[557] =revolucionaria=. The term _revolutionary_, after the French Revolution, was synonymous with _progressive_. [558] =brazos aptos=, _men suited for the task_. [559] =hacían que apenas hubiese una que otra calle, malísimamente empedrada=, _were the cause of there being only a few paved streets, and very poorly paved at that_. [560] =calle _del Empedrado_=, _Paved Street_. [561] =las había=, _were there any_. [562] =la reputación de la belleza=, _a reputation for beauty_. [563] =su revolución=. The revolution for independence in 1810 was mainly the work of the population of Buenos Aires, whereas the civil revolution that followed later was started by the provinces. [564] =el poeta de la revolución=, _i.e._, Vicente López y Planes, the author of the _Himno Nacional_. [565] =el _centro_=, _the "down-town" section_. [566] =mostrador democrático=, _a people's store_. [567] =de mostrador corrido=, _with its long counter_. [568] =penetrar a=, unusual for =penetrar en=. [569] "=ese caballero=", _i.e._, her husband. [570] Something similar in the way of courtesy used to be the habit among shop-keepers in this country. Nowadays we find it only with the older generation. Although the author here complains that these pleasant customs have already disappeared in Argentina, it is nevertheless true that Spaniards and Spanish-Americans prefer to do business in a way that still savors of social relationship. [571] =para sentarse los tertulianos habituales del establecimiento=, _where the habitúes of the establishment could sit_. [572] =de Aubusson y de Gobelinos=. =Aubusson=, city in France, famous for tapestries; =Gobelinos=, the Gobelins, in the fifteenth century, established a tapestry factory in Paris which is now famous throughout the world. [573] =dejándolo amontonarse ampulosamente sobre el mostrador=, _permitting it_ (=el lote vendido=) _to heap up in folds on the counter_. [574] _La Argentina y sus grandezas_. [575] =vivos de=, _alive with_. [576] =la guitarra ibera=. The guitar is the national musical instrument of Spain. [577] =grupa=, here, _poop_, carrying out the figure implied in =los gigantes marinos=. [578] =El azul blanquecino del cielo=. The verb is =yace=, understood. [579] =revelan únicamente=, _alone reveal_. [580] =inmóvil, encantado en medio de la inmensidad=. Cf. _Ancient Mariner_, Part II, 8: "As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean." [581] =no sabe salirse de él=, _cannot leave it_. [582] =tragaderos insaciables=, _i.e._, =las costas de una inmensa nación=. [583] =Salomón=, king of the Israelites, famous for his wealth as well as for his wisdom. [584] =la torre de Babel=. According to biblical tradition Noah's sons attempted to build a tower reaching unto heaven. [585] =Semíramis=, legendary queen of Assyria, said to have founded Babylon and built its storied hanging gardens.