flight of stone steps. It forms part of our plan to
connect our frail edifice with the market wall, and match its local
stone colour.

We have exactly a month for the completion of our task, and we make the
most of our time. Cart-loads of white wood, in planks and logs, arrive
at all hours of the day, together with yards upon yards of coarse
canvas, pounds of nails, colours in powder, huge earthenware pots and
size. In short, our requirements are akin to those of a scene painter.

Thrifty Don Elijio has periodical moments of panic; for it seems to him
that our demands for wood, paint, canvas and nails, are exorbitant, and
more than once he predicts the ruin of his speculation. The merchant
begins to regret that he did not persuade us to 'contract' for the whole
expense, instead of receiving a separate remuneration for our time and
labour. Sometimes he will endeavour to show that there is something
defective in our agreement.

'Look here!' says he. 'You are artists, and if I come to you to have my
portrait painted, I suppose you will not expect me to pay for your
colours and canvas?'

We have neither time nor ability to argue the point; but the man of many
bargains is easily convinced, when we hint about relinquishing our
labours!

Foiled in his effort to reduce expenses, the merchant tries to economise
in another way, by questioning the propriety of adopting certain little
contrivances which he cannot for the life of him follow in the original
plan.

'What are those hugh firework sort of wheels for?' he asks one day. 'I
don't see them in the drawing, and therefore consider them unnecessary.'

'Those wheels,' we explain, 'which you are pleased to compare with
fireworks, constitute the skeleton, or framework, of four turrets,
which, after having been concealed behind canvas, painted stone-colour,
and relieved with imitation port-holes, will be suspended from the
uppermost angles of the arch.'

'And where is that broad octagonal chimney to be placed?' inquires the
merchant.

'That "chimney,"' we reply, 'represents a Gothic temple, and is
destined to stand over the centre of the arch upon a graduated
pedestal.'

The wood-work of our fabric is put together by a number of black and
brown carpenters; but we have to superintend every part, as these
gentlemen have no notion whatever of architectural devices, and our
eloquence fails to convey to their intelligence our multifarious needs.

The readiest of our assist