them　for　posterity。　His　military　comrades　would　have　been　puzzled
  indeed　to　form　a　correct　judgment　of　him。　Many　of　them；　accustomed　to
  draw　upon　his　funds　when　occasion　obliged　them；　thought　him　rich；　but
  in　truth；　he　was　a　gambler；　and　gamblers　may　be　said　to　have　nothing
  of　their　own。　Montefiore　was　also　a　gambler；　and　all　the　officers　of
  the　regiment　played　with　the　pair；　for；　to　the　shame　of　men　be　it
  said；　it　is　not　a　rare　thing　to　see　persons　gambling　together　around　a
  green　table　who；　when　the　game　is　finished；　will　not　bow　to　their
  companions；　feeling　no　respect　for　them。　Montefiore　was　the　man　with
  whom　Bianchi　made　his　bet　about　the　heart　of　the　Spanish　sentinel。
  Montefiore　and　Diard　were　among　the　last　to　mount　the　breach　at
  Tarragona；　but　the　first　in　the　heart　of　the　town　as　soon　as　it　was
  taken。　Accidents　of　this　sort　happen　in　all　attacks；　but　with　this
  pair　of　friends　they　were　customary。　Supporting　each　other；　they　made
  their　way　bravely　through　a　labyrinth　of　narrow　and　gloomy　little
  streets　in　quest　of　their　personal　objects；　one　seeking　for　painted
  madonnas；　the　other　for　madonnas　of　flesh　and　blood。
  In　what　part　of　Tarragona　it　happened　I　cannot　say；　but　Diard
  presently　recognized　by　its　architecture　the　portal　of　a　convent；　the
  gate　of　which　was　already　battered　in。　Springing　into　the　cloister　to
  put　a　stop　to　the　fury　of　the　soldiers；　he　arrived　just　in　time　to
  prevent　two　Parisians　from　shooting　a　Virgin　by　Albano。　In　spite　of
  the　moustache　with　which　in　their　military　fanaticism　they　had
  decorated　her　face；　he　bought　the　picture。　Montefiore；　left　alone
  during　this　episode；　noticed；　nearly　opposite　the　convent；　the　house
  and　shop　of　a　draper；　from　which　a　shot　was　fired　at　him　at　the　moment
  when　his　eyes　caught　a　flaming　glance　from　those　of　an　inquisitive
  young　girl；　whose　head　was　advanced　under　the　shelter　of　a　blind。
  Tarragona　taken　by　assault；　Tarragona　furious；　firing　from　every
  window；　Tarragona　violated；　with　dishevelled　hair；　and　half…naked；　was
  indeed　an　object　of　curiosity；the　curiosity　of　a　daring　Spanish
  woman。　It　was　a　magnified　bull…fight。
  Montefiore　forgot　the　pillage；　and　heard；　for　the　moment；　neither　the
  cries；　nor　the　musketry；　nor　the　growling　of　the　artillery。　The
  profile　of　that　Spanish　girl　was　the　most　divinely　delicious　thing
  which　he；　an　Italian　libertine；　weary　of　Italian　beauty；　and　dreaming
  of　an　impossible　woman　because　he　was　tired　of　all　women；　had　ever
  seen。　He　could　still　quiver；　he；　who　had　wasted　his　fortune　on　a
  thousand　follies；　the　thousand　passions　of　a　young　and　blase　manthe
  most　abominable　monster　that　society　generates。　An　idea　came　into　his
  head；　suggested　perhaps　by　the　shot　of　the　draper…patriot；　namely；to
  set　fire　to　the　house。　But　he　was　now　alone；　and　without　any　means　of
  action；　the　fighting　was　centred　in　the　market…place；　where　a　few
  obstinate　beings　were　still　defending　the　town。　A　better　idea　then
  occurred　to　him。　Diard　came　out　of　the　convent；　but　Montefiore　said
  not　a　word　of　his　discovery；　on　the　contrary；　he　accompanied　him　on　a
  series　of　rambles　about　the　streets。　But　the　next　day；　the　Italian　had
  obtained　his　military　billet　in　the　house　of　the　draper；an
  appropriate　lodging　for　an　equipment　captain！
  The　house　of　the　worthy　Spaniard　consisted；　on　the　ground…floor；　of　a
  vast　and　gloomy　shop；　externally　fortified　with　stout　iron　bars；　such
  as　we　see　in　the　old　storehouses　of　the　rue　des　Lombards。　This　shop
  communicated　with　a　parlor　lighted　from　an　interior　courtyard；　a　large
  room　breathing　the　very　spirit　of　the　middle…ages；　with　smoky　old
  pictures；　old　tapestries；　antique　〃brazero；〃　a　plumed　hat　hanging　to　a
  nail；　the　musket　of　the　guerrillas；　and　the　cloak　of　Bartholo。　The
  kitchen　adjoined　this　unique　living…room；　where　the　inmates　took　their
  meals　and　warmed　themselves　over　the　dull　glow　of　the　brazier；　smoking
  cigars　and　discoursing　bitterly　to　animate　all　hearts　with　hatred
  against　the　French。　Silver　pitchers　and　precious　dishes　of　plate　and
  porcelain　adorned　a　buttery　shelf　of　the　old　fashion。　But　the　light；
  sparsely　admitted；　allowed　these　dazzling　objects　to　show　but
  slightly；　all　things；　as　in　pictures　of　the　Dutch　school；　looked
  brown；　even　the　faces。　Between　the　shop　and　this　living…room；　so　fine
  in　color　and　in　its　tone　of　patriarchal　life；　was　a　dark　staircase
  leading　to　a　ware…room　where　the　light；　carefully　distributed；
