Blood and Sand

round, Gallardo gave his

walked in the procession of the parish of San Lorenzo, wearing the long bla

the high road to fortune he had entered it, avoiding the popular brother

he night of Holy Thursday, as the clock of San Lorenzo struck the second stroke of two in the morning, the church doors would be suddenly opened, so

through the black mask, advanced slowly two by two, each holding a large wax taper i

ey called[Pg 248] "Nazarenos," with deepest interest, for some of these mysterious masks might

gilance, which enabled these impious tipplers to place themselves alongside of the silent brothers, and whisper atrocious insults against their unknown persons, or their equally unknown families. The Nazarene suffered in silence, swallowing the insults, offering them as a sacrifice to the "L

hooded figures, who turned facing each other, resting their large tapers on their feet, looking at the crowd through the mysterious slit of the mask. Above the pointed hoods floated the banners of the brotherh

g porters. At each of the four corners hung groups of lanthorns and golden angels, and in the centre stood Jesus, crowned with thorns and bending under the weight of His cross; a tragical, dolorous, blood-stai

Great Power drew sighs and g

fixing their hypnotised eyes on the fi

, the devotion of this Andalusian people, which confides all its thou

ure," and the artist Monta?es, a companion of the artists of the golden age, who had carved it. The hooded brothers listened motionless, till the conductor of the paso, thinking the pause had been long enough, struck a

in the surrounding lights. The train of her mantle, which was several yards long, hung down behind the paso, being puffed out by a frame-work of woo

hands. Old barefooted women in mantillas, girls wearing the white clothes which were to have served them as shrouds, women who walked painfully, as if they were

open. With their lighted tapers they wound through the gigantic naves, bringing out of the darkness the immense pillars hung with velvet trimmed with gold, but their light was unable to disperse th

was a very serious thing! One might laugh at the other pasos for their disorder and want of devotion. But

e Lord of Great Power, to go out with the brotherhood of

owed it to the Virgin, who had saved him after his last "cogida

lefolk, but you ought to think that the poor have always loved you, and th

ourse with wealthy people, and his desertion of those who had been his first admirers. Gallardo wished therefor to take advantage of every means of flattering those whose applause he wanted. A few days before the proc

la Macarena this year," said the gossips as they spoke of the torero's intention. "The Se?ora Angustias will cover the paso

r on her ears those diamond ear-rings which the espada had bought for Carmen in Madrid, which had cost the proceeds of many corridas. On her breast she wo

often, speaking of the Virgin. "Se?o Juan intends t

was born, besides his poor father had never failed to walk in the procession as an armed man. It was an honour of which the family was proud, and had his own

t the same time he dreaded the news spreading about the town. He believed in the Virgin, and he wished to stand well with her, in view of

recognize me," said he. "All the same,

of a few wax[Pg 253] tapers hung on to the pillars, just sufficient for the crowd not to be obliged to feel their way. All the people of better so

was sung in this atmosphere of gloom and mystery. It was a gay and graceful Andalusian Miserere like the fluttering of doves' wings, with tender romances like l

usalem!" were lost in the vaults, the crowd dispersed, much preferring the liveliness of the streets, as gay as

r youthful days. Ay! her poor dear husband! who on that night would don his bellicose array, and shouldering his lance, would leave the house, not to

ade[Pg 254] for him, and above this the high pointed hood of green velvet, which fell over his shoulders and face like a mask, and hung down in front like a chasuble as far as his knees. On one side of the breast the coat of arms of the brotherhood was delica

ets' metal chin strap, wearing wine-coloured tunics, flesh-coloured cotton stockings and high sandals, round their waists was fastened the Roman sword, and over their shoulders, like

ered sword in hand at the head of this tr

k. "No one will pay any attention to me. This

that morning from Paris, faithful to his military di

with a Russian prince, and the Parisian papers for days were full of the despair "of that brave officer of the Spanish army," who intended to avenge his honour by shooting the fugitives. In a theatre on the boulevards a piece had been hastily mounted, on the "Flight of the Gipsy," with dances of toreros, choruses of friars, and other scenes of faithful local colouring. El Chivo soon compromised wi

