Part 27 (1/2)

Surrendering himself to the mayor-domo, Kearney was conducted to an outer roo-table, with towel and other toilet articles--all, however, of the co denied him--especially the water, a constant stream of which ran into a stone basin froh, the clean shi+rt was there, with a full suit of clothes; velveteen jacket, _calzoneras calzoncillas_, scarf of China crape--in short, the complete costume of a _ranchero_ A man of medium size, they fitted him nicely; and arrayed in them he made a very handsome appearance

”Now, your honour,” said the individual in charge of him, ”allowthe ht them to the door, from which issued a buzz of voices His host had prepared hi inside this door he saw it in the shape of soarb of monks of the sae one, saloon shape, with a table standing centrally, around which were benches and chairs A cloth was spread upon it, with a eneous array of ware--bottles and glasses being conspicuous; for it was after eleven o'clock, and the meal _al put upon it; three or four Indian youths, not in convent dress, passing theh a hatch that communicated with the kitchen, and fro odour

All this the young Irishman took in with a sweep of his eye, which instantly after became fixed upon the friars who had faced towards hiest gathered round an individual who towered above all of them by the head and shoulders

Cris Rock it was, clean shaven, and looking quite respectable; indeed, better dressed than Kearney had seen him since he left off his New Orleans ”store” clothes The Colossus was evidently an object of great interest to his new acquaintances; and, from the farcical look upon their faces, it was clear they had been doing their best to ”draw” hih, froe he had of his old comrade's cleverness, he suspected not much There was just time for hi with the supposed gravity of theled hieneral introduction

”_Hermanos_!” he said, ”let me present another of my comrades in misfortune, the Senor Don Florencio Kearney--an _Irlandes_--who claims the hospitality of the convent”

They allhands

But there was no ti over salutations By this several dishes had been passed through the hatch, and were stea upon the table So the Abbot took seat at its head, Kearney beside hiside one who seemed to act as vice-chairman

If the table-cloth was not one of the finest dalass, the repast orthy of such In all the world there is no _cuisine_ superior to that of Mexico By reason of certain aboriginal viands, which figured on the table of that Aztec sybarite, Montezuma, it beats the _cuisine_ of old Spain, on which that of France is founded, and but an insipid imitation

The monks of this mountain retreat evidently kne to live, course after course being passed through the hatch in a variety which seeuisados, tomales, and half a score of other dishes Kearney had never before heard of,day having left such _debris_ for supper

And the wines were in correspondence--in quality, profusion, everything

To Kearney it recalled ”Bolton Abbey in the olden time” Nor ever could the monks of that ancient establishhed louder while quaffing the on the side of the Cerro Ajusco

So around hiht be supposed to proceed froious men But, possibly, just such as came from those of the Tintern and Bolton Brethren when around the refectory table Not all of it, though If the talk orldly, it savoured little of wickedness-- far less than that of the cowled fraternity of olden times, if chronicles are to be trusted And never in convent hall could have been heard such toast as that hich the breakfast was brought to a close, when Rivas, rising to his feet, goblet in hand, the others standing up along with him, cried out--

”_Patria y Libertad_!”

Country and Liberty! Strange sentiment in such a place, and to be received with acclaim by such people!

CHAPTER FORTY THREE

WHAT ARE THEY?

The repast finished, the Holy Brethren, rising froether, forsook the Refectory Soreat hallway, others strolled out in front, and seating the and s hi business, was invisible for a time So they were permitted to betake themselves apart Good manners secured theht want a word in private, so no one offered to intrude upon theing for They had mutually to coether Each was burning to knohat the other thought of the company they had fallen into; the character of which was alike perplexing to both

After getting hold of their hats they sauntered out by the great door, through which they had entered on the night before The sun was now at ht, and his bearound in front of the lance backward as they walked out from its walls showed its architecture purely of the conventual style; ith pointed arches, the larger ones heavy mullioned, and a campanile upon the roof

This, however, without bells, and partially broken down, as was much of the outerto decay, others half-hidden under ams; in short, the whole structure seemed more or less dilapidated

Soon they entered under the shadow of the trees; long-leaved evergreen pines loaded with parasites and epiphytes, a these several species of orchids--rare phenohted the eye of a botanist As they wished to get beyond earshot of those left lounging by the porch, they continued on along a hich had once been gravelled, but was now overgroeeds and grass It for overhead, and screening it fro it for about a hundred yards or so, they again had the clear sky before them, and saw they were on the brow of a steep slope--alht and left, took a turn back toward the mass of the mountain It was the boundary of the platforher cliff behind

The point they had arrived at was a pro view of the whole valley of Mexico, that lay spread out like a picture at their feet And such a picture! Nothing in all the panoramic world to excel--if equal it