  permitted　the　examination　of　goods。　Above　this　were　the　apartments　of
  the　merchant　and　his　wife。　Rooms　for　an　apprentice　and　a　servant…woman
  were　in　a　garret　under　the　roof；　which　projected　over　the　street　and
  was　supported　by　buttresses；　giving　a　somewhat　fantastic　appearance　to
  the　exterior　of　the　building。　These　chambers　were　now　taken　by　the
  merchant　and　his　wife　who　gave　up　their　own　rooms　to　the　officer　who
  was　billeted　upon　them；probably　because　they　wished　to　avoid　all
  quarrelling。
  Montefiore　gave　himself　out　as　a　former　Spanish　subject；　persecuted　by
  Napoleon；　whom　he　was　serving　against　his　will；　and　these　semi…lies
  had　the　success　he　expected。　He　was　invited　to　share　the　meals　of　the
  family；　and　was　treated　with　the　respect　due　to　his　name；　his　birth；
  and　his　title。　He　had　his　reasons　for　capturing　the　good…will　of　the
  merchant　and　his　wife；　he　scented　his　madonna　as　the　ogre　scented　the
  youthful　flesh　of　Tom　Thumb　and　his　brothers。　But　in　spite　of　the
  confidence　he　managed　to　inspire　in　the　worthy　pair　the　latter
  maintained　the　most　profound　silence　as　to　the　said　madonna；　and　not
  only　did　the　captain　see　no　trace　of　the　young　girl　during　the　first
  day　he　spent　under　the　roof　of　the　honest　Spaniard；　but　he　heard　no
  sound　and　came　upon　no　indication　which　revealed　her　presence　in　that
  ancient　building。　Supposing　that　she　was　the　only　daughter　of　the　old
  couple；　Montefiore　concluded　they　had　consigned　her　to　the　garret；
  where；　for　the　time　being；　they　made　their　home。
  But　no　revelation　came　to　betray　the　hiding…place　of　that　precious
  treasure。　The　marquis　glued　his　face　to　the　lozenge…shaped　leaded
  panes　which　looked　upon　the　black…walled　enclosure　of　the　inner
  courtyard；　but　in　vain；　he　saw　no　gleam　of　light　except　from　the
  windows　of　the　old　couple；　whom　he　could　see　and　hear　as　they　went　and
  came　and　talked　and　coughed。　Of　the　young　girl；　not　a　shadow！
  Montefiore　was　far　too　wary　to　risk　the　future　of　his　passion　by
  exploring　the　house　nocturnally；　or　by　tapping　softly　on　the　doors。
  Discovery　by　that　hot　patriot；　the　mercer；　suspicious　as　a　Spaniard
  must　be；　meant　ruin　infallibly。　The　captain　therefore　resolved　to　wait
  patiently；　resting　his　faith　on　time　and　the　imperfection　of　men；
  which　always　resultseven　with　scoundrels；　and　how　much　more　with
  honest　men！in　the　neglect　of　precautions。
  The　next　day　he　discovered　a　hammock　in　the　kitchen；　showing　plainly
  where　the　servant…woman　slept。　As　for　the　apprentice；　his　bed　was
  evidently　made　on　the　shop　counter。　During　supper　on　the　second　day
  Montefiore　succeeded；　by　cursing　Napoleon；　in　smoothing　the　anxious
  forehead　of　the　merchant；　a　grave；　black…visaged　Spaniard；　much　like
  the　faces　formerly　carved　on　the　handles　of　Moorish　lutes；　even　the
  wife　let　a　gay　smile　of　hatred　appear　in　the　folds　of　her　elderly
  face。　The　lamp　and　the　reflections　of　the　brazier　illumined
  fantastically　the　shadows　of　the　noble　room。　The　mistress　of　the　house
  offered　a　〃cigarrito〃　to　their　semi…compatriot。　At　this　moment　the
  rustle　of　a　dress　and　the　fall　of　a　chair　behind　the　tapestry　were
  plainly　heard。
  〃Ah！〃　cried　the　wife；　turning　pale；　〃may　the　saints　assist　us！　God
  grant　no　harm　has　happened！〃
  〃You　have　some　one　in　the　next　room；　have　you　not？〃　said　Montefiore；
  giving　no　sign　of　emotion。
  The　draper　dropped　a　word　of　imprecation　against　the　girls。　Evidently
  alarmed；　the　wife　opened　a　secret　door；　and　led　in；　half　fainting；　the
  Italian's　madonna；　to　whom　he　was　careful　to　pay　no　attention；　only；
  to　avoid　a　too…studied　indifference；　he　glanced　at　the　girl　before　he
  turned　to　his　host　and　said　in　his　own　language：
  〃Is　that　your　daughter；　signore？〃
  Perez　de　Lagounia　（such　was　the　merchant's　name）　had　large　commercial
  relations　with　Genoa；　Florence；　and　Livorno；　he　knew　Italian；　and
  replied　in　the　same　language：
  〃No；　if　she　were　my　daughter　I　should　take　less　precautions。　The　child
  is　confided　to　our　care；　and　I　would　rather　die　than　see　any　evil
  happen　to　her。　But　how　is　it　possible　to　put　sense　into　a　girl　of
  eighteen？〃
  〃She　is　very　handsome；〃　said　Montefiore；　coldly；　not　looking　at　her
  face　again。
  〃Her　mother's　beauty　is　celebrated；〃　replied　the　merchant；　briefly。
  They　continued　to　smoke；　watching　each　other。　Though　Montefiore
  compelled　himself　not　to　give　the　slightest　look　which　might
  contradict　his　apparent　coldness；　he　could　not　refrain；　at　a　moment
  when　Perez　turned　his　head　to　expectorate；　from　casting　a　rapid