I laugh to recall these unseemly word-battles on the beach, but they
were shocking to me when I first heard them as a small, innocent-
minded boy, and it only made the case worse when I was assured that
the young gentleman was only acting a part, that the extreme anger he
exhibited, which might have served as an excuse for using such
language, was all pretence.
Another favourite pastime of these same idle, rich young gentlemen
offended me as much as the one I have related. The night-watchmen,
called _Serenos,_ of that time interested me in an extraordinary way.
When night came it appeared that the fierce policemen, with their
swords and brass buttons, were no longer needed to safeguard the
people, and their place in the streets was taken by a quaint, frowsy-
looking body of men, mostly old, some almost decrepit, wearing big
cloaks and carrying staffs and heavy iron lanterns with a tallow
candle alight inside. But what a pleasure it was to lie awake at night
and listen to their voices calling the hours! The calls began at the
stroke of eleven, and then from beneath the window would come the
wonderful long drawling call of _Las on--ce han da--do y se--re--no,_
which means eleven of the clock and all serene, but if clouded the
concluding word would be _nu--bla--do,_ and so on, according to the
weather.
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