officers
of justice, for unless they are well greased they creak worse than the
wheels of a bullock cart.

Whatever Tomas thought of this roundabout way of making interest, he
failed not to thank the innkeeper, and to assure him that he was
confident his master would readily send the requisite money.

Argueello, who had seen her new flame in the hands of the officers, ran
directly to the prison with some dinner for him; but she was not
permitted to see him. This was a great grief to her, but she did not
lose her hopes for all that. After the lapse of a fortnight the wounded
man was out of danger, and in a week more, the surgeon pronounced him
cured. During this time, Tomas Pedro pretended to have had fifty crowns
sent to him from Seville, and taking them out of his pocket, he
presented them to the innkeeper, along with a fictitious letter from his
master. It was nothing to the landlord whether the letter was genuine or
not, so he gave himself no trouble to authenticate it; but he received
the fifty good gold crowns with great glee. The end of the matter was,
that the wounded man was quieted with six ducats, and Asturiano was
sentenced to the forfeiture of his ass, and a fine of ten ducats with
costs, on the payment of which he was liberated.

On his release from prison, Asturiano had no mind to go back to the
Sevillano, but excused himself to his comrade on the ground that during
his confinement he had been visited by Argueello, who had pestered him
with her fulsome advances, which were to him so sickening and
insufferable, that he would rather be hanged than comply with the
desires of so odious a jade. His intention was to buy an ass, and to do
business as a water carrier on his own account as long as they remained
in Toledo. This would protect him from the risk of being arrested as a
vagabond; besides, it was a business he could carry on with great ease
and satisfaction to himself, since with only one load of water, he could
saunter about the city all day long, looking at silly wenches.

"Looking at beautiful women, you mean," said his friend, "for of all the
cities in Spain, Toledo has the reputation of being that in which the
women surpass all others, whether in beauty or conduct. If you doubt it,
only look at Costanza, who could spare from her superfluity of
loveliness charms enough to beautify the rest of the women, not only of
Toledo, but of the whole world."

"Gently, senor Tomas; not so fast with your prai