Don Esteban, Or, Memoirs of a Spaniard

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1825 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VII. Bat tben I sigh, and, with a piece of Scripture, Tell them that God bids us do good for evil: And thus I clothe my naked villainy 'With old odd ends, stolen forth of holy writ, Ai, d seera a Saint, when most I play the devil. Richard III.--Shaksmub. Onk day as I was sitting alone with Isabella at Dona Lucia's, listening to her charming voice, as she accompanied herself on the guitar, I entreated her to sing me the charming song: i Vivir en cadenas Que triste es vivir! j Morir por la patria Que dulce es morir! On one condition I will, replied she with a smile. It is granted, cried I, whatever it may be. Are you so rash as to promise you know not what? It is not rash to believe that you cannot ask me what I should not grant. But what is your request? That you would tell me the history of your life, before I became acquainted with you. I am afraid, said I, it would interest you but little, as I led much the same sort of life as all other Spanish boys. But I want to hear something about that amiable priest, father Mantilla; about your trip to La Marquesa; and other peculiarities of your infancy. I obeyed her wishes, and began as follows: --During the first years of my infancy, my mother, doubtless believing that she discovered in me an early inclination for the church, had me dressed in the costume of a cardinal, and Raymundo, who manifested a partiality for every thing that was martial, in that of an officer of hussars. It was not an uncommon thing to see Monsignor, dressed in his scarlet robes, with hat, pall, stockings, and shoes of the same color, walking in the public promenades arm in arm with the dashing hussar, or romping with him till both were seen rolling together on the ground. The custom of dressing children in this ...