290 MEXICO. 
" Precisely, my dear, the very person you sent for it ! You had not 
left home more than an hour, when a well-dressed man knocked at the 
door and asked to see me. He brought one of the very finest turkies I 
ever saw, and said, that on your way to Court you met an Indian with 
a number of fowls, and having bought this one, quite a bargain, you had 
given him a couple of reals to bring it home ; with the request that I would 
have it killed, picked, and put to cool, as you intended to invite your 
brother judges to a dish of molU with you to-morrow. And, 'Oh ! by the 
way, Seriora,' said he, ' his Excellency, the Judge, requested me to ask 
you to give yourself the trouble to go to your chamber and take his watch 
from under the pillow, where he says he left it, as usual, this morning, 
and send it to him by me.' And, of course, mi querido, I did so." 
" You did ?" said the Judge. 
" Certainly," said the lady. 
" Well," replied his Honor, " all I can say to you, my dear, is, that 
you are as great a goose, as the bird is a turkey. You've been robbed, 
madam ; — the man was a thief; — I never sent for my watch ; — you've 
been imposed on ; — and, as a necessary consequence, the confounded watch 
is lost for ever !" 
The trick was a cunning one ; and after a laugh, and the restoration of 
the Judge's good-humor by a good meal, it was resolved actually to have 
the turkey for to-morrow's dinner, and his Honor's brothers of the bench 
to enjoy so dear a morsel. 
Accordingly, after the adjournment of Court next day, they all repaired 
to his dwelling, with appetites sharpened by the expectation of a rare 
repast. 
Scarcely had they entered the saJa and exchanged the ordinary salu- 
tations, when the lady broke forth with congratulations to his Honor upon 
the recovery of his stolen watch ! 
" How happy am I," exclaimed she, " that the villain was appre- 
hended !" 
" Apprehended !" said the Judge, with surprise. 
" Yes ; and doubtless convicted, too, by this time," said his wife. 
" You are always talking riddles," replied he. " Explain yourself, 
my dear. I know nothing of thief, watch, or conviction." 
" It can't be possible that I have been again deceived," quoth the lady, 
" but listen : — 
"About one o'clock to-day, a pale, and rather interesting young gen- 
tleman, dressed in a seedy suit of black, came to the house in great haste 
— almost out of breath. He said that he was just from Court ; — that he 
was one of the clerks ; — that the great villain who had the audacity 
to steal your Honor's watch had just been arrested ; — that the evidence 
was nearly perfect to convict him ; — and all that was required to complete 
it was 'the turkey,' which must be brought into Court, and for that he 
had been sent with a porter by your express orders." 
"And you gave it him !" 
