admittance at the toril, entering from the street in company with the president, Monsieur who, like ourselves, was obliged to slip through a half-opened and jealously guarded door; however, recognition and attention were accorded when once we were safely inside. The employés were hard at work unpacking things sent from the corral, and in distributing them through the dressing-rooms and stables. The toril is in reality, as its name implies, the place where the bulls are kept, and from which they pass directly into the theatre, and it is also where the paseo forms. The six compartments for the toros were in single file and reached to the gateway, being divided one from the other by the same sort of trap-doors we had been shown at the corral. The toros are installed in these compartments according to precedence. I had noticed a list of the names and colors of the bulls, and of the device of the special ganaderia they had come from, pinned up against the wall of the corral, and now saw that these compartments were duly labelled with the same names-Capachuelo, Bigoto, Prevenudo, Benona, Mojoso, and Sanguijuelo. When the time arrived for the first toro to enter the ring, the trap-door would be pulled up from above, and the bull, in running out, would find himself facing his opponents. Bigoto would in turn pass through the compartment his predecessor had vacated, and so on till the six trap-doors had been pulled up one after another, the last toro, Sanguijuelo, having to course through five empty compartments before reaching the scene of action.

I had read stories of the cruel way in which toros had to be driven to their death, and had believed that they were goaded to a pitch of frenzy behind the scenes in order to cause them to make a brilliant entrance; but certainly these animals could come in contact with no one in passing through these divisions and the connecting gateway which led to the theatre.

it is the latest news," said one of them. "I am going to the station to see him arrive—are you?" I heard afterwards that there were hundreds of people waiting to catch a glimpse of the distinguished matador and his cuadrilla, and that a little company of eminent gentlemen received and conducted him to his hotel, all such forms being invariably carefully observed, and the desire to do him honor being marked by every possible attention during the period of his stay in the place where a corrida is given.

By night-time the town was thronged. Thousands of people poured in from all directions, and the capacities of the different hotels and cafés were taxed to the utmost. Beds were erected in the salons, and even improvised in the offices and halls, every lounge and sofa finding a tenant, and people who had been unable to engage a place to sleep in willingly paid large sums for the privilege of even occupying chairs and of obtaining a roof over their heads.

The morning of the 26th gave promise that it would be a rarely perfect day. The church-bells had awakened me at an early hour, and I sat at my window watching the multitudes on their way to mass.

Later the scenes in the streets were indescribable, and the chimes mingled oddly enough with the babel of sounds in the squares and from the outof door cafés, where the voices rose and swelled as would the excited utterances of a mob. The one all-engrossing interest prevailed, but apparently every one went to church-and probably prayed for a good corrida.

No; we

most light.

THE SECOND BULL.-THRUST OF THE PICA.

rée, which was directly opposite the hotel, so I started out with my kodak- my almost inseparable companion in this city where architectural remnants of a great past are to be met with in the course of the shortest of strolls. A dark, handsome man, dressed in the peculiar costume worn by all members of the cuadrillas, the straight-brimmed hat and light gray clothes showing his regular features and stalwart frame to no little advantage, crossed over with a pleasant smile of greeting, was cordially welcomed, and presented as Antonio Guerra-the bro

favorable My hear

ers were certainly not impressed; a visible shudder ran through Monsieur D's frame, and he could not help exclaiming: "How horrible! It must be a very brutal game." The difference of our points of view struck me as almost ludicrous.

Here was I, secretly treasuring the conviction that no more barbarous sport than a bull-fight could exist, and sincerely dreading lest I should not be able to sit through the performance they were looking forward to. To the aficionado such ideas would simply mean that I had allowed myself to be prejudiced by biassed statements, usually based on ignorance. Was I not really thinking that Monsieur D's intense dislike of what to us were the natural developments of our football game must have grown out of similar prejudices imbibed from foreign criticisms placing the sport in disfavor? It was not at all impossible that an aficionado of the corrida would find his æsthetic soul revolt against the seeming barbarity of the play were he to be suddenly introduced at any one of the certain crucial moments when life and limb were in danger.

