“As I’m a sinner,” replied the Sevillian, “the conde laid a trap for them, got them under his jurisdiction—­for they were soldiers, and once having them in his gripe, the court of appeal could never get them out of it.  I tell you what it is, friend, he has a devil within him, that same conde de Punonrostro.  Seville, and the whole country round it for ten leagues, is swept clear of swash-bucklers; not a thief ventures within his limits; they all fear him like fire.  It is whispered, however, that he will soon give up his place as corregidor, for he is tired of being at loggerheads at every hand’s turn with the senores of the court of appeal.”

“May they live a thousand years!” exclaimed he who was going to Seville; “for they are the fathers of the miserable, and a refuge for the unfortunate.  How many poor fellows must eat dirt, for no other reason than the anger of an arbitrary judge of a corregidor, either ill-informed or wrong-headed!  Many eyes see more than two; the venom of injustice cannot so soon lay hold on many hearts as on one alone.”

“You have turned preacher!” said he of Seville; “but I am afraid I can’t stop to hear the end of your sermon.  Don’t put up to night at your usual place, but go to the Posada del Sevillano, for there you will see the prettiest scullery-wench I know.  Marinilla at the Venta Tejada is a dishclout in comparison with her.  I will only tell you that it is said the son of the corregidor is very sweet upon her.  One of my masters gone on ahead there, swears, that on his way back to Andalusia, he will stop two months in Toledo, and in that same inn, only to have his fill of looking at her.  I myself ventured once to give her a little bit of a squeeze, and all I got for it was a swinging box on the ear.  She is as hard as a flint, as savage as a kestrel, and as touch-me-not as a nettle; but she has a face that does a body’s eyes good to look at.  She has the sun in one cheek, and the moon in the other; the one is made of roses and the other of carnations, and between them both are lilies and jessamine.  I say no more, only see her for yourself, and you will see that all I have told you is nothing to what I might say of her beauty.  I’d freely settle upon her those two silver gray mules of mine that you know, if they would let me have her for my wife; but I know they won’t, for she is a morsel for an archbishop or a conde.  Once more I say, go and see her; and so, good-bye to you, for I must be off.”

The two muleteers went their several ways, leaving the two friends much struck by what they had overheard of the conversation, especially Avendano, in whom the mere relation which the muleteer had given of the scullery-maid’s beauty awoke an intense desire to see her.  It had the same effect on Carriazo, but not to an equal degree, nor so as to extinguish his desire to reach his beloved tunny fisheries, from which he would not willingly be delayed to behold the pyramids of Egypt, or any or all of the other seven wonders of the world.