ere, having stripped me among the olive trees, he
took off his belt, not even removing the iron buckle--oh that I may see
him clapped in irons and chains!--and with that he gave me such an
unmerciful flogging, that he left me for dead; and that's a true story,
as the marks you see bear witness."

Here Cariharta once more set up her pipes and craved for justice, which
was again promised to her by Monipodio and all the bravos present.

The Gananciosa then tried her hand at consoling the victim; saying to
her, among other things--"I would freely give my best gown that my fancy
man had done as much by me; for I would have you know, sister Cariharta,
if you don't know it yet, that he who loves best thrashes best; and when
these scoundrels whack us and kick us, it is then they most devoutly
adore us. Tell me now, on our life, after having beaten and abused you,
did not Repolido make much of you, and give you more than one caress?"

"More than one!" replied the weeping girl; "he gave me more than a
hundred thousand, and would have given a finger off his hand if I would
only have gone with him to his posada; nay, I even think that the tears
were almost starting from his eyes after he had leathered me."

"Not a doubt of it," replied Gananciosa; "and he would weep now to see
the state he has put you into: for men like him have scarcely committed
the fault before repentance begins. You will see, sister, if he does not
come here to look for you before we leave the place; and see if he does
not beg you to forgive what has passed, and behave to you as meek and as
humble as a lamb."

"By my faith," observed Monipodio, "the cowardly ruffian shall not enter
these doors until he has made full reparation for the offence he has
committed. How dare he lay a hand on poor Cariharta, who for cleanliness
and industry is a match for Gananciosa herself, and that is saying
everything."

"Alas! Senor Monipodio," replied Juliana, "please do not speak too
severely of the miserable fellow; for, hard as he is, I cannot but love
him as I do the very folds of my heart; and the words spoken in his
behalf by my friend Gananciosa have restored the soul to my body. Of a
truth, if I consulted only my own wishes, I should go this moment and
look for him."

"No, no," replied Gananciosa, "you shall not do so by my counsel; for to
do that would make him proud; he would think too much of himself, and
would make experiments upon you as on a dead body. Keep q