Gautier, Théophile, 1811-1872 -- Travel -- Spain; Spain -- Description and travel; Spain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
In the next stanza, the English poet does not speak in the very
highest terms of the virtue of the women of Cadiz, and he, no
doubt, had good reasons for his opinion. As far as I am concerned,
and without at present going into this delicate question, I shall
content myself with saying they are very beautiful, and that their
beauty is of a very peculiar and decided cast; their complexion
is remarkable for that whiteness of polished marble which shows
off the purity of feature to such advantage. Their nose is less
aquiline than that of the women of Seville; their forehead is
small, and their cheek-bones not at all prominent; their whole
physiognomy bears a great resemblance to that of the women of
Greece. They also struck me as being fatter and taller than other
Spanish women. Such at least was the result of the observations I
was enabled to make while walking in _El Salon_, or on the Plaza
de la Constitucion, or when I was at the theatre, where I may
parenthetically mention, I saw the _Gamin de Paris_ (_el Piluelo de
Paris_), exceedingly well played by an actress in male attire, and
some Boleros danced in a very animated and sprightly manner.
But however agreeable Cadiz may be, the idea of being cooped up
within its narrow limits, first by the ramparts and secondly by
the sea, makes you desire to leave it. It seems to me that the
only wish islanders can have, is to go upon the Continent; and
this explains the perpetual emigrations of the English, who are
everywhere save at London, where there are only Italians and Poles.
As a proof of this, the people of Cadiz are perpetually crossing
from Cadiz to Puerto de Santa Maria, and _vice versâ_. A sort of
marine omnibus, in the form of a small steamer, which leaves every
hour, sailing vessels, and boats are always lying in readiness,
and exciting the vagabond inclinations of the inhabitants. One fine
morning my companion and myself recollected that we had a letter of
introduction from a friend of ours in Granada to his father, who
was a rich merchant in Jeres. The aforesaid letter was couched in
these terms: "Open your heart, your house, and your cellar, to the
two gentlemen whom you will receive herewith." This being the case,
we clambered on board the steamer; in the cabin we saw a bill stuck
up, announcing a bull-fight, interspersed with comic interludes, to
take place the same evening, at Puerto de Santa Maria. This filled
up our day admirably, for by taking a calessin, we might go from
Puerto to Jeres, stop there a few hours, and return in time to
witness the bull-fight. After having swallowed a hasty breakfast
in the _Fonda de Vista Alegre_, which most certainly deserves its
name, we made a bargain with a driver who promised that he would
bring us back by five o'clock, in time for the _funcion_, which is
the name given in Spain to every public amusement, no matter what.
The road to Jeres runs through a hilly, rugged plain, as dry as a
piece of pumice-stone.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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