He was not so crushingly
upon us as that other custodian; he was apologetically proud, rather
than boastfully; at times he waved his hands in deprecation, and would
have made us observe that the place was little, very little; he deplored
it like a host who wishes his possessions praised. Among the artistic
treasures of the place from which he did not excuse us there were some
pen-drawings, such as writing-masters execute without lifting the pen
from the paper, by a native of South America, probably of Basque
descent, since the Basques have done so much to people that continent.
We not only admired these, but we would not consent to any of the
custodian's deprecations, especially when it came to question of the
pretty salon in which Queen Victoria was received on her first visit to
San Sebastian. We supposed then, and in fact I had supposed till this
moment, that it was Queen Victoria of Great Britain who was meant; but
now I realize that it must have been the queen consort of Spain, who
seems already to have made herself so liked there.
She, of course, comes every summer to San Sebastian, and presently our
driver took us to see the royal villa by the shore, withdrawn, perhaps
from a sense of its extreme plainness, not to say ugliness, among its
trees and vines behind its gates and walls.
Pages:
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35