In compliance with Sir George Don's request, General O'Donnell promised that every attention should be paid to the youth's comfort, consistent with his safe custody, until instructions as to his disposal should be received from the capital. The cause of the violent proceedings adopted by the Spanish government turned out eventually to be, that this scion of Despotism had sung _Riego's hymn_ all the way from Malaga to Gibraltar; some of his _guard of honour_ even joining in chorus! and that at Estepona he had, through the influence of a _colonato_,[32] persuaded an old barber who had shaved him--he being the ex-trumpeter of the _Nacionales_--to play the forbidden tune to the astonished fishermen of the place! The sequel of this state affair was, that Monsieur Murat remained in durance at Algeciras, until a vessel bound to the United States offered him the means of crossing the Atlantic. I used to find that an occasional visit to San Roque made a very agreeable break in the monotony of a garrison life; for what place, let its attractions be ever so great, does not become dull when one is _per forza_ obliged to make it a residence? Even London, Paris, or Vienna, would not stand the test. The society of San Roque was not of a very _exclusive_ kind; for but little of the _sangre azul_[33] of Spain flowed in the veins of its inhabitants. Nevertheless, there, as elsewhere, some families were to be met with who looked upon themselves as of a superior order to the rest of the community; condescending, however, to mix with them on the most friendly footing at their nightly _Tertulia_. This is a kind of "at home," announced to be held sometimes once or twice a week, sometimes nightly, at the houses of the leading families of a town; the _reunion_ taking place after the theatre--should there be one.[34] In large towns it frequently happens that several houses are open to receive company on the same night. But, although it is considered rather a slight to neglect showing yourself at those to which you have the entrée, it is by no means necessary to do more than that; it being optional with you to pass the evening at whichever house you find most attractive, after going the round of all. Even the ladies who open their houses for _Tertulias_ consider it necessary to send some of the members of their family to the rival assemblies; always with a message of regret at not being able to go themselves, their own party being _so very crowded_ that they could not possibly absent themselves from it, without giving offence to their numerous guests. It must be confessed that the Tertulia is a very agreeable mode of associating; that it offers great variety, without being attended with the least formality, and entails but slight expense on the entertainers; iced water and _sospiros_[35] being, excepting on gala nights, the only refreshment offered to the company.