ear his absence from Seville, so he took farewell of his daug

observe propriety and decency.... My company is waiting

nd grandfather, who had been captains of the Jews of la Macarena, and that

hose brilliant steel reflected all the light of the procession. It was the fantastic magnificence of a red skin; a princely dress, of which a drunken Auracanian might have dreamt. The women fingered the velvet kilt, admiring its embroideries of nails, hammers, thorns, in fact all the attributes of the Passion. His boots seemed trembling at every step

pride and fixing his eyes on t

ave the ranks! ... observ

ere many taverns, and before their doors stood boon companions, their hats well back, and their waistcoat

mber-coloured wine. The Captain endeavoured to conceal his inward perturbation, turning his eyes away,

ruptible centurion drew back, presenting the point of his sword. Duty was duty. This year at all[Pg 257] events it shou

le wine would not destroy discipline; so he accepted a glass, and then another, and soon the company were mov

twelve at night, and la Macarena would not have to return home till twelve the following day; i

sorrowful Jesus, ready to march to execution, in a tunic of violet velvet with resplendent embroideries, and three golden rays, representing the three Persons of the Trinity, appearing above His crown of thorns. But this paso in

ch swayed with every step of the concealed carriers, a deafening acclamation rose from the populace

usands! She seemed covered with shining rain drops, flaming with every colour of the rainbow. From her neck hung rows of pearls, gold chains on which hundreds of rings were strung, and all the front of her dress was plated with gold watches, pendents of emeralds and brilliants, and ear-rings as large as pebbles. All the devotees lent their jewels for the Santisima Macarena to wear on her progress, and

ps through a slit in their masks, and a heart-rending funereal trumpeting broke the silence. But this horrifying roar woke no echo in the hearts of the people, the soft Spring night with its perfume of orange flowers was too sweet and smiling; in vain

g

ch would last till dawn; young men with their black curls flattened over their ears flourishing sticks as if some one intended to insult la Macarena, and their strong arms would be requ

as long. In many cases the Virgin was stopped so that people could look at her at t

he road towards the

irst singer in the world who want

scured the clearness of the words. Before he had half ended his slow ditty another voice would begin, and then another, as if a musical contest were established; some sang like birds, others were hoarse like brok

ixing with the deafening instruments, but no[Pg 260] one ever got confused, each one sang straight through his s

orns. He was bending beneath the weight of a heavy cross twice as high as himself, and when th

what holy fervour he fulfilled his penance. All in the suburb remembe

compliments. Olé! the beautiful Macarena! He loved her more than his sweetheart! In order to display his devotion he wished to throw at her feet what he held in his hand, thinking that it was his hat, but unfortunately it was a glass which smashed itself on the Virgin's face.... He was carried off weeping to prison. He did love la Macarena just as if she were his mother! It

g

became bruised by the sorrowful burden. His comrades pitied him, and offered him glasses of wine, not by way o

n, taking her as witness of his martyrdom. Never mind, he would drink wel

occupying la Campana, and so gaining possession of the entrance to the Calle de las Sierpes,[100] before any other brotherhood could present itself. Once the vanguard were in possession of this point they could wait quietly for hou

arest chemist's shop. Meanwhile Captain Chivo had executed his great strategic movement, occupying la Campana up to the entrance of the Call

to house, all the cafés and shops were illuminated, heads filled every window, and crowds of people sat on the rows of chairs pl

ld ladies of regular habits waited now till

rinks and sweets had established themselves, and many families, who only came out on great holidays, had been there since two o'clock on the previous afternoon, waiting to watch the endless passing of Virgins of bewildering magnificence, whose velvet

sos by name to the foreigners who had come to see this

ey, of Our Father Jesus of the Three Falls, of Our Lady of Tears, of the Lord of a Holy Death, of Our[Pg 263] Lady of the Three Necessities, and all these images were

osite the boxes raised in front of the Palace of the Ayuntamiento, the pasos gave a half turn, so that the images might face the seats

ring, half naked, purple with fatigue, with kerchiefs tied round their heads and the look of exhausted savages. These were the Gallicians,[101] the strong porters, for any of t

ct procession accompanied by bands of music. The drums redoubled their beating, the trumpets roared furiously, all the tumultuou

f the brotherhood-"Retrograde superstition!"... But all the same, he came[Pg 264] e

