Part 34 (1/2)
Pastiri explained the matter for El Bizco's benefit; the confederates were to place bets and then proclaim in a loud voice that they had won. Then he'd see to making the spectators eager to play.
”All right. We know what to do,” said Vidal.
”You agree to the scheme?”
”Yes, man.”
Pastiri gave them three pesetas apiece and the four left the tavern, crossed the Ronda and made their way in the crowds of El Rastro.
Every once in a while Pastiri would stop, thinking he had caught sight of a prospective dupe; El Bizco or Manuel would place a bet; but the fellow who looked like an easy victim would smile as he saw them lay the snare or else pa.s.s on indifferently, quite accustomed to this type of trickery.
Soon Pastiri noticed a group of rustics with their broad hats and short trousers.
”_Aluspiar_, here come a few birds and we may work them for something,” he said, and he planted himself and his card table directly in the path of the country-folk and began his game.
El Bizco bet two pesetas and won; Manuel followed suit with the same results.
”This fellow is a cinch,” said Vidal in a loud voice, turning to the group of hayseeds. ”Have you seen all the money he's losing? That soldier there just won six duros.”
Hearing this, one of the rustics drew near, and seeing that Manuel and El Bizco were winning, he wagered a peseta and won. The fellow's companions advised him to retire with his winnings; but his greed got the best of him and he returned to bet two pesetas, losing them.
Then Vidal bet a duro.
”Here's a five-peseta piece,” he declared, ringing the coin upon the ground, He picked out the right card and won.
Pastiri made a gesture of anoyance.
The rustic wagered another duro and lost; he glanced anxiously at his fellow countrymen, extracted another duro and lost that, too.
At this moment a guard happened along and the group broke up; noting Pastiri's movement of flight, the hayseed tried to seize him, grabbing at his coat, but the trickster gave a rude tug and escaped in the crowd.
Manuel, Vidal and El Bizco made their way across the Plaza del Rastro to Embajadores Street.
El Bizco had four pesetas, Manuel six and Vidal fourteen.
”And what are we going to return to that guy?” asked El Bizco.
”Return? Nothing,” answered Vidal.
”Why, that would be robbing him of his whole year's profits,” objected Manuel.
”What of it? Deuce take him,” retorted Vidal. ”We came darn near getting caught ourselves, with nothing for our trouble.”
It was lunch hour and they wondered where to go; Vidal settled it, saying that as long as they were on Embajadores Street, the Society of the Three, in plenary session, might as well continue on the way down till they got to La Manigua restaurant.
The suggestion was accepted and the a.s.sociates spent that Sunday afternoon in royal fas.h.i.+on; Vidal was splendid, spending Pastiri's money right and left, inviting several girls to their table and dancing all the _chulo_ steps.
To Manuel this beginning of his free life seemed not at all bad. At night the three comrades, somewhat the worse for wine, ambled up Embajadores Street, turning into the surrounding road.
”Where am I going to sleep?” asked Manuel.