Proud of his experience, penetrated by the sense of historical
importance of men, events, and buildings, he talked pompously in jerky
periods, with slight sweeps of his short, thick arm, letting nothing
"escape the attention" of his privileged captive.
"Lot of building going on, as you observe. Before the Separation it
was a plain of burnt grass smothered in clouds of dust, with an ox-cart
track to our Jetty. Nothing more. This is the Harbour Gate. Picturesque,
is it not? Formerly the town stopped short there. We enter now the Calle
de la Constitucion. Observe the old Spanish houses. Great dignity. Eh? I
suppose it's just as it was in the time of the Viceroys, except for the
pavement. Wood blocks now. Sulaco National Bank there, with the sentry
boxes each side of the gate. Casa Avellanos this side, with all the
ground-floor windows shuttered. A wonderful woman lives there--Miss
Avellanos--the beautiful Antonia. A character, sir! A historical woman!
Opposite--Casa Gould. Noble gateway. Yes, the Goulds of the original
Gould Concession, that all the world knows of now. I hold seventeen of
the thousand-dollar shares in the Consolidated San Tome mines. All the
poor savings of my lifetime, sir, and it will be enough to keep me in
comfort to the end of my days at home when I retire. I got in on the
ground-floor, you see. Don Carlos, great friend of mine. Seventeen
shares--quite a little fortune to leave behind one, too. I have a
niece--married a parson--most worthy man, incumbent of a small parish in
Sussex; no end of children. I was never married myself. A sailor should
exercise self-denial. Standing under that very gateway, sir, with some
young engineer-fellows, ready to defend that house where we had received
so much kindness and hospitality, I saw the first and last charge of
Pedrito's horsemen upon Barrios's troops, who had just taken the Harbour
Gate. They could not stand the new rifles brought out by that poor
Decoud. It was a murderous fire. In a moment the street became blocked
with a mass of dead men and horses. They never came on again."
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