ruptly in Spanish.

I turned to Mr Laffan and begged him to interpret what the general
said.

"Tell him that I am English, and how, hearing that a countryman of mine
has been imprisoned unjustly, I have come to demand his release, and
permission for him to accompany me back to England."

"Of what profession is he?" asked the general of Mr Laffan. "Is he a
lawyer?"

"No," I replied; "he is a British naval officer who has resided for some
time in this country, but is still under the protection of the English
Government, to whom it would be my duty to give information should any
harm happen to him."

"Had he been a lawyer, whether a British subject or not, he should be
shot," answered Murillo. "As it is, I will consider the matter."

He turned to one of the officers, who handed him a paper.

"Ah! I see he is married to a lady belonging to a rebel family; and he
himself was found inciting the peasantry to take up arms. I care not
though he is under British protection. He shall die."

"My countrymen will avenge him," I answered through Mr Laffan, who
assumed an authoritative tone and manner, which I thought would produce
some effect. "You know not whether the accusation is true or false."

Judging that it was best to leave what I had said to produce its effect,
I stopped for a minute, and then continued,--"Well, your Excellency, I
need not speak further about Senor Ricardo Duffield. I have now to
plead for another person, who, although not an Englishman, belongs to
all civilised countries in the world, and all will equally stigmatise
those who injure him; I allude to the learned Dr Cazalla. I beg that
he may be allowed to accompany me to my own country, where he can
prosecute his scientific studies without molestation."

The general's brow grew darker than ever.

"He is one of the pests of this country. He taught the rebels how to
make gunpowder and arms, to be used against their rightful sovereign.
He shall die, even although the whole British army, with your Lord
Wellesley at their head, were to endeavour to rescue him."

"That's an ungrateful remark, your Excellency, considering the service
he has rendered Spain," observed Mr Laffan; "but it's just what may be
expected."

"Go out of my presence--this instant!" exclaimed the general, irritated
by this imprudent remark. "The prisoners shall die; and let me tell you
that your errand is bootless."

I felt, indeed, that such was the case. In fact, I