arest _picador_. He was, however, soon sobered, and
smarting with the pain of the first wound he received, prudently
retreated, in no hurry to taste a like favor from the second cavalier. In
vain did the _picadores_ provoke him by advancing into the arena, he
invariably declined the re-offered combat. The spectators, impatient at
this delay, grew expressively clamorous, some crying shame! shame! and
others _vaca! vaca!_ (poor cow! poor cow!)--but all these energetic
remonstrances were lost upon the pacific animal.

With much difficulty, and after a pretty long interval, the three wounds
of the _pica_ (according to rule) were at length inflicted; and the
_chulos_ came forward to perform their part. It was here that the same
difficulty arose, for alas! it could not be expected that the poor bull,
who had shown no relish whatever for the _pica_, should evince any taste
for the _banderillas_. Consequently a great confusion arose, and a
simultaneous call for _banderillas de fuego_, was heard on every side.
This it was expected would prove a stimulus to the too tranquil
temperament of the animal.

Accordingly the furs was planted upon his neck; but scarcely had the
fireworks began to crack and whiz around his head, than stunned no doubt
by the noise as well as the pain, he actually turned and fled. The
_chulos_ ran after him, and thus continued _nolens volens_ to thrust their
spears into his unresisting carcass, until it was thought expedient to
desist in order to give him the _coup de grace_. Leoncito the second
_espada_ then came forward, and was hailed with joyful acclamations by his
partisans, especially the _manolas_, for he was a young, light-made,
dapper man. It proved however an exceedingly difficult task to kill the
bull according to the rules of art, owing to the animal's unequivocal
disinclination for the combat. Leoncito was a brave, daring man; but
hardly so well skilled as Candido. He rushed boldly against the bull, and
strove to inflict upon him a mortal wound. He missed, however, his aim at
the right place, and the animal began to pour forth its blood in a stream.
This is considered an enormous fault in the art--and it met with a becoming
storm of groans and hisses. The bull, agonized by his wounds, ran wildly
about. Leoncito gave him another blow--when he sat down, and quietly looked
around him, as the wounds were not immediately mortal. This reposing
attitude gave immense annoyance both to the combatants and