lattered my
self, I received a Reprimand, tho' a very civil one; telling me it was
the Custom in _Spain_, nor well taken of any one, that took Notice of
any who were walking in the Company of Ladies at Night.

But a Night or two after, I found by Experience, that if the Men were by
Custom prohibited taking Notice, Women were not. I was standing at the
Door, in the cool of the Evening, when a Woman seemingly genteel,
passing by, call'd me by my Name, telling me she wanted to speak with
me: She had her _Mantilio_ on; so that had I had Day-light, I could have
only seen one Eye of her. However I walk'd with her a good while,
without being able to discover any thing of her Business, nor pass'd
there between us any thing more than a Conversation upon indifferent
Matters. Nevertheless, at parting she told me she should pass by again
the next Evening; and if I would be at the Door, she would give me the
same Advantage of a Conversation, That seem'd not to displease me.
Accordingly the next Night she came, and as before we walk'd together in
the privatest parts of the Town: For tho' I knew her not, her Discourse
was always entertaining and full of Wit, and her Enquiries not often
improper. We had continu'd this Intercourse many Nights together, when
my Landlady's Daughter having taken Notice of it, stopt me one Evening,
and would not allow me to stand at the usual Post of Intelligence,
saying, with a good deal of heat, _Don Gorgio, take my Advice; go no
more along with that Woman: You may soon be brought home deprived of
your Life if you do_. I cannot say, whether she knew her; but this I
must say, she was very agreeable in Wit as well as Person. However my
Landlady and her Daughter took that Opportunity of giving me so many
Instances of the fatal Issues of such innocent Conversations, (for I
could not call it an Intrigue) that apprehensive enough of the Danger,
on laying Circumstances together, I took their Advice, and never went
into her Company after.

_Sainte Clemente de la Mancha_, where I so long remain'd a Prisoner of
War, lies in the Road from _Madrid_ to _Valencia_; and the Duke of
_Vendome_ being ordered to the latter, great Preparations were made for
his Entertainment, as he pass'd through. He stay'd here only one Night,
where he was very handsomely treated by the _Corrigidore_. He was a
tall fair Person, and very fat, and at the time I saw him wore a long
black Patch over his left Eye; but on what Occasion I could n