590 The Fortune- Hunters : [June, 
« How! a kiss,” replied the mourner, “a hundred thousand an’ I had 
let him. I could have had a finger off his hand from him if I would 
have gone home with him :—and I really think, of a truth, that the tears 
came in his eyes, as soon as he saw what he had done.”—“ Devil take 
him—no doubt,” replied Gamenciosa, “ that he was ready to cry for having 
been so hasty—such men as he have no sooner committed the fault than 
they repent of it. Thou wilt see, sister, that ere we part, he comes 
looking for thee, and asking pardon for the past, as gentle as a lamb.” — 
“Of a certainty,” said Monopadis, “the miserable wretch shall not 
enter in at that gate-if he does not show a penitence. pro- 
portioned to his crime. To have laid such hands on Cariharte, 
who might compare with even Gamenciosa, for gentility and 
propriety !”—“ Alas, Senor Monopadis,” returned Cariharte, still crying, 
«don’t threaten poor Repolido ; bad as he is, I love him better than I do 
my own limbs. The good reasons that Gamenciosa has given in his 
favour, have so changed my opinion, that, in truth, I feel half inclined 
to go and see what is become of the creature.”—* No—that thou 
shalt not, by my counsel,” returned Gamenciosa. “He would think 
bt worth nothing if you were to make yourself too cheap. Haye a 
ittle patience, sister ; you will soon see, as I have said, that he comes in 
penitence ; and, if he does not come, we will write him some verses that 
will set him mad.”—*“ Aye, truly,” said Cariharte ; “ I can say a thou- 
sand things to vex him.”—“ And I will be the poet,” said Monopadis ; 
“for, though I am no wit, I could make a hundred verses while you 
would be reading them ; and if they are not good, there is a barber, a 
friend of mine, a famous genius, who will mend them: so now, as all 
else is finished, let the breakfast be finished.”’ Cariharte was contented 
to obey the chief, so every one resumed his occupation; and, in a 
minute, you could have seen the bottom of the basket, and the dregs 
of the leather wine barrel. The old people drank without end; the 
youths did the same ; and the women imitated them. The two ancients 
then demanded leave to depart, which was acceded to by Monopadis, 
who recommended their coming, with the required punctuality, to give 
account of all that might be of profit or use for the interests of the fra- 
ternity. They had nothing more at heart, they said, as they went away. 
Bincon, who was naturally inquisitive, having obtained permission to 
speak, inquired of Monopadis, of what use to the company were those 
two silent personages? Monopadis replied, that such persons were, in 
their dialect, called drones, and their employment consisting in peram- 
bulating the city by day to find out what dwelling was fit to enter by 
night—to follow those who received sums at the public offices—to 
mark where they resided—to observe the most probable way to get at 
it, &c. &c. ; in short, they were a species of pointers, of great necessity 
to the company, and who received a fifth of all secured through their 
intelligence, just as the king did from all mines and treasures—that, 
otherwise, they were men of honest and good life and reputation, dwell- 
ing in the fear of God and their consciences, and every day attend- 
ing mass with sincere devotion. “Among them, for we have several 
besides those just gone, are two who adopt the trade of porters, by 
the which they make many changes of furnitures, &c. in the houses 
they carry a worse thing into, and take a better out; and, by it, also, 
they learn to know those which are worth entering, and which are not.”— 
s¢ All that is surprising,” said Bincon. “I hope I may ever be of such 
