Page:Sixteen years of an artist's life in Morocco, Spain and the Canary Islands.djvu/63

52 My entrance into their midst, which was quite unexpected, was the signal for the expression of undisguised astonishment among what I may term the rabble in the middle of the party; but whatever sensation my appearance might create for a moment in the more select portion of this assembly, viz., the painted and jewelled ladies, they did not consider it becoming their dignity, or consistent with the rules of etiquette―which has its code here as elsewhere―to make any display of their surprise or emotion. However, an expression of eager curiosity, and anxious looks of enquiry, were plainly visible through the transparent gauze scarfs which fell down over every face. One poor demented woman, or Santa, who had come to countenance the festivities by her presence and who had a weak turn for such jollifications, made her way to me with a patronising air, and expressed her wish and intention to befriend me. She insisted on my taking off my hat, and other parts of my dress, in order that she might examine them; but as there was no saying where her curiosity would stop, I was determined not to yield to her wishes, and it was with the greatest difficulty, and by the display of some resolution, that I could keep my clothes upon my back. The irrepressible curiosity of the crowd to see whether a Nazarene