THE SOLDIERS
The inhabitants of Orbajosa heard in the twilight vagueness of their morning slumbers the same sonorous clarionet, and they opened their eyes, saying:
“The soldiers!”
Some murmured to themselves between sleeping and waking:
“At last they have sent us that rabble.”
Others got out of bed hastily, growling:
“Let us go take a look at those confounded soldiers.”
Some soliloquized in this way:
“It will be necessary to hurry up matters. They say drafts and contributions; we will say blows and more blows.”
In another house were heard these words uttered joyfully:
“Perhaps my son is coming! Perhaps my brother is coming!”
Everywhere people were springing out of bed, dressing hastily, opening the windows to see the regiment that caused all this excitement entering the city in
