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knows how。 I was there； and gave more than one doubtful point in his
favour； very much against what my conscience told me。 He made off with
his winnings； and when I made sure he was going to give me a crown
or so at least by way of a present； as it is usual and customary to
give men of quality of my sort who stand by to see fair or foul
play； and back up swindles； and prevent quarrels； he pocketed his
money and left the house。 Indignant at this I followed him； and
speaking him fairly and civilly asked him to give me if it were only
eight reals； for he knows I am an honest man and that I have neither
profession nor property； for my parents never brought me up to any
or left me any； but the rogue； who is a greater thief than Cacus and a
greater sharper than Andradilla； would not give me more than four
reals； so your worship may see how little shame and conscience he has。
But by my faith if you had not come up I'd have made him disgorge
his winnings； and he'd have learned what the range of the steel…yard
was。〃
〃What say you to this？〃 asked Sancho。 The other replied that all his
antagonist said was true； and that he did not choose to give him
more than four reals because he very often gave him money； and that
those who expected presents ought to be civil and take what is given
them with a cheerful countenance； and not make any claim against
winners unless they know them for certain to be sharpers and their
winnings to be unfairly won； and that there could be no better proof
that he himself was an honest man than his having refused to give
anything； for sharpers always pay tribute to lookers…on who know them。
〃That is true；〃 said the majordomo； 〃let your worship consider
what is to be done with these men。〃
〃What is to be done；〃 said Sancho； 〃is this； you； the winner； be you
good； bad； or indifferent； give this assailant of yours a hundred
reals at once； and you must disburse thirty more for the poor
prisoners； and you who have neither profession nor property； and
hang about the island in idleness； take these hundred reals now； and
some time of the day to…morrow quit the island under sentence of
banishment for ten years； and under pain of completing it in another
life if you violate the sentence； for I'll hang you on a gibbet； or at
least the hangman will by my orders； not a word from either of you； or
I'll make him feel my hand。〃
The one paid down the money and the other took it； and the latter
quitted the island； while the other went home； and then the governor
said； 〃Either I am not good for much； or I'll get rid of these
gambling houses； for it strikes me they are very mischievous。〃
〃This one at least；〃 said one of the notaries； 〃your worship will
not be able to get rid of； for a great man owns it； and what he
loses every year is beyond all comparison more than what he makes by
the cards。 On the minor gambling houses your worship may exercise your
power； and it is they that do most harm and shelter the most barefaced
practices； for in the houses of lords and gentlemen of quality the
notorious sharpers dare not attempt to play their tricks； and as the
vice of gambling has become common； it is better that men should
play in houses of repute than in some tradesman's； where they catch an
unlucky fellow in the small hours of the morning and skin him alive。〃
〃I know already； notary； that there is a good deal to he said on
that point；〃 said Sancho。
And now a tipstaff came up with a young man in his grasp； and
said； 〃Senor governor； this youth was coming towards us； and as soon
as he saw the officers of justice he turned about and ran like a deer；
a sure proof that he must be some evil…doer； I ran after him； and
had it not been that he stumbled and fell； I should never have
caught him。〃
〃What did you run for； fellow？〃 said Sancho。
To which the young man replied； 〃Senor； it was to avoid answering
all the questions officers of justice put。〃
〃What are you by trade？〃
〃A weaver。〃
〃And what do you weave？〃
〃Lance heads； with your worship's good leave。〃
〃You're facetious with me！ You plume yourself on being a wag？ Very
good； and where were you going just now？〃
〃To take the air； senor。〃
〃And where does one take the air in this island？〃
〃Where it blows。〃
〃Good！ your answers are very much to the point； you are a smart
youth； but take notice that I am the air； and that I blow upon you
a…stern； and send you to gaol。 Ho there！ lay hold of him and take
him off； I'll make him sleep there to…night without air。〃
〃By God；〃 said the young man； 〃your worship will make me sleep in