s magnificent stature, and the elegance wi

so stop. Here are some foreign lad

oscillations, throwing the surrounding people against the walls. The Virgin, with all her load of jewels, flowers, lanthorns, and even the heavy canopy danced up and down to the sound of the music. This was a spectacle which required immense practise, and of which the Macarenos were e

g the streets. When the sun rose it found them at the extreme opposite end of Seville from their own p

the procession took their morning draft in the adjacent taverns, s

65] a defeat. The Captain walked with a sad stagger, his feathery plumes hanging down limp over his livid face

art of the fiesta was by far the most trying, till the Macarena returned to her church about mid-day. The people who got up fresh after a good night's sleep laughed at the hooded brothers, who looked r

complished his duties towards the Virgin. On Easter Sunday there was a corrida, the first since his accident. Cursed profession!

sits of enthusiastic amateurs who had come to Seville for the Holy

'aficion' has its eyes on you! Ho

w quite as strong as before his "cogida." The only thing that reminded him of his accident when he[Pg 266] wa

ardo, with feigned modesty. "I hop

ened with the blin

ngel!... You will put all

corrida for a moment, spoke about a

he head almost blown to pieces, apparently by a point blank shot. It was impossible to recogn

while he was in danger, Plumitas had called at the farm to enquire about him. Afterwards, while he was staying there himself, on several occasions his she

ds had not killed him. He had been murdered during his sleep; probably he had bee

n did her best to be calm and help Garabato to dress his [Pg 267]master, and Se?ora Angustias

tears. She did not utter a word, but her noisy sighs revealed her thoughts. He was going to fight for the first time since his accident, and in the same Plaza where it had h

interfered in his cap

a corrida like any other. The best they could do was to leave Juan in peace, a

accident, love had revived, and they lived quietly together, she could not believe that any accident would occur to disturb them. That

luck t

f little ragamuffins, delighted at the sight of the torero's golden clothes. But when the poor wom

g

t was too bad to have his functions as a good citizen, interrupted by this corrida, preventing him carrying off several friends to the voting urn, who would not go unless he took them. Don Joselito had been imprisoned, with other friends, on account of hi

people, apparently shouting seditiously and waving their sticks. The police

lf out of the carriage. Ah! At last! The moment has

, half angry, seized him and

an! You only see revolution

to obtain tickets for the corrida at the office in la Campana were trying to take it by stor

All the want of knowing

eted the procession of the cuadrilla. All the applause was for Gallardo. The public welcomed his reap

r opera-glasses. He was applauded and acclaimed on the sunny side, just as much as on the shady side. Even his enemies seemed influenced by this

!" Nobody heard a word, but they all yelled enthusiastically. The applause followed hi

zzle. In the silence of the Plaza there was a movement of surprise, but no one uttered a word. Several times Gallardo stamped on the ground to excite the beast, who at

w steps further back another peon, but he did n

arp discussions. Even the torero's fri

g

. He ought not to fight. T

st was restless, bewildered by the red cloths, and as soon as it ch

disagreeable situation, squared himself with

third of its length trembled, ready to fly out. Gallardo had slipped out from

the enthusiasts, clapping as hard as they could, so

ng. They had seen him instinctively shorten his arm at the moment of striking the bull with the rapier, and they

ed by his peons. El Nacional's cape was constantly spread close to him to distract the beast, and the

fortunate than the first, as more th

y began to shout from the ben

g

behind him, that the bull had had enough and might fall at any moment. But the

n order that the sword should fix itself in firmer, and his heavy blows with the cape were to drive it in deeper. They called him a thief, abusing his mother and other relations, threatening sticks were flourished on the sunny side, and a shower of bottles,

s head high as if he intended to rise again and attack. The puntillero came up anxious to finish him as quickly as possible and

ide saw this man?uvre and rose to the

! Assa

ey shook their fists threateningly at El Nacional, as if he had committed some crime under

g

chair to salute, while his unreasoning partizans accomp

inst all disillusions. "The estocades

rvent partizans were seated, and leaning on the barrier he explained, "It

heir head, assented. It was just

loomy thought. It was all very well making these explanations to his friends, but he felt

ereas formerly they had fallen under his rapier with miraculous facility. Indubitably they had loos

t had reached the brute's neck with the quickness of lightning, now there seemed a fearful and interminable space that he knew not how to cover. His legs too seemed different. They seemed to be free and independent of the rest of his b

t carry marks enough of his mad daring on his body? He had no need to prove his courage. That he was still alive was a miracle and owing to celestial intervention, because God is good,

have my skin!" he said to him

ill. After all bull-fighting was only a profession, and once one had got into the front r

ht him into a calmer frame of mind. There was no animal that could kill him!

