Page:Pictures of life in Mexico Vol 1.djvu/46

22 yard; and, much to his discomfiture, was besieged by a swarm of léperos of both sexes, of all ages, and of various hues; each endeavouring to excite his compassion by the loudest outcries, and the most touching-adjurations.

Such an awful din of confused noises I never heard before. A volley of bitter curses burst from the impatient crowd behind; while a chorus of blessings was vociferated by those in front, who had been relieved. Sufferers, real and counterfeit, blind, halt, and maimed, joined in calling upon all the saints to aid their petitions; and the most holy names and the most holy things, were bandied about on their filthy tongues. The landlord seeing it necessary to salty forth to the rescue, his guest was dragged in doors, and some of the most obstreperous vagrants were hustled out of the yard—only, however, to increase in a tenfold degree the dire confusion that prevailed before.

The public room of the meson was an apartment on the ground-floor of considerable size, with a profusion of wooden beams about it; very sparely furnished with comforts, though profusely embellished with bad prints, images, and papers reminding one of the indulgences sometimes to be seen advertised on