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bull…ring　in　Quito。　But　this　I　know：　we　DID　sit　in　the　box　that

day。　And　I　shall　tell　you　what　happened。



The　four　of　us　were　in　the　one　box；　guests　of　Luis　Cervallos。　I

was　next　to　the　Presidente's　box。　On　the　other　side　was　the　box

of　General　Jose　Eliceo　Salazar。　With　him　were　Joaquiin　Endara

and　Urcisino　Castillo；　both　generals；　and　Colonel　Jacinto

Fierro　and　Captain　Baltazar　de　Echeverria。　Only　Luis　Cervallos

had　the　position　and　the　influence　to　get　that　box　next　to　the

Presidente。　I　know　for　a　fact　that　the　Presidente　himself

expressed　the　desire　to　the　management　that　Luis　Cervallos

should　have　that　box。



The　band　finished　playing　the　national　hymn　of　Ecuador。　The

procession　of　the　toreadors　was　over。　The　Presidente　nodded　to

begin。　The　bugles　blew；　and　the　bull　dashed　inyou　know　the

way；　excited；　bewildered；　the　darts　in　its　shoulder　burning

like　fire；　itself　seeking　madly　whatever　enemy　to　destroy。　The

toreadors　hid　behind　their　shelters　and　waited。　Suddenly　they

appeared　forth；　the　capadores；　five　of　them；　from　every　side；

their　colored　capes　flinging　wide。　The　bull　paused　at　sight　of

such　a　generosity　of　enemies；　unable　in　his　own　mind　to　know

which　to　attack。　Then　advanced　one　of　the　capadors　alone　to

meet　the　bull。　The　bull　was　very　angry。　With　its　fore…legs　it

pawed　the　sand　of　the　arena　till　the　dust　rose　all　about　it。

Then　it　charged；　with　lowered　head；　straight　for　the　lone

capador。



It　is　always　of　interest；　the　first　charge　of　the　first　bull。

After　a　time　it　is　natural　that　one　should　grow　tired；　trifle；

that　the　keenness　should　lose　its　edge。　But　that　first　charge

of　the　first　bull！　John　Harned　was　seeing　it　for　the　first

time；　and　he　could　not　escape　the　excitementthe　sight　of　the

man；　armed　only　with　a　piece　of　cloth；　and　of　the　bull　rushing

upon　him　across　the　sand　with　sharp　horns；　widespreading。



〃See！〃　cried　Maria　Valenzuela。　〃Is　it　not　superb？〃



John　Harned　nodded；　but　did　not　look　at　her。　His　eyes　were

sparkling；　and　they　were　only　for　the　bull…ring。　The　capador

stepped　to　the　side；　with　a　twirl　of　the　cape　eluding　the　bull

and　spreading　the　cape　on　his　own　shoulders。



〃What　do　you　think？〃　asked　Maria　Venzuela。　〃Is　it　not

awhat…you…callsporting　propositionno？〃



〃It　is　certainly；〃　said　John　Harned。　〃It　is　very　clever。〃



She　clapped　her　hands　with　delight。　They　were　little　hands。　The

audience　applauded。　The　bull　turned　and　came　back。　Again　the

capadore　eluded　him；　throwing　the　cape　on　his　shoulders；　and

again　the　audience　applauded。　Three　times　did　this　happen。　The

capadore　was　very　excellent。　Then　he　retired；　and　the　other

capadore　played　with　the　bull。　After　that　they　placed　the

banderillos　in　the　bull；　in　the　shoulders；　on　each　side　of　the

back…bone；　two　at　a　time。　Then　stepped　forward　Ordonez；　the

chief　matador；　with　the　long　sword　and　the　scarlet　cape。　The

bugles　blew　for　the　death。　He　is　not　so　good　as　Matestini。

Still　he　is　good；　and　with　one　thrust　he　drove　the　sword　to　the

heart；　and　the　bull　doubled　his　legs　under　him　and　lay　down　and

died。　It　was　a　pretty　thrust；　clean　and　sure；　and　there　was

much　applause；　and　many　of　the　common　people　threw　their　hats

into　the　ring。　Maria　Valenzuela　clapped　her　hands　with　the

rest；　and　John　Harned；　whose　cold　heart　was　not　touched　by　the

event；　looked　at　her　with　curiosity。



〃You　like　it？〃　he　asked。



〃Always；〃　she　said；　still　clapping　her　hands。



〃From　a　little　girl；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos。　〃I　remember　her

