1829.) a Tale of the South. 587 
Monopadis, and disturbed the company, to see their statutes and regula- 
tions thus infringed. Bincon, at last, finding the tumult increase, 
thought it behoved him to allay it—and after a whisper with Costado, 
drew forth the student’s purse—“< My comrade Costado,” said he, 
** possessed himself of this, cunningly, to-day, with the handkerchief to 
boot, from the same person.” The storm ceased—Monopadis, enchanted, 
desired him to keep the handkerchief, and restore the purse—“ for the 
alguazil must have it, as it belonged to a kinsman of his, and the worthy 
alguazil remits more to us in a day than we dotohim ina year.” All, with 
one accord, admitted the nobleness and liberality of the two new comers, 
and the sirname of “ good” was bestowed on Costado, as it had been 
on Don Alonzo Perez de Gusman, sirnamed the good, for having thrown 
over the walls of Tarifta the knife with which he had just served himself 
to cut the throat of his own son. Monopadis, on returning, was 
followed by two young girls, highly painted, their lips well reddened, 
their necks well whitened—mantillas thrown lightly over their 
shoulders—their air gay—and assured enough, to give authentic proof 
to the two novices that they were free of the house. They rushed in 
with open arms, and one flung hers round Chiquisnaque, the other 
round Maniferro, the names of the two bravos above mentioned. Ma- 
niferro bore this name on account of the iron hand with which he had 
replaced that he had been deprived of by justice. The bravos returned 
the embrace with joy, and demanded of the young women if they had 
brought wherewithal to wet their lips. “ Never think we could forget 
it: Silvatillo is coming with a basket of whatever it please Heaven to 
send.” And effectively there appeared at the instant a boy with a wash- 
basket, wound with a bed sheet.* The arrival of Silvio restored all the 
company to good humour ; and then Monopadis had one of the mats 
brought from the hall and spread in the court, and ordered that every 
one should sit round, that so in eating and drinking they might talk of 
their affairs. Upon this, the old woman, who had paid her devotions to 
the image of the Virgin, said, “ My son Monopadis, I am not come here 
to enjoy myself—it is some days since I have had such an illness in my 
head as almost to turn it: and besides, before it be noon, I must make 
my accustomed devotions, and light the tapers at our lady of the 
waters, and the holy crucifix of St. Augustin, in the which I may 
not fail if it ramed cats and dogs. Why I am here is because last 
night the Renegade and Cantopio brought to my house a wash-basket, 
somewhat larger than that before us, filled with linen, which, as Heaven is 
my judge, had yet the suds in it—the poor lads not having allowed 
themselves time to throw it out. If you had seen how the drops stood 
on their faces as they ran into me, looking like angels! They told me 
they were hastening after a shepherd who was taking his sheep to the 
butchers, and it would go hard with them if they did not come in for a 
good share of the money he was to carry home on him—so they never 
emptied the basket, nor even counted the pieces, trusting, as well they 
might, tomy good conscience. Heaven be gracious, and deliver us all from 
justice, as I tell you the plain truth, when I protest that I have not 
once touched the basket, and that it is just as it was the minute it set 
* Formerly the washing was done in little baskets in Spain—few of either men or 
women having, in general, more than two shirts or shifts—and the rest of their linen in 
proportion. Lyery Saturday this washing took place—and the fashion is not yet quite extinct: 
F 
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