Unfortunately for me, they had tied their horses
under the shadow of a clump of trees some distance from the gate, so
that I had missed seeing them on my arrival. Once amongst them, however,
my only plan was to disguise my uneasiness, be very polite, get my
refreshments, then make my escape as speedily as possible. They stared
rather hard at me, but returned my salutation courteously; then going
to a disengaged corner of the counter, I rested my left elbow on it
and called for bread, a box of sardines, and a tumbler of wine.
"If you will join me, senores, the table is spread," said I; but they
all declined my invitation with thanks, and I began to eat my bread
and sardines.
They appeared to be all persons living in the immediate neighbourhood,
for they addressed each other familiarly and were conversing about
love matters. One of them, however, soon dropped out of the
conversation, and, edging away from the others, stood a little space
apart, leaning against the wall on the side of the porch farthest from
me. I began to notice this man very particularly, for it was plain to
see that I had excited his interest in an extraordinary manner, and
I did not like his scrutiny. He was, without exception, the most
murderous-looking villain I have ever had the misfortune to meet: that
was the deliberate opinion I came to before I formed a closer
acquaintance with him.
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