162 Friar Bacon’s Key. [Auveust, 
the matter much more easily ; they would frequently leave a ruby or 
a sapphire ungathered, after they had nearly detached it from the rock, 
and leave some crafty old fellow to reap the benefit of their labour, 
while they stepped aside for no other purpose than to pluck some new 
flower that grew near them, or to indulge in the fruit, which, it must be 
owned, looked most deliciously. 
While I was admiring this novel sight, with no little inclination to 
join in a labour so agreeable, I was accosted by a dark, portly man, who 
in dress and figure strongly resembled a Dutch burgomaster, when 
Holland was under the rule of Spaniards. In his right hand he carried 
a substantial cane, headed with ivory, such as rich men of a certain age are 
in the habit of carrying, more as a prop to their dignity than to their 
limbs. Though not so fat as a London alderman in full perfection, he 
yet had a waste of comfortable dimensions, which, as he was of the tallest, 
did not show so much amiss; and, indeed, he had no want of dignity, 
though it was not precisely of that kind which assimilates with the 
received notions of a king or a hero. He was too homely for the one 
character, and too fat for the other ; for, notwithstanding the example 
of Napoleon, there is something peculiarly incongruous in the idea of a 
great waste and a great man. His complexion, however, was all that a 
novelist could wish for his hero, being so dark that it might well be 
called olive, and his dress was a rich, but sober-coloured Spanish habit ; 
so that, altogether, he had the appearance of a merchant of the olden 
time when merchants were princes. 
_ © Well, Sir,” said this portly figure, laying his hand condescendingly 
upon my shoulder,—* you are come, like the rest of them, to see what 
you can pick up in my gardens.” 
I thought it best not to tell a lie for the matter—that is, not a direct 
lie—for he had a terrible eye under his bushy brows; so I treated his 
question half in joke, half in earnest, saying that I might, perhaps, be 
tempted te pick up a few handsful of dust, or some half-score of jewels, 
if I could be well assured that there were no steel traps or spring-guns set 
in his premises. ° 
« For what do you take me?” said the portly gentleman, frowning. 
« For the owner of this splendid estate,” I replied, with a conciliatory 
bew. i 
« You are right,” he said, “I am so, and if it were only for that word, 
you may gather a cart-load of diamonds, or gold, or whatever else 
happens best to tickle your fancy. How say you, friend: have you a 
mind to this gem ?” 
« Nothing,” I replied, “ would please me better—though—” for I did 
not yet feel convinced he was in earnest—“ though I can hardly reconcile 
it to my conscience to rob you of such precious treasures.” 
« Treasures, quotha! Aye, that is one of the many fancies of you 
simple folks of the upper earth. But think so still for me; I shall the 
sooner get rid of the rubbish, which lies more thickly on the land than is 
like to be good for my fruit trees. Here, Gobliner.” 
The being thus summoned, and who hastened to us at the call, was, 
as I imagined, a gnome, and this the kingdom of the gnomes, though, 
I must confess, the appearance of the portly gentleman was not that of a 
ruler of spirits. Gobliner, however, with his yellow face and long 
muscular arms, fully justified my suspicion. 
“ Gobliner,” said the portly gentleman, “ give this honest man a spade 
