Now _Don Alonzo del Pulgar Apugal_--for such were the Colonel's patronymics--was the least likely man in the world to be employed in a case of abduction. He was a soft, open-hearted, honeycomb-headed, fat, good-natured man, of about five and forty, without two military ideas, and not half a dozen on any other subject. What little knowledge he did possess, was of dogs, guns, charges, and wadding. But, at the same time, I knew the Don to be a gentleman, and incapable of acting the part with which he was charged. When, therefore, I explained the circumstances that had led to my waiting upon him, ere his unnameables were yet finally braced round his portly person, he was most excessively astonished, and repelled with indignant warmth the vile accusation of being the abbettor--indeed, the principal mover--in the infamous plot that had placed Prince Lucien's body at the tender mercies of six Spanish bayonets, and his neck in jeopardy of the _garrote_[29]--"_Valgame Dios!_" he at length exclaimed, "surely the poor young man cannot have deceived himself by taking _al pié de la letra_, our usual Spanish compliment;--for now I recollect, when he was introduced to me at the _dog-meeting_" (he meant at the fox-hunt) "some time back, we had some conversation about shooting, and I said my dogs and guns were at his disposition[30] whenever he wished for a day's sport.--_Pobrecito!_--it is possible I may thus unconsciously have been the cause of this unfortunate affair." Such, however, did not turn out to be the case, for the Prince had presented himself at the Spanish lines, provided with both dogs and gun, and accompanied by a sportsman to show him the country. The kind-hearted Colonel hurried down to Sir George, buckling his sword on as he went, and was immediately on his arrival taken into a private room to consult as to what could be done in the business, as well as to hear the officer of the escort's edition of the story. Mons. Murat meanwhile remained in the study with one of the general's Aides de Camp (my friend Budgen of the Royal Engineers) and myself, and to us, who were yet unacquainted with the heinous nature of the crime of which he was accused by the Spanish government, appeared to be most unnecessarily alarmed, and to rely but little on the friendly interference of Sir George; on which indeed he had as little claim as upon the protection of the British flag, beyond the jurisdiction of which he had voluntarily placed himself:--for, considering perhaps that such a step would have been beneath his dignity as an ex-prince of the Two Sicilies, he had neglected to pay the customary compliment of calling upon the Governor on arriving at the Fortress, and was consequently unknown.