On the bridge the man
who had found the body made a merit of his discovery which he dramatized
to a group of spectators without rousing them to a murmur or stirring
them from their statuesque fixity. His own excitement in comparison
seemed indecent.
X
It was now three o'clock and I thought I might be in time to draw some
money on my letter of credit, at the bank which we had found standing in
a pleasant garden in the course of our stroll through the town the night
before. We had said, How charming it would be to draw money in such an
environment; and full of the romantic expectation, I offered my letter
at the window, where after a discreet interval I managed to call from
their preoccupation some unoccupied persons within. They had not a very
financial air, and I thought them the porters they really were, with
some fear that I had come after banking-hours. But they joined in
reassuring me, and told me that if I would return after five o'clock the
proper authorities would be there.
I did not know then what late hours Spain kept in every way; but I
concealed my surprise; and I came back at the time suggested, and
offered my letter at the window with a request for ten pounds, which I
fancied I might need.
Pages:
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115