first　fight。　She　was　four　years　old。　She　sat　with　her　mother；

and　just　like　now　she　clapped　her　hands。　She　is　a　proper

Spanish　woman。



〃You　have　seen　it；〃　said　Maria　Valenzuela　to　John　Harned；　as

they　fastened　the　mules　to　the　dead　bull　and　dragged　it　out。

〃You　have　seen　the　bull…fight　and　you　like　itno？　What　do　you

think？



〃I　think　the　bull　had　no　chance；〃　he　said。　〃The　bull　was　doomed

from　the　first。　The　issue　was　not　in　doubt。　Every　one　knew；

before　the　bull　entered　the　ring；　that　it　was　to　die。　To　be　a

sporting　proposition；　the　issue　must　be　in　doubt。　It　was　one

stupid　bull　who　had　never　fought　a　man　against　five　wise　men

who　had　fought　many　bulls。　It　would　be　possibly　a　little　bit

fair　if　it　were　one　man　against　one　bull。〃



〃Or　one　man　against　five　bulls；〃　said　Maria　Valenzuela；　and　we

all　laughed；　and　Luis　Ceryallos　laughed　loudest。



〃Yes；〃　said　John　Harned；　〃against　five　bulls；　and　the　man；　like

the　bulls；　never　in　the　bull　ring　beforea　man　like　yourself；

Senor　Crevallos。〃



〃Yet　we　Spanish　like　the　bull…fight；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos；　and

I　swear　the　devil　was　whispering　then　in　his　ear；　telling　him

to　do　that　which　I　shall　relate。



〃Then　must　it　be　a　cultivated　taste；〃　John　Harned　made　answer。

〃We　kill　bulls　by　the　thousand　every　day　in　Chicago；　yet　no　one

cares　to　pay　admittance　to　see。〃



〃That　is　butchery；〃　said　I；　〃but　thisah；　this　is　an　art。　It

is　delicate。　It　is　fine。　It　is　rare。〃



〃Not　always；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos。　〃I　have　seen　clumsy

matadors；　and　I　tell　you　it　is　not　nice。〃



He　shuddered；　and　his　face　betrayed　such　what…you…call　disgust；

that　I　knew；　then；　that　the　devil　was　whispering　and　that　he

was　beginning　to　play　a　part。



〃Senor　Harned　may　be　right；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos。　〃It　may　not

be　fair　to　the　bull。　For　is　it　not　known　to　all　of　us　that　for

twenty…four　hours　the　bull　is　given　no　water；　and　that

immediately　before　the　fight　he　is　permitted　to　drink　his

fill？〃



〃And　he　comes　into　the　ring　heavy　with　water？〃　said　John　Harned

quickly；　and　I　saw　that　his　eyes　were　very　gray　and　very　sharp

and　very　cold。



〃It　is　necessary　for　the　sport；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos。　〃Would

