Part 5 (1/2)
”It fortunately happened,” continued Ansel saddled the best of my cream-noses; for on that horse I could say without fear of contradiction, I aolo, a naave hi horse of promise, able to fly with his rider
Manuel had nine horses--crea Manuel's they came to be mine I will tell you He, poor man, had just lost all his money at cards--perhaps the money he lost was not much, but how he came to have any was a mystery to many To htered and had their hides stripped off by night, perhaps I could have gone to Justice--feeling like a blindplace--and led her in the direction of the offender's house; but when one has it in his power to speak, knowing at the same time that his words will fall like a thunderbolt out of a blue sky upon a neighbour's dwelling, consu all within it, why, sirs, in such a case the good Christian prefers to hold his peace For what has one man more than another that he should put himself in the place of Providence? We are all of flesh True, so; but to all of us the lash is painful, and where it rains blood will sprout This, I say; but, remember, I say not that Manuel the Fox robbed me--for I would sully no man's reputation, even a robber's, or have anyone suffer on , Manuel lost everything; then his wife fell ill with fever; and as there left for him but to turn his horses into ht the cream-noses and paid hi and sound; nevertheless, it was a great price, and I paid it not without first weighing the s of this nature if a personbeforehand, where, let me ask, sirs, will he find himself at the year's end? The devil will take hiot together by his own proper abilities and industry
”For you see the thing is this I have a poor head for figures; all other kinds of knowledge come easy to me, but how to calculate readily has never yet found an entrance into my head At the same time, whenever I find it impossible to make out my accounts, or settle what to do, I have only to take theit over For when I do that, I rise nextfree and refreshed, like a man that has just eaten a water-melon; for what I have to do and how it is to be done is all as plain to ht as this _mate_-cup I hold in my hand
”In this difficulty I therefore resolved to take the subject of the horses to bed with me, and to say, 'Here I have you and you shall not escape from me' But about supper-time Manuel came in to molest me, and sat in the kitchen with a sad face, like a prisoner under sentence of death
”'If Providence is angry against the entire human race,' said he, 'and is anxious to make an example, I know not for what reason so harmless and obscure a person as I am should have been selected'
”'What would you have, Manuel?' I replied 'Wise ood'
”'True, I agree with you,' he said 'It is not for me to doubt it, for what can be said of that soldier who finds fault with the measures of his commander? But you know, Anselmo, the man I am, and it is bitter that these troubles should fall on one who has never offended except in being always poor'
”The vulture,' said I, 'ever preys on the weak and ailing'
”'First I lose everything,' he continued, 'then this woman must fall ill of a calenture; and now I aone, since I cannot borrow the money I require Those who knew ers'
”'When a s will scratch up the dust against him'
”'True,' said Manuel; 'and since these calamities fell on me, what has beco has a worse smell, or stinks more, than poverty, so that all men when they behold it cover up their faces or fly from such a pestilence'
”'You speak the truth, Manuel,' I returned; 'but say not allsoinjustice to someone'
”'I say it not of you,' he replied, 'On the contrary, if any person has had compassion on me it is you; and this I say, not in your presence only, but publicly proclaim it to all men'
”Words only were these 'And now,' he continued 'e me to part withto learn your decision'
”'Manuel,' said I, 'I ahtforward, therefore you need not have used cos; for in this you do not treat me as a friend'
”'You say well,' he replied; 'but I love not to dis my toes from the stirrups'
”'That is only as it should be,' said I; 'nevertheless, when you coht at such a distance froate'
”'For what you say, I thank you,' he answered 'My faults are st them is precipitancy'
”'That is what I like,' said I; 'for I do not love to go about like a drunk ers But our acquaintance is not of yesterday, for we have looked into and know each other, even to the bowels and to the ers, since we have never had a difference, or any occasion to speak ill of each other?'
”'And how should we speak ill,' replied Manuel, 'since it has never entered into either of us, even in a dream, to do the other an injury?