1792* the dean of BadaJo%, a tale. 205 



the time to interrupt him. He got rid of the cou- 

 rier by ordering him to return directly to Badajoz, 

 and telling him he would be there as soon as him- 

 self, and then returned to his lefson as if neither 

 uncle nor apoplexy had existed. 



Some days afterwards, more news came from Ba- 

 dajoz ; but this was scarce worth attending to The 

 high chanter, and two of the oldest canons came, 

 and notified to the dean that his uncle, the most 

 reverend bilhop, was gone to receive the recom- 

 pence of his virtue in heaven, and that the chap- 

 ter, legally afsembled, had elected him to fill the 

 vacant seat ; and they begged of him to come and 

 console the church of Badajoz his new spouse. 

 Don Torribio was present at the harangue of the 

 deputies, and took advantage of it like a clever 

 fellow : He called the new bilhop aside, and after a 

 proper compliment on the occasion, told him he had a 

 son, named Don Benjamin, who, with much wit 

 and good inclinations, had not the smallest taste or - 

 talent for the occult sciences ; that he meant him 

 for the church, and, thanks to heaven, he had succeeded 

 in the pious design ; for he had the satisfaction of 

 hearing that his son acted as one of the most deser- 

 ving of the clergy of Toledo ; therefore he most 

 humbly intreated his highnefs, that he would resign 

 to Don Benjamin his deanery of Badajoz, which he 

 could not hold with the bishoprick. " Alas !" replied 

 the prelate, with some confusion, " I ftiall ever be 

 most happy when I can do any thing you request ; but 

 I must inform you I have a very old relation, whose 

 heir 1 am, and who is fit only to be a dean: Now if I 

 :lo not give it him, I (hall have a quarrel with raj 



