money, and if your worship pleases to hold down your wand of justice,
since he leaves it to my oath, I will swear I have really and truly
returned it to him."

The governor accordingly held down his wand, and the old fellow, seeming
encumbered with his staff, gave it to his creditor to hold while he was
swearing; and then taking hold of the cross of the wand, he said it was
true indeed the other had lent him ten crowns, but that he had restored
them to him into his own hand; but having, he supposed, forgotten it, he
was continually dunning him for them. Upon which his lordship the
governor demanded of the creditor what he had to say in reply to the
solemn declaration he had heard. He said that he submitted, and could
not doubt but that his debtor had sworn the truth; for he believed him
to be an honest man and a good Christian; and that, as the fault must
have been in his own memory, he would thenceforward ask him no more for
his money. The debtor now took his staff again, and bowing to the
governor, went out of court.

Sancho having observed the defendant take his staff and walk away, and
noticing also the resignation of the plaintiff, he began to meditate,
and laying the fore-finger of his right hand upon his forehead, he
continued a short time apparently full of thought; and then raising his
head, he ordered the old man with the staff to be called back; and when
he had returned, "Honest friend," said the governor, "give me that
staff, for I have occasion for it."

"With all my heart," answered the old fellow; and delivered it into his
hand. Sancho took it, and giving it to the other old man, said: "Go
about your business, in God's name, for you are paid." "I, my lord,"
answered the old man; "what! is this cane worth ten golden crowns?"

"Yes," quoth the governor, "or I am the greatest dunce in the world! and
now it shall appear whether I have a head to govern a whole kingdom."
Straight he commanded the cane to be broken before them all. Which being
done there were found in the hollow of it ten crowns in gold.

All were struck with admiration, and took their new governor for a
second Solomon. They asked him, whence he had collected that the ten
crowns were in the cane. He answered, that upon seeing the old man give
it his adversary, while he was taking the oath, and swearing that he
had really and truly restored them into his own hands, and, when he had
done, ask for it again, it came into his imagination, the mo