Page:Life in Mexico vol 1.djvu/243

Rh below. I was rather sorry to leave them, and felt as if I could have passed some time there very contentedly; but it was near nine o'clock, and we were obliged to take our departure; so having been embraced very cordially by the whole community, we left the hospitable walls of the Encarnacion. . . ..

28th.—Last evening we were sitting at home very quietly, about ten o'clock, Cn. Monsieur de of the Legation and I, when A rushed into the room all dishevelled. "Come quickly, sir! Robbers are breaking open the kitchen door!" A succession of feminine shrieks in the distance, added effect to her words. Cn jumped up, ran for his pistols, gave one to Monsieur de, called up the soldiers, but no robbers appeared. The kitchen-door was indeed open, and the trembling galopina attested, that being in the kitchen alone, dimly lighted by one small lamp, three men, all armed, had entered, and had rushed out again on hearing her give the alarm. We somewhat doubted her assertions, but the next morning found that the men had in fact escaped by the Azotea, a great assistance to all Mexican depredators. At the end of this row of houses, the people ran out and fired upon them, but without effect. The house of the old Countess of S F has been broken into, her porter wounded, report says killed, and her plate carried off. In the mean time, our soldiers watch in the kitchen, a pair of loaded pistols adorn the table, a double-barrelled gun stands in the corner, and a bull-dog growls in the gallery. This little passing