After supper, I roamed about the village. I addressed two or three labourers whom I found standing at their doors; they appeared, however, exceedingly reserved, and with a gruff “_buenas noches_” turned into their houses without inviting me to enter. I at last found my way to the church porch, where I continued some time in meditation. At last I bethought myself of retiring to rest; before departing, however, I took out and affixed to the porch of the church an advertisement to the effect that the New Testament was to be purchased at Salamanca. On returning to the house, I found the two travelling merchants enjoying profound slumber on various _mantas_, or mule-cloths, stretched on the floor. “You are a French merchant, I suppose, _Caballero_,” said a man, who it seemed was the master of the house, and whom I had not before seen. “You are a French merchant, I suppose, and are on the way to the fair of Medina.” “I am neither Frenchman nor merchant,” I replied, “and, though I purpose passing through Medina, it is not with the view of attending the fair.” “Then you are one of the Irish Christians from Salamanca, _Caballero_,” said the man; “I hear you come from that town.” “Why do you call them _Irish Christians_?” I replied. “Are there pagans in their country?” “We call them Christians,” said the man, “to distinguish them from the Irish English, who are worse than pagans, who are Jews and heretics.” I made no answer, but passed on to the room which had been prepared for me, and from which, the door being ajar, I heard the following short conversation passing between the innkeeper and his wife:— _Innkeeper_.—_Muger_, it appears to me that we have evil guests in the house. _Wife_.—You mean the last comers, the _Caballero_ and his servant. Yes, I never saw worse countenances in my life. _Innkeeper_.—I do not like the servant, and still less the master. He has neither formality nor politeness: he tells me that he is not French, and when I spoke to him of the Irish Christians, he did not seem to belong to them. I more than suspect that he is a heretic, or a Jew at least. _Wife_.—Perhaps they are both. _Maria Santísima_! what shall we do to purify the house when they are gone? _Innkeeper_.—Oh, as for that matter, we must of course charge it in the _cuenta_. I slept soundly, and rather late in the morning arose and breakfasted, and paid the bill, in which, by its extravagance, I found the purification had not been forgotten. The travelling merchants had departed at daybreak. We now led forth the horses, and mounted; there were several people at the door staring at us. “What is the meaning of this?” said I to Antonio. “It is whispered that we are no Christians,” said Antonio; “they have come to cross themselves at our departure.”