rried himself with the same proud

he way, e

ion. He had said ... "Out of the way, everybody

low him with his cape on his arm, guessing with the knowledge of an old peon,[Pg 2

the bull, and began the passes with visible a

he did not, but the espada, over and above alert, deceived by this movement, took a few st

y ridiculous position, and the crowd laughed

g you!" ... yelled

another in comica

eart-throb of his early days, a mad desire to fall wildly on the bull, and let what God woul

d imposed silence. What a shame to treat a man like this, who was only just convalescent from

ys he gave him a treacherous and crossways stroke. The animal fell like a beast at the shambles, a torrent of bl

pite of the corrida being supplied from the Marquis' herds. "These are not bul

ple by their silence. Many groups passed him, but not a salutation,

home and felt his mother's arms round his neck, and the caresses of Carmen and the little nephews, his sadness vanished. Curse it all!... The really i

e would impose a courteous silence on evil speakers, and cut short commentaries on his fiasco. He spent whole afternoons amid the poorer aficionados whom he had neglected for so long, while he cult

could possibly cease to be as he had always been. He did not offer a single criticism on his fiasco; on the

you will give me news of him.' Do as you did formerly. Go straight to the bull with that courage whi

! He wished for nothing better. But ay! lately they had become so big and

h fresh energy he returned to the green table to lose his money, surrounded by his former fr

ay life, with whom some of the young men had become acquainted in Paris. They had come to Seville in order to se

o, the most elegant of all the espadas, that Gallardo whose portrait th

pavilion in the gardens, decorated in extremely bad taste wi

g

led for the honour of sitting beside him. In a way they reminded him of the absent one, with their

ll more vivid. All were friends of Do?a Sol, many even belonge

th the fullest intention of exceeding in everything, a gipsy band stationed at the further end of the room

gold of her hair! The golden hair of these women was artificial, their skin was thick and coarse, hardened by cosmetics, and t

ng him dull and unresponsive, now turned their backs with insulting taunts on his gloom. The guit

to give him a lift home in his carriage; he was obliged to leave early so as to be h

own street, Gallardo turned with unsteady steps towards his house. Close to the door he stopped, leaning against th

ho had ended by insulting him. Some memory of the other one still floated through his mind, that always! ... but vaguely, and at last

it was the truth. His enemies would see a fine sight when he returned to the Plaza. Wha

rily given him, he imagined all the Andalusian and Castillian bulls to be

ng. Rubbish!... As El Nacional said, "From the b

f his profession on days of disaster, inspired him with an irresisti

began to croon a verse of his own compositio

aniyo Ga

g

own honour, he repeated the same words again and again in a hoarse and monotonous voic

resh in him; that singing mania which had alway

shed out his sleepy head, to have a look at t

the espada, "wait a bi

ditty in honour of his own bravery, till at l

ut off the time when he would have to go up to his own room

ato; I have a great

ook of his office, with its decoration of life-like portraits

ng unsteadily on his legs in the middle of the room, casting admiring glances over the

t other one too, all of them! And yet some people say of me.... Curse[Pg 280] it

hich oppressed his brow, and went staggering to lean with both hands on the writing bureau

e fellow!... What are you

pastures and in the Plaza. He did not recognize it; he could not remember why the shaggy

whistled at me and pelted me with bottles ... they even insulted my poor mother,

and the glass eyes flash with peals of concentrated laughter; he even th

evil beast still laughing at it?... Those bulls with perverse minds, so cunning and reflective, were the evil causes of a worthy man being insul

e dam that bore you, and the thief your master who grazed you on the pastures! Wou

, and stretching out his arm opened a drawer. Then he dre

.. two rev

was smashed to fragments, and in the bull's forehead

dote is related as

TNO

ssed, representing scenes from the life of Jesus-or the Virgin Mary, or the Apos

song of three verses

Dar

our, from the wa

ich there is no vehicular traffic; it leads out of la Campana, wh

French-Auvergnat water-