you　have　the　bull　so　strong　that　he　would　kill　the　toreadors？〃



〃I　would　that　he　had　a　fighting　chance；〃　said　John　Harned；

facing　the　ring　to　see　the　second　bull　come　in。



It　was　not　a　good　bull。　It　was　frightened。　It　ran　around　the

ring　in　search　of　a　way　to　get　out。　The　capadors　stepped　forth

and　flared　their　capes；　but　he　refused　to　charge　upon　them。



〃It　is　a　stupid　bull；〃　said　Maria　Valenzuela。



〃I　beg　pardon；〃　said　John　Harned；　〃but　it　would　seem　to　me　a

wise　bull。　He　knows　he　must　not　fight　man。　See！　He　smells　death

there　in　the　ring。〃



True。　The　bull；　pausing　where　the　last　one　had　died；　was

smelling　the　wet　sand　and　snorting。　Again　he　ran　around　the

ring；　with　raised　head；　looking　at　the　faces　of　the　thousands

that　hissed　him；　that　threw　orange…peel　at　him　and　called　him

names。　But　the　smell　of　blood　decided　him；　and　he　charged　a

capador；　so　without　warning　that　the　man　just　escaped。　He

dropped　his　cape　and　dodged　into　the　shelter。　The　bull　struck

the　wall　of　the　ring　with　a　crash。　And　John　Harned　said；　in　a

quiet　voice；　as　though　he　talked　to　himself：



〃I　will　give　one　thousand　sucres　to　the　lazar…house　of　Quito　if

a　bull　kills　a　man　this　day。〃



〃You　like　bulls？〃　said　Maria　Valenzuela　with　a　smile。



〃I　like　such　men　less；〃　said　John　Harned。　〃A　toreador　is　not　a

brave　man。　He　surely　cannot　be　a　brave　man。　See；　the　bull's

tongue　is　already　out。　He　is　tired　and　he　has　not　yet　begun。〃



〃It　is　the　water；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos。



〃Yes；　it　is　the　water；〃　said　John　Harned。　〃Would　it　not　be

safer　to　hamstring　the　bull　before　he　comes　on？〃



Maria　Valenzuela　was　made　angry　by　this　sneer　in　John　Harned's

words。　But　Luis　Cervallos　smiled　so　that　only　I　could　see　him；

and　then　it　broke　upon　my　mind　surely　the　game　he　was　playing。

He　and　I　were　to　be　banderilleros。　The　big　American　bull　was

there　in　the　box　with　us。　We　were　to　stick　the　darts　in　him

till　he　became　angry；　and　then　there　might　be　no　marriage　with

Maria　Valenzuela。　It　was　a　good　sport。　And　the　spirit　of

bull…fighters　was　in　our　blood。



The　bull　was　now　angry　and　excited。　The　capadors　had　great　game

with　him。　He　was　very　quick；　and　sometimes　he　turned　with　such

sharpness　that　his　hind　legs　lost　their　footing　and　he　plowed

the　sand　with　his　quarter。　But　he　charged　always　the　flung

capes　and　committed　no　harm。



〃He　has　no　chance；〃　said　John　Harned。　〃He　is　fighting　wind。〃



〃He　thinks　the　cape　is　his　enemy；〃　explained　Maria　Valenzuela。

〃See　how　cleverly　the　capador　deceives　him。〃



〃It　is　his　nature　to　be　deceived；〃　said　John　Harned。　〃Wherefore

he　is　doomed　to　fight　wind。　The　toreadors　know　it；　you　know　it；

I　know　itwe　all　know　from　the　first　that　he　will　fight　wind。

He　only　does　not　know　it。　It　is　his　stupid　beast…nature。　He　has

no　chance。〃



〃It　is　very　simple；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos。　〃The　bull　shuts　his

eyes　when　he　charges。　Therefore〃



〃The　man　steps；　out　of　the　way　and　the　bull　rushes　by；〃　Harned

interrupted。



〃Yes；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos；　〃that　is　it。　The　bull　shuts　his

eyes；　and　the　man　knows　it。〃



〃But　cows　do　not　shut　their　eyes；〃　said　John　Harned。　〃I　know　a

cow　at　home　that　is　a　Jersey　and　gives　milk；　that　would　whip

the　whole　gang　of　them。〃



〃But　the　toreadors　do　not　fight　cows；〃　said　I。



'They　are　afraid　to　fight　cows；〃　said　John　Harned。



〃Yes；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos；　〃they　are　afraid　to　fight　cows。

There　would　be　no　sport　in　killing　toreadors。〃



〃There　would　be　some　sport；〃　said　John　Harned；　〃if　a　toreador

were　killed　once　in　a　while。　When　I　become　an　old　man；　and

mayhap　a　cripple；　and　should　I　need　to　make　a　living　and　be

unable　to　do　hard　work；　then　would　I　become　a　bull…fighter。　It

is　a　light　vocation　for　elderly　gentlemen　and　pensioners。〃



〃But　see！〃　said　Maria　Valenzuela；　as　the　bull　charged　bravely

and　the　capador　eluded　it　with　a　fling　of　his　cape。　〃It

requires　skill　so　to　avoid　the　beast。〃



〃True；〃　said　John　Harned。　〃But　believe　me；　it　requires　a

thousand　times　more　skill　to　avoid　the　many　and　quick　punches

of　a　prize…fighter　who　keeps　his　eyes　open　and　strikes　with

intelligence。　Furthermore；　this　bull　does　not　want　to　fight。

Behold；　he　runs　away。〃



It　was　not　a　go