CHAPTER LV.
A Visitor--Apprenticeship to the Law--Croch Daranau--Lope de Vega--No Life like the Traveller's.
One morning as I sat alone a gentleman was announced.

On his entrance I recognised in him the magistrate's clerk, owing to whose good word, as it appeared to me, I had been permitted to remain during the examination into the affair of the wounded butcher.

He was a stout, strong-made man, somewhat under the middle height, with a ruddy face, and very clear, grey eyes.

I handed him a chair, which he took, and said that his name was R---, and that he had taken the liberty of calling, as he had a great desire to be acquainted with me.

On my asking him his reason for that desire he told me that it proceeded from his having read a book of mine about Spain, which had much interested him.
"Good," said I, "you can't give an author a better reason for coming to see him than being pleased with his book.