504 the dean of Badajoz, a tale. Feh. 8. 



tude. *' How," cried the dean, " can it be pofsible, 

 signior Don Torribio, that yoia have met with un- 

 grateful persons ? I hope you will do me more jus- 

 tice than to confound me with such monsters." He 

 then detailed a long string of maxims and apo- 

 thegms on gratitude ; he harangued with the kin- 

 dest voice, and with all the appearance of truth, 

 every thing his memory could supply him with ; 

 'in flicrt he spokt so well, that the sorcerer, after 

 a mf^TTient's pause, owned he. could refuse nothing to 

 one who knew so many fine quotations. " Jacintha," 

 says he to his housekeeper, " put two partridges to the 

 fire ; I hope the dean will do me the honour to sup 

 here to-night." He then led him into his study, 

 where, after having touched his forehead, he repeated 

 tliese mystical words, which the reader is intreated 

 not to forget, ortobolan, pitstafier^ onagrion ; then, 

 without further preparation, he began to explain to 

 him the prologomenas of magic. 



The new disciple was listening with an attention 

 that scarce permitted him to breathe, when Jacin- 

 tha entered hastily, followed by a little man, boot- 

 ed to his middle, and Qirt_)i!ito his fboulders, who 

 wifhed to speak to the dean on a matter of the greatest 

 importance. He was a coarier that his uncle, the 

 bifliop of Badajoz, had sent after him, to inform him 

 that a few hours after his departure his lordfhip had 

 been seized with an apoplectic fit, that he was very 

 ill, and that the most alarming consequences were to 

 be apprehended. The dean cursed heartily to him- 

 self, and withor.t scandal, the apoplexy, the biibop, 

 and the courier, who all three had so badly chosen 



