We fancied that they had their eyes upon us, from behind the deep shadowy _rejas_: and we had reason to believe they were only restrained from shewing their fair faces by the jealous interference of their men. As for the latter, we were not long in discovering _their_ proclivity. In a town of sixty thousand inhabitants--with house-room (as already stated) for twice or three times the number--a small _corps d'armee_, such as ours was, could scarce be discovered in the crowd. On days of general drill, or grand parade, we looked formidable enough--at least to overawe the ruffianism around us. But when the troops were distributed into their respective _cuartels_, widely separated from one another, the thing was quite different; and a sky-blue soldier tramping it through the streets might have been likened to a single honest man, moving in the midst of a thousand thieves! The consequence was that the Poblanos became "muy valiente," and began to believe, that they had too easily surrendered their city. And the consequence of this belief, or hallucination on their part, was an attitude of hostility towards our soldiers--resulting in rude badinage, broils, and, not unfrequently, in blood. The mere mob of "leperos" was not alone guilty of this misconception. The "swells" of the place took part in it--directing their hostility against our subaltern officers--among them some good-natured fellows, who, quite unconscious of the intent, had for a time misconstrued it. It resulted in a rumour--a repute I should rather call it--which became current throughout the country. The people themselves said, and affected to believe it, that the _Americanos_, though brave in battle-- or, at all events, hitherto successful--were _individually_ afraid of their foes, and shirked the _personal_ encounter! This idea the _jeunesse dore_ propagated among their female acquaintances; and for a time it obtained credit. Well do I remember the night when it was first made known to those who were sufferers by the slander. There were twelve of us busied over a basket of champagne--better I never drank than that we discovered in the cellars of La Puebla. There is always good wine in the proximity of a convent. Some one joining our party reported: that he had been jostled while passing through the streets; not by a mob of _pelados_, but by men who were known as the "young bloods" of the place. Several others had like experiences to relate--if not of that night, as having occurred within the week. The Monroe doctrine was touched; and along with it the Yankee "dander." We rose to a man; and sallied forth into the street. It was still early. The pavement was crowded with pedestrians. I can only justify what followed, by stating that there had been terrible provocation. I had been myself more than once the victim of verbal insult--incredulous that it could have been so meant. One and all of us were ripe for retaliation. We proceeded to take it.