Madrid--The Fonda and its Porter--The Puerta del Sol--Postal Irregularities--Tribute to the Madrileños--The Barber's Pronunciamiento--Anecdotes of King Amadeus--Checkmating the Grand Dames--Queen Isabella--The Embarrassed Mr. Layard of Nineveh--The Great Powers Hesitate--America Goes Ahead--General Sickles--Mahomet and the Mountain--Republicanism among the Troops--A Peculiar Pennsylvanian Dentist--Castelar under Torture--The Writer meets one of his Sept--Politicians by Trade--Honour among Insurgents--Alonso the Reckless 61-91 CHAPTER V. A Late Capital--The Gambling Mania--A French Rendezvous--The Duke de Fitzpepper--The Morality of Passing Bad Money--Spanish Compliments--Men in Pickle--A Licentious Ballet--Federal Manners--Prim's Artifice--Nouvilas Goes North--A Carlist Proclamation--Don Alfonso--Midnight Oil--Castelar's Circular 92-112 CHAPTER VI. Warning to Ladies--The Hotel Parliament--An Anglo-Spanish Mentor--The Evil Genii of the Monarchy--The Curses of Spain--Government and Religion Affairs of Climate--The Carlists, Norwegians, and English, all Republicans!--Notions on Heredity--The Five Spanish Parties--The Army the Lever of Power--The Student-Cæsar--Order _versus_ Republic--The Chained Colours--Dorregaray's Appeal to the Soldiers--Influence of the Church--Wanted: a Benevolent Despot 113-131 CHAPTER VII. The Carnival--About Kissing Feet--Mummers and Masquers--The Paseo de Recoletos--The Writer is taken for Cluseret--Incongruity in Costume--Shrove Tuesday--Panic on the Prado--A Fancy Ball--The "Entierro de la Sardina"--Lenten Amusements--A Spanish Mystery--"Pasion y Muerte de Jesus"--Of the Stage Stagey--Critical Remarks 132-160 CHAPTER VIII. Another Chat with Mentor--A Startling Solution of the Spanish Question--The Penalties of Popularity--The Republic another Saturn--The New Civil Governor--The Government Bill--Outside the Palace of the Congress--Providential Rain--Wild Rumours--Federal Threats--The Five Civil Guards--Inside the Chamber--The Great Debate--The Two Reports--Compromise--Minor Speechmakers--A Pickwickian Contention--The Division--Victory for the Ministry--The Five Civil Guards Trot to Stables 161-182 CHAPTER IX. The Inventions of Don Fulano de Tal--Stopping a Train--"A Ver Fine Blaggar"--The Legend of Santa Cruz--Dodging a Warrant--Outlawed--Chased by Gendarmes--A Jack Sheppard Escape--The Cura becomes Cabecilla--Sleeping with an Eye Open--Exploits and Atrocities--Dilettante Carlists in London--The Combat of Monreal--Ibarreta's Relics--A Tale for the Marines--The Carlists Looking-up 183-200 CHAPTER X.