seemed to have bloomed into fairer

elped to this result, for a woman's beauty depends almost who

ive-which is the thing to do in Mexico at that hour; and to follow the custom of the

descriptions, from the poorest hired carriage to the most splendidly appointed barouche, into the Paseo, a wide, sweeping drive, lined ea

is great string of carriages drawn mostly by poor unhappy horses and filled with dressed-up women who s

ordinate degree perhaps accounts for their love of this hour between the lig

rtain, shifting glare across the road and serving to show the heavy dust through whic

t outside our window on the iron balcon

out over restaurants and shops. The latter were all open, having been closed through the middle of the day. Th

y open," I said. "I don't think any of

apped he

nice, Treevo

e in Chinatown. I went

ormance began at ten o'clock and continued till one

farce, well acted and

to be quite wide-awake all through it. Just be

the killi

I don't think there'll b

there is always very much killing; ev

aug

I whispered; "is that

e no

lays like that

heads were left on at the end. Suzee looked quite disappointed, and

in our room there was only time to drive out to the shops a

seems to desert them when brought amongst European manufactures and into the sphere of European tints. Suzee now chose an enormous white hat wreathed round with

rom the club. My heart sank as I saw there was none f

e embassy here, and he asked me to go and dine with him th

d up at

nner," I said to her; "do you think you ca

looked

l the evening without

id not," I

a woman you

" I answered a

ola's bright way of assenting to any possible su

nt from thi

k about me, I shall be quite happy

shed out

ill you be?

ten," I answered. "You must get accustomed to

ee sulkily. "All the same, I belie

strained myself and made no answer. She was so much of a child,

letters and occupied myself wi

or playing with my things and somewhat impeding me, as usual. She seemed

and coat to leave I bent

y will bring up your dinner here, and you can sit on the balcony and smoke

and promised not to leave

rown mind after being so long with a childish companion, and the time passed pleasantly enough. A quarter

words and, of course, caused infini

ke that!" he exclaimed. "I shall hear of your be

at. "Anyway, I must go now; thanks a

he shops were still open, and as I passed down the main street the brilliant d

n a dull evening for her. I went in and chose a necklet of Mexican opals. These, though not so lov

nglishman-often unfortunately misplaced-one finds in some distant countries, the shopman

n my pocket and went

all her faults she was a very attractive an

he joy it would give her, I ran up the stone stairs without

the threshold I heard the sound of laughter. The next moment I saw there we

ce, and the man put his arm round her and kiss her. Two or three steps carried me across the room an

waiter that had hitherto

impression, gathered in that first furious glance, was that he had brought up her dinner and she had invited him

ror and then crouched down

d of his iron stove-fitted basket in which he h

ked at her, with an immense sense of d

two, it seems," I said contemptuously,

were her invariable refu

was all alone, and I was sur

ly, "it would be a great deal better for you. I went to dine with a bachelor friend this evening, as I told you, a

ars dried

Treevor?" she said eagerly.

electric light flashed on the opals, and they blaz

nder and delight, and then sa

lined to give them to yo

let me have them. It w

t him. I coul

on her companion. "It's no use lying to me, Suzee, you found that out at Sitka. What I want to make clear to you is t

ked terro

what could I do?

You would not live

he answered, her eyes fixed on the jewels. "D

here I had laid it. Her avarice, her lack of any real deep

d the necklet up, case and all,

rtainly not have

ed jewels flash through the air and disappear in the darkne

ow and create a disturbance, I took her by t

indow and bolted

r to the doo

I said; "do not wait for m

d the door behind me, put

I felt angry, but the anger was not that deep fierce agony o

d repulsion that filled me, and, after a few minu

hat could I expect but lies and deceit and trickery and infidel

the position of Hop Lee, and as she had treated him so would she treat me. It was true she prof

had found her with a servant? Had she not come from

me enough. Doubtless he pr

our with painted butterflies such as Suzee are well enough, but for life together one must seek and find one's equal, one who sees with t

ght came with a pang of anguish

dark till I came to a large window on my right hand. This window overlooked a wide expanse of lead roof

ts luminous violet, the outlines of dome and minaret and spire, and far out beyond the crowded city's confines, the two incomparable mountains, Popocatepetl an

ng here and there as the light from the rising moon touched them, delicate spires, pointing upwards, tipped with silver light, low roof of the commoner's dwelling and pillared fa?ad

a grateful sense of relief and took my seat on a projecting ledge of one of the

o think of the past

stically. In the centre of this vast table-land, eight thousand feet above the sea, the blue waters rested

