he pride of
the village.

"One summer's day, as I was leading my six mules, fully laden with pots
and pans, to Coimbra, a student, who was on the roadside, saluted me and
said--

"'Good Jose, I have a great favour to ask of you, and one that I know
you will not deny me.'

"'Your excellency,' said I, 'has but to order, and I will obey, so long
as you place not my eternal happiness in jeopardy.'

"'The saints forbid,' answered the student, 'that I should ask you to do
anything but what a Christian man should do! No, friend Jose, my errand
is indeed a strange and sad one; but I feel that I must be as true to
(with your leave) a mule as my profession requires me to be to a human
being.'

"'What!' exclaimed I, 'are you under some spell, some wicked
enchantment, that you make promises to (with your excellency's leave) a
mule, which is the accursed animal since the days of Bethlehem?'

"'No, good friend,' continued the sorrowful student; 'I am under no
spell, but under a vow; for I have promised to convey some sad news to
(with your leave) that mouse-coloured mule of yours, and I feel that I
must break it gently to her.'

"'Sir,' said I, 'you see before you a man who knows not the difference
between the _Credo_ and the _Paternoster_ when they are written; and
though I have heard say that if you want to see thieves you must get
inside a prison and look at the passers-by, still am I not inclined to
think that if you desire to see knaves you must look in at the windows
of the university. My mule (with your excellency's permission) is but a
mule, and has no knowledge of sorrow or of language; therefore, of what
avail to speak to her?'

"'You are much mistaken,' answered the student, who now had tears in his
eyes, 'for it is well known that even the irrational animals have
feelings, and they have been heard to speak. Good friend, grant me my
request, for, as I said before, I am under a vow.'

"'Have your way, dear sir,' said I; 'but if the animal bites you, blame
not me. She is but a stubborn thing at the best of times.'

"The six mules were tied one to the other, and each had a big load of
pots and pans. They were standing in the middle of the road with their
gay trappings and bells about them; and as I looked at the
mouse-coloured one, I wondered what the student could have to say to her
and how he would say it; but, as you know, these men who frequent the
university are so learned that they can repeat the _Credo_ ba