themselves by baiting the _lavanderas_. The young gentleman would
saunter about in an absent-minded manner and presently walk right on
to a beautifully embroidered and belaced nightdress or other dainty
garment spread out to dry on the sward or rock, and, standing on it,
calmly proceed to take out and light a cigarette. Instantly the black
virago would be on her feet confronting him and pouring out a torrent
of her foulest expressions and deadliest curses. He, in a pretended
rage, would reply in even worse language. That would put her on her
mettle; for now all her friends and foes scattered about the ground
would suspend their work to listen with all their ears; and the
contest of words growing louder and fiercer would last until the
combatants were both exhausted and unable to invent any more new and
horrible expressions of opprobrium to hurl at each other. Then the
insulted young gentleman would kick the garment away in a fury and
hurling the unfinished cigarette in his adversary's face would walk
off with his nose in the air.

I laugh to recall these unseemly word-battles on the beach, but they
were shocking to me when I first heard them as a small, innocent-
minded boy, and it only made the case worse when I was assured that
the young gentleman was only acting a part, that the extreme anger he
exhibited, which might have served as an excuse for using such
language, was all pretence.

Another favourite pastime of these same idle, rich young gentlemen
offended me as much as the one I have related. The night-watchmen,
called _Serenos,_ of that time interested me in an extraordinary way.
When night came it appeared that the fierce policemen, with their
swords and brass buttons, were no longer needed to safeguard the
people, and their place in the streets was taken by a quaint, frowsy-