drop on her shoulders, and "by the dim light falling from the stars" I
perceived her to be young, short in stature, well-proportioned, and with
very large eyes. I threw my cigar away at once. She appreciated this
mark of courtesy, essentially French, and hastened to inform me that she
was very fond of the smell of tobacco, and that she even smoked herself,
when she could get very mild _papelitos_. I fortunately happened to have
some such in my case, and at once offered them to her. She condescended
to take one, and lighted it at a burning string which a child brought
us, receiving a copper for its pains. We mingled our smoke, and talked
so long, the fair lady and I, that we ended by being almost alone on
the quay. I thought I might venture, without impropriety, to suggest our
going to eat an ice at the _neveria_.* After a moment of modest demur,
she agreed. But before finally accepting, she desired to know what
o'clock it was. I struck my repeater, and this seemed to astound her
greatly.

* A _café_ to which a depot of ice, or rather of snow, is
attached. There is hardly a village in Spain without its
_neveria_.

"What clever inventions you foreigners do have! What country do you
belong to, sir? You're an Englishman, no doubt!"*

* Every traveller in Spain who does not carry about samples
of calicoes and silks is taken for an Englishman
(_inglesito_). It is the same thing in the East.

"I'm a Frenchman, and your devoted servant. And you, senora, or
senorita, you probably belong to Cordova?"