fished and made their nets and traded with each other, passing backwards and forwards in their tiny dug-outs-whole crafts made from a single hollo

red on the hardest, driest places, and step by step there grew to be a city. Then came the Spaniards in later days, with the flaming pomp of religion and the loathsome spirit of cruelty. They killed th

es, its exquisite tiled domes flashing in the sun, is the work of the S

s flood of silver light all over the city, sat thinking on the horror of m

he marshes round the city, and I went in

can porters in their thin white clothes, curled up on

elf upon it, and closed my eyes. The couch smelt musty and the room seemed cold, but I was accustomed

er, and never to allow the former one to come into our room again. Then I went upstairs to Suzee. As I

y say you forgive me. I was so frightened all last n

er contrition, jarred upon me. She would be good because she did not want t

, took her hand

y. "Only you must remember if such a thing occu

usion, and presently an old, grey-hair

aw the administrador had determine

ly amiable and do

lly; while a delicate nature like Viola's, that responds to love and gives devotion in return, would meet that same harshness with passionate

but I never knew what became of t

, to the torture and slaughter of their helpless companions in this world-the animals. Sunday, throughout Mexico, is the da

finally given in, a

nt aspects, to add to my knowledge of it whenever possible, and so I consented with a sense of repulsion within me. Suzee was in the wildest delight. She had talked to the waiter, it seemed,

oing to be killed or the unfortunate horses?" I a

looked

hink of tha

half of humanity-it does not thin

or a gaping crowd to laugh at, to be tortured to death for their Sunday diversion

d me with a f

she said

very, very sorry for the poor anim

rtly; "that is what the whole ci

to please me. How I hate being with a companion who automatically says what will please me! A servi

ht to deny or evade or resent the physical domination Nature has given the male over the female. But her mind had been always her

self to the rack or the flames rather than let

to be bought from her at any price whateve

agrees or disagrees from fear or lov

on and then, in a hire

de T

pression, Suzee, gaily dress

s are all alike in their love of butchery and blood. We reached the great ragged stretch of open ground, hideous and bare

a crowd of the poorer class about it, and men came c

e could drive no farther. And the moment we had alighted he turned his horses' heads and

-ring we had to pass by a circle of little buildings, low dens with small barred windows and closed doors. Blood was trickling from under som

e den. Between them lay outstretched the body of a horse, old and thin, worn to the last gasp in the cruel service of the streets. On its flank was a long

Sunday's bull-fight, and was being horribly patched up, terribly

s are brought out from the ring, their gaping wounds are plugged with straw, or a

athing of my kind, I passed o

e had been here, what would she have suffered? Of all women I had met, I had never known one who

ed through the wicket, and

would be if one's brain were not there to tell one of

rtain fascination, and the form that charms one in

with circle after circle, tier after tier of countless seats rising up

e low down, not much raised above the leve

yes. On the left of us was the President's box; opposite, the seats of the common pe

th handkerchiefs in their hands ready to wave, with brightly painted fans, they sat th

e, stony-hearted, stony-eyed, deaf to the dictates of mercy, of pity

life, the same heart-beats as our own! With whom, if we acted r

on the whole mass of dizzy circles, one above the oth

the arena as the President and his party arrived and took their places in their box

, the lavish colour, the loud, gay, strident music, the sea of faces a

w, almost solemn march, the toreadors filed slowly

various red, blue, and green velvet costumes fitting tightly their fine figures, with their gorgeous cloaks of red

unnel leading into darkness. From this came confused roarings and bellowings, and then with his head flung high and his great eyes starting with pain and rage from the goadings he had received, a glorious black Andalusian bull charged int

d him who had come to see him die. As he galloped round the ring, I saw that he was looking wildly, eagerly, for somewhere to escape. The animals have no innate savagery, as man has. They do not love in

th, had no wish to attack or kill; he bounded round and across the sandy space hoping to fin

and then slowly in triumphal procession the picadors,

on them; but, as a matter of fact, the bull never wishes to fight or attack any one, and does not, until his brutal captors absol

ith an equal fortune of war for both, there would be excitement in it. But in this case one sees an unwilling animal

d the ring and finding no chance of escape, had subsided into a quiet trot and when the pi

e noble, lustrous brown eyes looked out with benign and gentle dignity on the grea

e horses shrink from the awful fate awaiting them, and only by plungi

se, generally one that has been wounded in a previous combat, and that is absolutely naked of all protection from the b