gaol just as soon as make me king。〃
〃Why shan't I make thee sleep in gaol？〃 said Sancho。 〃Have I not the
power to arrest thee and release thee whenever I like？〃
〃All the power your worship has；〃 said the young man； 〃won't be able
to make me sleep in gaol。〃
〃How？ not able！〃 said Sancho； 〃take him away at once where he'll see
his mistake with his own eyes； even if the gaoler is willing to
exert his interested generosity on his behalf； for I'll lay a
penalty of two thousand ducats on him if he allows him to stir a
step from the prison。〃
〃That's ridiculous；〃 said the young man； 〃the fact is； all the men
on earth will not make me sleep in prison。〃
〃Tell me； you devil；〃 said Sancho； 〃have you got any angel that will
deliver you； and take off the irons I am going to order them to put
upon you？〃
〃Now； senor governor；〃 said the young man in a sprightly manner；
〃let us be reasonable and come to the point。 Granted your worship
may order me to be taken to prison； and to have irons and chains put
on me； and to be shut up in a cell； and may lay heavy penalties on the
gaoler if he lets me out； and that he obeys your orders； still； if I
don't choose to sleep； and choose to remain awake all night without
closing an eye； will your worship with all your power be able to
make me sleep if I don't choose？〃
〃No； truly；〃 said the secretary； 〃and the fellow has made his
point。〃
〃So then；〃 said Sancho； 〃it would be entirely of your own choice you
would keep from sleeping； not in opposition to my will？〃
〃No； senor；〃 said the youth； 〃certainly not。〃
〃Well then； go； and God be with you；〃 said Sancho； 〃be off home to
sleep； and God give you sound sleep； for I don't want to rob you of
it； but for the future； let me advise you don't joke with the
authorities； because you may come across some one who will bring
down the joke on your own skull。〃
The young man went his way； and the governor continued his round；
and shortly afterwards two tipstaffs came up with a man in custody；
and said； 〃Senor governor； this person； who seems to be a man； is
not so； but a woman； and not an ill…favoured one； in man's clothes。〃
They raised two or three lanterns to her face； and by their light they
distinguished the features of a woman to all appearance of the age
of sixteen or a little more； with her hair gathered into a gold and
green silk net； and fair as a thousand pearls。 They scanned her from
head to foot； and observed that she had on red silk stockings with
garters of white taffety bordered with gold and pearl； her breeches
were of green and gold stuff； and under an open jacket or jerkin of
the same she wore a doublet of the finest white and gold cloth； her
shoes were white and such as men wear； she carried no sword at her
belt； but only a richly ornamented dagger； and on her fingers she
had several handsome rings。 In short； the girl seemed fair to look
at in the eyes of all； and none of those who beheld her knew her；
the people of the town said they could not imagine who she was； and
those who were in the secret of the jokes that were to be practised
upon Sancho were the ones who were most surprised； for this incident
or discovery had not been arranged by them； and they watched anxiously
to see how the affair would end。
Sancho was fascinated by the girl's beauty； and he asked her who she
was； where she was going； and what had induced her to dress herself in
that garb。 She with her eyes fixed on the ground answered in modest
confusion； 〃I cannot tell you； senor； before so many people what it is
of such consequence to me to have kept secret； one thing I wish to
be known； that I am no thief or evildoer； but only an unhappy maiden
whom the power of jealousy has led to break through the respect that
is due to modesty。〃
Hearing this the majordomo said to Sancho； 〃Make the people stand
back； senor governor； that this lady may say what she wishes with less
embarrassment。〃
Sancho gave the order； and all except the majordomo； the
head…carver； and the secretary fell back。 Finding herself then in
the presence of no more； the damsel went on to say； 〃I am the
daughter； sirs； of Pedro Perez Mazorca； the wool…farmer of this
town； who is in the habit of coming very often to my father's house。〃
〃That won't do； senora；〃 said the majordomo； 〃for I know Pedro Perez
very well； and I know he has no child at all； either son or
daughter； and besides； though you say he is your father； you add
then that he comes very often to your father's house。〃
〃I had already noticed that；〃 said Sancho。
〃I am confused just now； sirs；〃 said the damsel； 〃and I d