ornaments
of a banderillero, came out birds, which joyously took up their flight.
The first inventor of this strange and singular contrast could not
certainly have had the intention to symbolize innocence without defense,
rising above the horrors and ferocious passions here below, in its happy
flight towards heaven. That would be, without doubt, one of those poetic
ideas which are born spontaneously in the hard and cruel heart of the
Spanish plebeian, as we see in Andalusia the mignonette plant really
flourish between stones and the mortar of a balcony.

At the signal given by the president of the course, the clarions again
sounded. There was a moment of truce in this bloody wrestling, and it
created a perfect silence.

Then Pepe Vera, holding in his left hand a sword and a red-hooded cloak,
advanced near to the box of the alcalde. Arrived opposite, he stopped
and saluted, to demand permission to slay the bull.

Pepe Vera perceived the presence of the Duke, whose taste for the
bull-fight was well known; he had also remarked the woman who was seated
at his side, because this woman, to whom the Duke frequently spoke,
never took her eyes off the matador.

He directed his steps towards the Duke, and taking off his cap, said,
"_Brindo_ (I offer the honor of the bull) to you, my lord, and to the
royal person who is near you."

At these words, casting his cap on the ground with an inimitable
abandon, he returned to his post.

The chulos regarded him attentively, all ready to execute his orders.
The matador chose the spot which suited him the best, and indicated it
to his quadrilla.

"Here!" he cried out to them.

The chulos ran towards the bull and excited him, and in pursuing them
met Pepe Vera, face to face, who had awaited his approach with a firm
step. It was the solemn moment of the whole fight. A profound silence
succeeded to the noisy tumult, and to the warm excitement which until
then had been exhibited towards the matador.

The bull, on seeing this feeble enemy, who had laughed at his fury,
stopped as if he wished to reflect. He feared, without doubt, that he
would escape him a second time.

Whoever had entered into the circus at this moment would sooner believe
he was assisting in a solemn religious assembly, than in a public
amusement, so great was the silence.

The two adversaries regarded each other reciprocally.

Pepe Vera raised his left hand: the bull sprang on him. Making only a
light movement,