The humbug--the impostor--the--the--'

"Here the good woman broke down for want of breath, and rattled her fan
open with a vicious twist of the hand, as if she longed to box some
one's ears with it.

"I saw that Lucy was troubled and that her lips were quivering. General
Harrington had turned his attention to the arena, for that moment the
matadore was crossing towards a door in the wall, and the first wild
bull was expected momentarily. He was so absorbed that he did not heed
Mrs. Eaton's angry exclamations, though her husband did.

"'What is the matter, mother. Why, you will smash that fan to flinders;
it cost--'

"'No matter how much it cost,' said Mrs. Eaton; 'I don't think these
Spaniards care about that, or anything else but cheating the very eyes
out of your head. The impostors!'

"'Why, who has been cheating us, mother?'

"'Never you mind. Oh mercy!'

"Lucy, too, gave a faint scream and clung to me like a frightened child.
No wonder. That instant a door in the wall swung open, and a black bull
rushed through. With a bound or more he plunged into the heart of the
arena, tossed his head upwards, and stood motionless surveying the great
concourse of people with his flaming eyes, as if making up his mind
where to plunge first.

"A shout followed his appearance, for he was a beautiful savage
creature, with a superb chest and head, black and glossy as a raven.
Ladies clapped their hands and waved their gossamer handkerchiefs in
wild enthusiasm, while the general shout rolled upward like thunder.
This terrified the creature till he tore up the earth and plunged hither
and thither in his madness, bellowing hoarsely through the tumult, and
leveling his horns at the crowd as if he burned to toss every one in
sight.

"Then the matadores came in, closely dressed, glittering with embroidery
and a profuse display of buttons. One carried a red cloak in his hand,
with which he taunted and exasperated the bull into hot rage. Then the
contact commenced. The Matadores, slight, agile and vigilant, fell to
tormenting the noble creature into new wrath. They flung their cloaks
over his eyes, they leaped on his back and away again, pricked him with
their swords, taunted him from a distance, and, when he made a mad
plunge upon them, slipped through some secret door in the wall and
laughed at his grave astonishment.

"Lucy looked on all this, fascinated. Tears stood in her eyes, but an
eager curiosity shone through them.