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Ah! if I only had here a certain alcalde of the name of Don Ramon Cohecho, and his damned friend, one Senor Cagatinta, I fancy I should make them pass an uncomfortable quarter of an hour." "Very well, then," said Bois-Rose, seeing the other had finished his narrative; "very well. I quite approve of your intentions let the journey to Arispe stand over."
Yes, my children! In the deceitful security, which I felt no later than yesterday, I was up to the chateau, and had an important interview with the Countess in regard to my rents." "To ask time for their payment," Cagatinta would have added, for the clerk was perfectly acquainted with the alcalde's affairs.
But Don Ramon did not allow him an opportunity of committing this enormous indiscretion, which would forever have deprived him of the promised breeches. "Patience, worthy Cagatinta!" he exclaimed hastily, so as to prevent the other from speaking, "constrain this thirst for justice that consumes you!
Profiting by the confidence of the scribe, Don Ramon had induced the latter to commit his oath to stamped paper; and then instead of the liver-coloured breeches had offered him an old hat in remuneration. This Cagatinta had indignantly refused. He was now lamenting his vanished dreams of ambition, his silly confidence, and the immorality of false oaths not paid for.
This I placed against the balcony, and mounted up in order to see through the window. On reaching the window I found it open, and the chamber in the condition you now see it." When the steward had finished this declaration, Cagatinta whispered some words in the ear of the alcalde; but the latter only replied by a shake of the shoulders, and an expression of disdainful incredulity.
Cagatinta drew out from his little portfolio a sheet of stamped paper, and sitting down by the table proceeded to execute the order of the magistrate. He was interrupted by a hurried knocking at the outer door which had been closed to prevent intrusion. "Who dare knock in that fashion?" sharply inquired the alcalde. "Ave Maria purisima!" cried a voice from without.
Cagatinta scarce deigned to cast a look at this miscellaneous collection of objects. Had there been a pair of pantaloons among them, it might have been different; for to say the truth, the probity of Don Gregorio was scarce firm enough to have resisted so strong a temptation as this would have been. The notary's clerk was not exactly of that stuff of which honest men are composed.
At this unexpected declaration, Cagatinta bounded from his chair as if stung by a wasp; and the blood ran cold in his veins when he perceived the grand blunder he had been so near committing.
Meanwhile a crowd of women, old men, and children, had gathered around the alcalde's door, and by little and little, were invading the sanctuary of the audience chamber itself. Don Ramon advanced towards Cagatinta, who was rubbing his hands under his esclavina, charmed at the idea of the quantity of stamped paper he would now have an opportunity to blacken.
Por Dios! a large sum it would be to have lost!" And with this reflection Cagatinta sat down again, fancying, no doubt, that he had fairly won the breeches.
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