I wanted to take a photograph of the beautiful Roman temple the Maison Car

THE FINAL BLOW.

don and Parisian illustrated papers, who thrust themselves into his bedroom, and at last had to be ejected by force. They were a perfect torment, and on the morning of a corrida one was in no state of mind to be willing to pose for one's portrait. We passed on, and an hour later, turning

THE THIRD BULL-GUERRITA PASSING THE MULETA.

coloring and picturesque dress, the absence of gesture, and many little details which I could not fail to notice as of marked peculiarity and interest, when I was startled to hear the suggestion, "Mademoiselle would be much gratified to have a photograph of you, Guerra, if you do not mind posing." The words were spoken in Spanish, and remembering the ordeal of the morning as related to us by the brother, I felt almost sorry the request had been made; but the courteous responsiveness with which Guerrita at once placed himself where the few available rays of light penetrated the

through a quiet, shady side street which opened off of one of the main avenues where the crowd was dense and the noise overpowering, I caught sight of a form drawn into shadow within a narrow door. It was the last place I would have expected to see him in, and yet, even before my companion darted forward impulsively with an exclamation of the name, I knew that it must be the great matador of whom every one was talking and thinking. He came forth immediately from his hidingplace, was introduced, gave me a straightforward, manly glance and firm pressure of the hand, and stood talking to us for a few moments, affording me the very chance of all others to form an opinion as to what the real man was like, before seeing him in public as the central figure of a great drama. He was utterly different from my preconceived ideas of a toreador-as I still felt inclined to call a torero-in this way confessing how entirely my knowledge of their type and attributes was limited to the stage caricatures seen in such operas as Carmen; for there was no hint of expansiveness of temperament in that peculiarly self-contained, almost impassive bearing, and the physique seemed of the nervous, high-strung order rather than of the vigorous kind indicating a superabundant supply of animal strength. Will power predominated over every other characteristic, and the nature was essentially honest, the character virile. felt sure that I had grasped a very general idea, but still a clearly defined one, as to the individuality of this Rafael Guerra, and was giving myself up to the mere superficial study of his Japanese

I

GUERRITA PREPARING THE BULL FOR THE

SWORD-THRUST.

overhanging foliage reassured me, and the slight smile which brightened his usually severe face was a still further indication that I was not overtaxing his patience too severely. In spite of an industrious morning with my kodak, I had fortunately not exhausted my entire film, and though Guerrita stood in partial shadow, I felt sure that the likeness would be good. It was strange indeed that we could stand here in what was, after all, an open street, and that I should be able to take this photograph unobserved, while all around and about us the world was waiting to see this very man pass on his way to the arena!

At the hotel there was hardly room enough to push one's way through the crowded halls. The restaurant was still thronged, those who had waited in vain for seats at a table munching sandwiches and fruit while standing, and picnic repasts being spread on the very stairs and landings. I followed the general exam

ple, seized a roll and a bunch of grapes from a passing waiter, and escaped with them to my room, the time having nearly arrived when we were to start for the

arena.

It was exactly three o'clock when we took our places and studied the audience, afterwards estimated as having numbered over nineteen thousand souls. The darkened walls formed a wonderfully effective background for the masses of people, and with brilliant sunshine flooding the amphitheatre, and overhead a clear blue sky, the scene was one to be remembered. Seated as we were to the left of the president's loge, and directly opposite the gates opening from the toril, our view of the paseo could not but be perfect. A few late arrivals created the usual disturbance, the entrance of two or three eminent persons and of several well-known clubs causing the crowd to break out into occasional rounds of applause; programme-venders ran with the agility of

GUERRITA ON HIS KNEE BEFORE THE SWORD-THRUST.

cats along the dangerously narrow ledges of the balconies; the military band thundered martial airs; hundreds of little white balloons were sent floating into space; every one was in a state of suspense and excitement, and the tumult was overpowering.

