ard against the insidious attacks of such a base
enemy, I resolved to get out of her sight, and put some space between
her and me. One day, I found myself at liberty, and without bidding
adieu to any of the family, I went into the street; and before I had
gone a hundred paces, I fell in with the alguazil I mentioned in the
beginning of my story, as being a great friend of my first master
Nicholas the butcher. He instantly knew me, and called me by my name. I
knew him too, and went up to him with my usual ceremonies and caresses.
He took hold of me by the neck, and said to his men, "This is a famous
watch-dog, formerly belonging to a friend of mine: let us bring him
home." The men said, if I was a watch-dog, I should be of great use to
them all, and they wanted to lay hold on me to lead me along; but the
alguazil said, it was not necessary, for I knew him, and would follow
him. I forgot to tell you, that the spiked collar I wore when I ran away
from the flock was stolen from me at an inn by a gipsy, and I went
without one in Seville; but my new master put on me a collar all studded
with brass. Only consider, Scipio, this change in my fortunes, Yesterday
I was a student, and to-day I found myself a bailiff.

_Scip._ So wags the world, and you need not exaggerate the vicissitudes
of fortune, as if there were any difference between the service of a
butcher and that of a bailiff. I have no patience when I hear some
persons rail at fortune, whose highest hopes never aspired beyond the
life of a stable-boy. How they curse their ill-luck, and all to make the
hearers believe that they have known better days, and have fallen from
some high estate.

_Berg._ Just so. Now you must know that this alguazil was on intimate
terms with an attorney; and the two were connected with a pair of
wenches not a bit better than they ought to be, but quite the reverse.
They were rather good looking, but full of meretricious arts and
impudence. These two served their male associates as baits to fish with.
Their dress and deportment was such that you might recognise them for
what they were at the distance of a musket shot; they frequented the
houses of entertainment for strangers, and the period of the fairs in
Cadiz and Seville was their harvest time, for there was not a Breton
with whom they did not grapple. Whenever a bumpkin fell into their
snares they apprised the alguazil and the attorney to what inn they were
going, and the latter then seize