written on his honest English face, and the hearts of all the English, as they see it, warm to him; and one home-sick private, from the neighbourhood of Ilfracombe, is for descending into the arena, sword in hand, to fight all comers by his side. 7. But what, in the name of all the stars above us, is he about to do? Instead of charging the nearest horseman as in duty bound, calmly with supreme indifference he views all the devices for provoking him, and, after one quiet look all round, coolly retires into the middle of the arena, and laying him down and closing his eyes, appears to go to sleep! 8. Shouts of disgust assail him from every side. Picadores prick him with their lances, chulos slap him in the face with their cloaks, but he slumbers on. Ugly epithets, such as "coward," "sleepy-head," "stupid John Bull," are hurled at him, but it is to no purpose. At length there is a general cry of "fuego! fuego!" (fire! fire!) and the banderilleros approach, men carrying banderillas, or little darts with flags and crackers attached to them, which-shameful to say! -are meant to explode as they quiver in the flesh, and to goad the bull to madness. 9. And now, as if aware of what was up, he rises and calmly fronts them, and there is probably something singularly wicked in his eye, for the banderilleros no sooner catch his expression than they vanish in a twinkling, amid the jeers of the audience. 10. He is awake now, and no mistake about it; but still no sign of the expected bellow or stamping of the foot. He is a bull of few words. He simply lowers his head and sweeps round the arena like a whirlwind, and in a moment every man and thing before him is wreck and ruin. II. One couple is doubled up-man and horse together, another is hopelessly spitted, a rider is tossed aloft and comes down on the ground with an ominous thud, the rest make themselves scarce as best they may, some vaulting over the barrier and alighting in safety amongst the spectators, amid thunders of applause and cries of "bravo! toro!" (well done, bull!) from the admiring crowd. 12. But what! Is it possible? Going to sleep again? Retiring again into the middle for another snooze before he repeats his little performance ? Another twenty minutes to be wasted? Intolerable! We shall never get through the day's proceedings at this rate. "Take him away and bring another! He is no good!" resounds from every side. 13. And taken away he is accordingly, and without the slightest difficulty, walking by his attendant's side with head erect, but gently and composedly as if nothing had happened, followed by the ecstatic hurrahs of the English spectators—hurrahs in which the Spaniards good-humouredly unite, for your genuine Spaniard is always at bottom generous, and what he loves dearly-next to a bit of cruelty-is a bit of fun. 14. Now whatever reasons the bull may have had for his extraordinary tactics, certain it is that they were signally successful; for Spanish sporting circles are from this day forth unanimously agreed, that it is not desirable to meddle with an English bull. U. Algeciras is a Spanish town, of about 11,000 inhabitants, on the opposite side of the bay to Gibraltar. A venta is a wine-shop. Majos, pronounced máhos, are dandies, who dress in extremely gay attire, with a jaunty sombrero, or Spanish hat, a short jacket covered with gold or silver tags and buttons, knee breeches, silk stockings, and dress shoes with buckles. Gibraltar is a town and strong fortress in the south of Spain, which was taken by the English in 1704, and has been in our possession ever since, having victoriously withstood several sieges. The population, which numbers about 20,000, is composed of persons of almost all nationalities, but especially those mentioned above. The matador, or "killer," from the Spanish verb matar, to kill, is the one bull-fighter who is selected to give the final thrust to the bull, and so put an end of him. As this is a dangerous office, he is bound to be a person of great skill and proved success in bull-fighting. 1. Give your reasons for considering bull-baiting to be a cruel sport. 2. Write three sentences, each containing three prepositions. 3. Parse all the verbs in paragraph 14. HE lists are ope'd, the spacious area [round; cleared, Thousands on thousands piled are seated Long ere the first loud trumpet's note is heard Ne vacant space for lated wight is found: Here dons, grandees, but chiefly dames a Skilled in the ogle of a roguish eye, [bound Yet ever well inclined to heal the wound; None through their cold disdain are doomed to die, As moon-struck bards complain, by Love's sad archery. 2. Hushed is the din of tongues-on gallant steeds, With milk-white crest, gold spur, and light-poised lance, Four cavaliers prepare for venturous deeds, And lowly bending to the lists advance; Rich are their scarfs, their chargers featly prance. If in the dangerous game they shine to-day, The crowd's loud shout and ladies' lovely glance, Best prize of better acts, they bear away, And all that kings or chiefs e'er gain their toils repay. 3. In costly sheen and gaudy cloak arrayed, Stands in the centre, eager to invade The lord of lowing herds; but not before The ground, with cautious tread, is traversed o'er, Lest aught unseen should lurk to thwart his speed; His arms a dart, he fights aloof, nor more Can man achieve without the friendly steedAlas! too oft condemned for him to bear and bleed. 4. Thrice sounds the clarion: lo! the signal falls, The den expands, and Expectation mute Gapes round the silent circle's peopled walls. Bounds with one lashing spring the mighty brute, And wildly staring, spurns, with sounding foot The sand, nor blindly rushes on his foe: Here, there, he points his threatening front, to suit His first attack, wide waving to and fro His angry tail; red rolls his eye's dilated glow. |