orns of the bull, and the greater number of these helpless creatures he can get mangled and disembowe

way out." But when at last the picador, having spurred his flinching horse close up to the bull's side, jabbed at his glossy neck with his lance and the p

reams of "Coward! Coward!" went

al that scorns to take any notice of what it sees is a feeble and puny oppo

ew furious, and then began that tedious and utterly sickening c

arless, had all that chivalry which seems inherent in anima

picadors stabbed him with their lances and thrust their naked horses at his head, but his whole attitude and manner said plainly: "W

one of them, stung by the filthy abuse of the mob, drove his spurs so deep into his horse that the animal reared a little; the picador then, with spur and knee, almost lifte

nto the air a moment, then fell. There was a gush of blood on the sand, blood and entrails; with a groan it staggered quivering to i

screamed and stood up on their seats and w

ok off his cap and swept it to the ground. And the band crashed loudly to drown the terrible groaning of the dying horse, struggling in agony on the s

eeing all the women about her doing so,

d caught them and hel

won't have you clap s

t, divining my words, but she was too eager to see all the blood and the anguish in the a

cted them again, bulging with sat

y rider, and then, if completely ripped open, dragged dead or dying from the ring; if its wound was not large enough to cause instant death, stuff or straw was thrust into i

s at one side of the ring, I saw one of these horses, terribly wounded, with its l

; its glazed, anguished eyes gazed from side to side

raised his hand and struck it between the eyes.

he entertainment. The picadors had had their turn, the banderilleros were ready to appear, but the people were thoroughly enjoying themselves now and they stamped

gain. There is a limit to man's sway, the tortured life at last escapes him. The bodies were dragged away, more

l; there are five more bulls to be dispatched. They are more savage than this one. I m

nd rolled out fresh music. There was a thunder of drums and the bande

ho are gibing and gibbering at him in it. They came forward with their fresh weapons, shafts and arrows of iron decked up with coloure

peated rushes and repeated failures, the grand creature stands still, wearied and disdainful, his head erect, the blood flowing from his wounds in which the darts move, swaying to and fro each time he

ittle two-legged creature who struts in next with a sword, and who is greeted with plaudits and tri

nnui, of weary scorn of all this folly which he has possessed from the first. Dusty and blood-stained his glossy coat, bloodshot his great lustrous eyes. As he looks

ord approaches again. Amidst cheers from the onlookers he plunges his sword between the shoulders of the dying monarch and then rushes backwards. The great beast sways, shivers in mortal anguish for a moment, and then without a sound sinks, for the first time

t horns sinks forwards. A gush of blood from the nostrils on

great beast, obviously dead and harmless, and withdraws his sw

the attendants come in and draw away with some diff

interval of relaxation for the audience, to mo

" I said to Suzee

dy is going yet," she returned, having evidently followed in her o

I asked. "I think it is dull an

, I suppose; "but the music and the people are fun, I think. Do

inly shan't,

ay now, Treevor, j

a second the little door opposite opened and another bull

nd the shouts and clapping

s the sandy space and charged t

ring and stood together at one side, looking anxious, and s

that goes on in the dens behind the arena had been overdone apparently, for the bull, wild

that separates spectators from the rings, and landed bellowing in the corridor that ran round it just below our seats. It was full of onlookers drawn nearer than usual to the hoarding by t

pwards to the highest part of the ring, shrieks and screams on every sid

d have rushed after that seething mass behind us, if I

said; "the bull will do you less

ust beneath us in the emptied corridor stood the bull, snorting with lowered head, pawing the ground; in the ar

ground, made a terrific rush forwards, shattering the woodwork of the platform at our feet to atoms with his horns

to the seats on one side. It was not an instant too soon. The next, the bull rushed forwards and our seats were falling in splinters about his head. Along, sideways, over chair after chair, I slipped, dragging and supporting Suz

e seats deserted, below me ran the corridor leading to th

orts to destroy the wooden barriers in front of him, had turned back

meet us in the corridor before I could reach the exit. But his arc of the circle was a long one, mine to the e

nd, lifting Suzee into my arms,

I went through, out in

saw a carriage, with its driver asleep upon the box, close to th

I said; "drive us back

ip and reins and drove away full tilt before one of the stru

, but when she had opened her eyes she closed them again insta

bull; where is it now? It

are safe enough now, Suzee; you a

there I made her go to bed while I sat by her putting cold compresses on her head. She comp

night, and towards morning s

scene of the afternoon, and when it grew to be day I was hungering so for a companion to sp