San Robino Hoodo 



hand or foot, or openest thy mouth, I will slay thee like a 

 dog ! Thou, greedy miscreant, who art evidently a man of 

 property and hast an ass to ride upon, art not satisfied 

 without trying to rob the truly poor of the alms we give 

 them. Now, it is the religion of the Ingleses, founded on the 

 precept and practice of the celebrated Saint Robino Hoodo^ 

 to levy funds from stingy old curmudgeons like thyself and 

 distribute to the poor. Therefore at once hand over the 



two dollars of which thou spakest, otherwise " Here I 



clicked the cock of the pistol. 



During this harangue, which was delivered gravely 

 (though Harry was obliged to turn away his face at the 

 mention of Robin Hood as a '■'■ santo muy famoso")^ the old 

 culprit had gone down on his knees, and was trembling 

 violently, and muttering deprecations, for the love of the 

 Virgin. But as I did not relax the stern expression of mv 

 countenance, he said in a shaky voice — 



" One moment, caballeros^ and I will give you all I 

 possess. But I am poor, very poor, and I have a sick wife 

 at the disposition of your worships " 



" Wherefore art thou fumbling at thy foot ? Thou carriest 

 not thy sick wife in thy shoe ? " 



" I can't untie the string, my hand trembles so ; will 

 your worship permit me to take out my knife ? " 



I nodded, seeing he was really frightened, and not at all 

 likely to do any mischief with it. He cut the thong, which 

 had been knotted over and over again, and taking the shoe 

 off his stockingless and filthy foot, turned out a handful of 

 small silver, chiefly two-real pieces, into my hand. He 

 then groped in his breeches' pocket, and brought out a 

 good deal of copper, which he also gave up with a very sub- 

 missive air. I replaced my pistol in my faja^ and made as 

 if I would ride on. As soon as he saw his life was no 



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