At last the doors of the toril were

swung open, two mounted alguazils crossed over to the president, and authority was given to set the procession in motion. It advanced slowly, in a direct line, to our side of the arena, being led by the alguazils, and with the two matadores, Guerrita and Minuto, walking abreast at

quite a distance apart. They were gorgeously costumed, and carried themselves with great dignity; and the members of their cuadrillas, which came next in order, were faultlessly gotten up and beautifully grouped. It was remarkable to notice how even the servants, who with the mules brought up the rear, seemed to have an innate feeling for spectacular effect in that they conducted themselves with natural grace, and so carefully preserved the necessary order and form. When they drew up in front of us, the details of the picturesque garments caught my attention, and I noticed that Guerrita's choice of colors was comparatively subdued, a soft heliotrope predominating, the one vivid note being supplied by the brilliant emerald satin capa, or mantle, tightly drawn about the body, and discarded at the close of the paseo for the more practical capa in use in the arena. It is considered an honor to have these capas which are worn in the parade thrown to one; therefore I was pleased when two of the handsome young banderilleros who were passing beneath us lightly tossed theirs in our direction, to be seized and spread out before us by the friend who sat next to us, with the rapidity born of long practice. A moment later the key of the toril was thrown down to an alguazil as the president's signal for the opening of the corrida, and the distribution of the forces began.

From that time on I was deeply impressed with one fact: the continual sense of responsibility experienced by the matadores in regard to the members of their cuadrillas. The moment peril threatened a comrade, the ever-watchful superior officer was at hand to ward it off,

one.

MINUTO AND THE FOURTH BULL.

or to come to the relief of the endangered The evident loyalty of the men and the unanimity of their work were also noteworthy features, each one accomplishing his special task with a delicate precision and nice regard for order which spoke volumes for the careful drilling and discipline of the forces. It was a revelation, taken all in all, for one hears absolutely nothing of the scientific side of the sport shown; and the close sense of comradeship, watchfulness for each other's safety, and generosity of feeling were matters of continual surprise, and of which it is a pleasure to speak.

to an end, Guerrita came forward, sword in hand, to deliver his brindis to the president. The moment is a very dramatic one, and of great solemnity, and the peculiar sombre character of the famous torero's face, the somewhat harsh and penetrating tones of his voice, and the impressive significance of his gesture accented the meaning of the words uttered: "I dedicate this toro to you. I promise to kill

him if he does not kill me." The first toro is invariably dedicated to the president; and later, if the matador desires to especially honor any one prominent individual, he "brinds" to this person the toro he is about to kill in the same public way, pronouncing his brindis as he goes forth for the final struggle and death-blow.

With a nonchalance which contrasted

Capachuelo, the first toro -an enormous black and white bull, with entire black head and very solidly armed as to horns-burst into the ring like a fury, and left the spectators breathless by his furious attack directed against the picadores. I confess to confusion as to what happened just here, for, seeing lives in danger, I turned away; but a second later I was fascinated by the extremely clever work of Guerrita and Minuto in luring the infuriated toro from his prey, and creating a furor by the intrepidity and finesse displayed. The banderillas were placed, each pair bringing forth an expression of enthusiastic approval or of satisfaction, according to the success of the effort in planting these barbed sticks; and this second stage of the drama brought

with his concentration of manner while delivering the address, Guerrita calmly approached the toro, and in a surprisingly short time hypnotized the animal-for it is surely little else but that -by the play of his muleta (a square of red stuff, it will be remembered, used in making the passes), and gave the estocada with a sureness of aim and skill which aroused the people to a wild pitch of enthusiasm.

During the development of the succeeding scenes, in which the remaining toros were disposed of, I learned something of the technique of the sport, and grew to see that the "suerte" (untranslatable term telling of the work ac

THE FOURTH BULL.-PICA-THRUST BY THE TORNERO.