, I will prepare the way for you," said I: "and by and by you will be
astonished to find how easy it comes." I turned to the Doctor
Gonsalvez. "You must know, then, my father, that the Captain and I,
though we follow the same business and with degrees of success we are
too amiable to dispute about, yet employ very different methods.
He, for instance, scorns disguises, while I pride myself upon mine.
And, by the way, as a Professor of Moral Philosophy, you are doubtless
used to deciding questions of casuistry?"

"For twenty years, more or less, I have presided at the public
disputations in the Sala del Claustro of our University."

"Then perhaps you will resolve me the moral difference between hiding in
a truss of hay and hiding under a wig? For, in faith, I can see none."

"That is matter for the private conscience," broke in Captain Alan.

"Pardon me," suggested the Doctor; "you promised me a narrative, I
believe."

"We'll proceed, then. Our methods--this, at least, is important--were
different: which made it the more distressing that the similarity of our
names confused us in our enemies' minds, who grossly mistook us for one
and the same person: which not only humiliated us as artists but ended
in positive inconvenience. At Sabugal, in April last, after a
bewildering comedy of errors, the Duke of Ragusa captured my kinsman
here, and held him to account for some escapade of mine, of which, as a
matter of fact, he had no knowledge whatever. You follow me?"

The Doctor nodded gravely.

"Well, Marmont showed no vindictiveness, but said in effect, 'You have
done, sir, much damage to our arms, and without stretching a point I
might have you hanged for a spy. I shall, however, treat you leniently,
and send you to France into safe keeping, merely exacting your promise
that you will not consent to be released by any of the _partidas_ on the
journey through Spain.' My cousin might have answered that he had never
done an hour's scouting in his life save in the uniform of a British
officer, and nothing whatever to deserve the death of a spy.
Suspecting, however, that I might be mixed up in the business, he gave
his parole and set out for the frontier under the guard of a young
cavalry officer and one trooper.

"Meanwhile I had word of his capture: and knowing nothing of this
parole, I posted to Lord Wellington, obtained a bond for twelve thousand
francs payable for my kinsman's rescue, sought out the guerilla chi