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"Oh, I'm sorry for that."

His black eyes flashed a bacchanalian smile. He really had somewhat the look of a young Silenus.5

"Life is full of compensations," he murmured.

The words were hardly out of his mouth when a Spanish woman, no longer in her first youth, but still boldly and voluptuously

beautiful, appeared at the door. She spoke to him in Spanish, and I could not fail to perceive that she was the mistress of the

house.

As he stood at the door to let me out he said to me:

"You told me when last I saw you that if I came here I should earn just enough money to keep body and soul together, but that

I should lead a wonderful life. Well, I want to tell you that you were right. Poor I have been and poor I shall always be, but by

heaven I've enjoyed myself. I wouldn't exchange the life I've had with that of any king in the world."

EXPLANATORY NOTES

1. Victoria Station: a railway terminus in the southern part of London.

2. Infirmary: a hospital; sick quarters at school.

3. Seville f'sevil]: a town in the province of Andalusia [.aenda'lixzja] in the south of Spain.

4. patio ['paeti3o]: an open courtyard within the walls of a Spanish house.

5. Silenus [sai'liings]: a Greek mythological character, the tutor and companion of Dionysus [.daia'naisss], the God of wine.

ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY Vocabulary Notes

1. confide vi/t 1) to feel trust in smb., e. g. I can confide in him. 2) to tell secrets to, e. g. He confided his troubles (secret, plans, fears) to me.

confidence n 1) strong trust, e. g. I have no confidence in such people (in his ability, in his opinion). He enjoys everybody's

confidence. What she says does not inspire confidence. I shan't betray your confidence. She took me into her confidence. 2)

assurance, belief that one is right or that one will succeed, e. g. He has too much confidence in himself (self- confidence). His lack of

confidence is most annoying. His comforting words gave me confidence. 3) secret which is confided to smb. ( often in pi.), e. g. 1

listened to the girl's confidences with a mixed feeling of pity and disapproval.

confident adj 1) sure, e. g. We were not confident of success. 2) showing confidence, as a confident manner, smile, voice, tone.

confidential adj private or secret, as confidential information, matter, correspondence, voice, etc.

2. start vi/t 1) to begin to move; to set out; to begin a journey, as to start early (late, at 6 p. m., etc.); to start on a trip (a journey, an excursion) for the mountains; 2) to begin to do smth., as to start work (business, conversation); to start working, running, crying; 3) to

cause, to enable, to begin, e. g. How did the war (the fire, the quarrel) start? 4) to set going, as to start a car (a motor, a newspaper); 5)

to make a sudden movement (from pain, shock, etc.), e. g. He started at the noise.

starting-point n a place at which a start is made, e. g. The incident turned out to be a starting-point that set everything afloat.