is it that the people do not rise and sweep them
away, and choose honest and resolute men in their place?"

"That is a difficult question to answer, colonel. It may be said,
why do not all people, when ill governed, destroy their tyrants?"

"Possibly because, as a rule, the tyrants have armies at their
backs; but here such armies as there are, although nominally under
the orders of the juntas, are practically led by their own
generals, and would obey them rather than the juntas.

"However, that is a matter for the Spanish people alone. Although
we have suffered cruelly by the effects of your system, please
remember that I am not in the smallest degree defending the conduct
of our troops; but only trying to show that they had, at least,
some excuse for regarding the Spaniards as foes rather than as
allies; and that they had, as they considered, a long list of
wrongs to avenge."

"There is truth in all you say, colonel. Unfortunately, men like
ourselves, who are the natural leaders of the people, hold aloof
from these petty provincial struggles; and leave all the public
offices to be filled with greedy adventurers, and have been
accustomed to consider work of any kind beneath us. The country is
paying dearly for it, now. I trust, when the war is over, seeing
how the country has suffered by our abstention from politics, and
from the affairs of our provinces, we shall put ourselves forward
to aid in the regeneration of Spain."

By this time they had arrived at the door of the count's house. The
street had been to some extent cleared; but shattered doors, broken
windows, portions of costly furniture, and household articles of
all sorts still showed how terrible had been the destruction of the
previous night. Large numbers of the poorer class were at work
clearing the roads, as the city authorities had been ordered, by
Lord Wellington, to restore order in all the thoroughfares.

The count led the way up to the drawing room. The countess and her
three daughters rose.

"I introduced our brave defender to you last night," the count
said, "but in the half-darkened room, and in the confusion and
alarm that prevailed, you could have had but so slight a view of
him that I doubt whether you would know him again."

"I should not, indeed," the countess said. "We have been speaking
of him ever since, but could not agree as to his appearance.

"Oh, senor, no word can tell you how grateful we feel to you for
your defence of us