The record-union., 1895-10-26
4 WAS AN INTERPRETER. !"
True Story of Curious Character
in Madrid.

1
1t was in the entrance hall of the Hote
de Roma at Madrid. / had come down
| stairs 10 see Ii l could get An inLerprete
| or competent guide to accompany my
wife to the Museum of the Prado, while
l went off with toreador to rustic wed
| ding. There was a man in the hall wh(
rather puzzled me; he was not wei
| dressed enough for visitor to the hotel
yet his eye did not seek mine with thu
| servile solicitation which Is the mark o
the guide tribe in all civilized capitals
nor did he show that dignitied inditfer
| ence to my obvious wants which IL. so &
say, the livery of the Spaniard Ia quest 0
employment. He was about the middle
height, OF commonplace appearance. A
there was nothing for il but to speak Il
him, made up my mind to speak il
English: Good morning"
Good morning, sir" he answered
quietly. His tone encouraged me.
do you happen to be an interpreter?'
l asked.
mo, am not an interpreter" There
was something subdued, half melan-
choly, In his tone, but he was Spaniard
the RS betrayed him unmistakably.
"What bore" l said disconsolately
turning half aside: 'Mazzantini will b,
waiting for me, and l wanted some one
to go with my wife to the Museum"
madame" said the Spaniard, land il
madame cares for paintings she will have
emotions in the Prado."
Thanks; as you are not guide, mus
not trouble you"
81 often go with people to the Prado,'
he answered little eagerly.
but, them" | went on with British
love OF fact, you must be either an in.
terpreter or guide"
| q n a inf rntn M
abruptly. his manner almost rude as ht
| turned away.
"Well," said L, feeling my mistake, "a
any rate you speak English better than
any Spaniard l have met, and L daresay
| you know more about the pictures than
the ordinary guide"
He turned to me. lifting his eyebrows
in deprecating pity, and as my wife ap.
| peared at the moment, | confided her &C
his charge. When we met before din.
ner my wife spoke of him. 'Such
| strange man. 80 terribly enthusiastic.
| lie bored me TO extinction about Velas.
! queZ, and seemed quite hurt because
could not appreciste-'las Menifias.' yes
that was the name-a quite absurd pic
ture. Pollte?-Oh. yes. for a foreigner
and man in his positionr'
After this L met the man frequently
and often talked with him. [ found thaI
he knew good deal about the Spanish
school OF painting, and especially abou
| Nelasquez, ZurDaran and Goya; but his
knowledge was curiously tragmentary
He had evidently OWNED more than be
| had read, and his ideas about men anC
| things had grown to have all the weigh
OF facts Tor his nina. There was, too. q
| curious mixture of self-assertion and hu-
mllity about him which l could not &C.
! count for. l ventursd to ask him one
tn
| much about painting, and especially
about Velasquez. He went on twirling Z
cigarette between his yeliow-staineC
| fingers, while his little brown eyes con.
tracted with the effort of thinking After
| a pause he said:
Il was in the Prado every day, and some.
how or other the little pictures grew
| hldeous TO me and the masterpieces more
and more interesting.'
Then you were always a guide anC
| interpreter 2" l Interrupted.
! lie turned upon me abruptly in q re-
volt of conceit.
| oh, yes, Senior, was an interpretel
once. L did not only interpret oul
J language, but the words of our creates
men in the Prado to common people
Oh! yes" he repeated, nodding his head
while sort Of flush came over his salloU
| cheeks, was an interpreter-once"
But why did you tell me the frs
evening that you were not an interpre
ter? And why don't you wear the banC
on your cap?"
He shrugged his shoulders and sale
nothing. But | pressed him, and a
length he spoke:
when the visitors found out that
was real Interpreter, they began t
recommend me to their friends, and go
constant employment, more than l coulC
! do; and as got money, | became proud
| The proprietor let me have room at thC
| hotel, and
zone day. out of the season, an Eng
lish gentleman, called Mr.. Ponsonby
came here, and after spending q day il
his room, he asked me what there was K
| do III this dull place. and | took him t
| the Prado. He was very affable anC
quick, and liked all l told him. He said
ought to have a great reputation, and
when said L thought had, he said be
did not mean that sort OF reputation.
ought to write down what | knew abOut
the painters, and the book would sell, anC
make me reputation everywhere. W.
passed the evening together in this cafe
see at that table. All the next day. too
we spent together; be did not seem tC
want TO be alone. 1t was SO damned dull
he SAID, without anyone to talk to- HI
| always read the English newspapers a!
| soon as they came. Except for that ime
l was with him every minute for thre,
days.
ION the fourth morning about o. clock
L was III the hall waiting for him, wher
suddenly there came up to me my sister.
| husbands brothers. son, the youngest o
the family. He was in the police, anC
had got on. L had known him as a bah,
and had played with him often; his thirC
name was Jose, after Inc. We began t
talk. L asked him about the family; they
all live in Toledo. And so we passe(
! about ten minutes; then he said to me:
Are you doing anything now; why
do you not go and see them?'
But l replied. 'Ah, no; l stick to my
work. Besides, | have an English gen
tieman here now, who takes me every
where with him; such nice gentleman
a Mr.. Ponsonby.'
All he said, is he in the hotel now?
II answered proudly: He is in til,
hotel, and l am waiting for him.
An he said, take me TO his room
won't you? think 1 have something Il
tell him-or something for him. l forge
now exactly what he said, but l replied
All right. come on
II was sure Mr.. Ponsonby would no
be angry with me, he was SO pleasant
and /, like vain fool, never paused Il
think. We went up to the room, and
Knocked on the door. Mr.. Ponsonb l
asked sharply: Who's there?' aud
said:
1T is 1, Mr.. Ponsonby, your guide
Jose, who