The countryman, who was of goodly presence, then came in, and it might
be seen a thousand leagues off that he was an honest, good soul.
"Which among you here is the lord governor?" said he.
"Who should it be," answered the secretary, "but he who is seated in the
chair?"
"I humble myself in his presence," quoth the countryman; and kneeling
down, he begged for his hand to kiss.
Sancho refused it, and commanded him to rise and tell his business. The
countryman did so, and said: "My lord, I am a husbandman, a native of
Miguel Terra, two leagues from Ciudad Real."
"What! another Tirteafuera?" quoth Sancho. "Say on, brother; for let me
tell you, I know Miguel Terra very well; it is not very far from my own
village."
"The business is this, sir," continued the peasant: "by the mercy of
Heaven I was married in peace and in the face of the holy Roman Catholic
Church. I have two sons, bred scholars; the younger studies for
bachelor, and the elder for licentiate. I am a widower, for my wife
died, or rather a wicked physician killed her by improper medicines when
she was pregnant; and if it had been God's will that the child had been
born, and had proved a son, I would have put him to study for doctor,
that he might not envy his two brothers, the bachelor and the
licentiate."
"So that, if your wife," quoth Sancho, "had not died, or had not been
killed, you would not now be a widower."
"No, certainly, my lord," answered the peasant.
"We are much the nearer," replied Sancho; "go on, friend, for this is an
hour rather for bed than business."
"I say, then," quoth the countryman, "that my son who is to be the
bachelor fell in love with a damsel in the same village, called Clara
Perlerino, daughter of Andres Perlerino, a very rich farmer; which name
of Perlerino came to them not by lineal or any other descent, but
because all of that race are paralytic; and to mend the name, they call
them Perlerinos. Indeed, to say the truth, the damsel is like any
oriental pearl, and looked at on the right side seems a very flower of
the field; but on the left not quite so fair, for on that side she wants
an eye, which she lost by the small-pox; and though the pits in her face
are many and deep, her admirers say they are not pits but graves wherein
the hearts of her lovers are buried. So clean and delicate, too, is she,
that to prevent defiling her face, she carries her nose so hooked up
that it seems to fly from her mouth; yet for all that she looks
charmingly, for she has a large mouth, and did she not lack half a score
or a dozen front teeth she might pass and make a figure among the
fairest. I say nothing of her lips, for they are so thin that, were it
the fashion to reel lips, one might make a skein of them; but, being of
a different color from what is usual in lips, they have a marvellous
appearance, for they are streaked with blue, green, and orange-tawny.
Pardon me, good my lord governor, if I paint so minutely the parts of
her who is about to become my daughter; for in truth I love and admire
her more than I can tell."
"Paint what you will," quoth Sancho, "for I am mightily taken with the
picture; and had I but dined, I would not desire a better dessert than
your portrait."
"It shall be always at your service," answered the peasant; "and the
time may come when we may be acquainted, though we are not so now; and
I assure you, my lord, if I could but paint her genteelness and the
tallness of her person, you would admire: but that cannot be, because
she is crooked, and crumpled up together, and her knees touch her mouth;
though, for all that, you may see plainly that could she but stand
upright she would touch the ceiling with her head. And she would ere now
have given her hand to my bachelor to be his wife, but that she cannot
stretch it out, it is so shrunk; nevertheless, her long guttered nails
show the goodness of its make."
"So far so good," quoth Sancho; "and now, brother, make account that you
have painted her from head to foot. What is it you would be at? Come to
the point without so many windings and turnings, so many fetches and
digressions."
"What I desire, my lord," answered the countryman, "is, that your
lordship would do me the favor to give me a letter of recommendation to
her father, begging his consent to the match, since we are pretty equal
in our fortunes and natural endowments; for, to say the truth, my lord
governor, my son is possessed, and scarcely a day passes in which the
evil spirits do not torment him three or four times; and having thereby
once fallen into the fire, his face is as shrivelled as a piece of
scorched parchment, and his eyes are somewhat bleared and running; but,
bless him! he has the temper of an angel, and did he not buffet and
belabor himself, he would be a very saint for gentleness."
"Would you have anything else, honest friend?" said Sancho.
"One thing more I would ask," quoth the peasant, "but I dare not,--yet
out it shall; come what may, it shall not rot in my breast. I say then,
my lord, I could wish your worship to give me three or six hundred
ducats towards mending the fortunes of my bachelor,--I mean, to assist
in furnishing his house; for it is agreed that they shall live by
themselves, without being subject to the impertinences of their
fathers-in-law."
"Well," quoth Sancho, "see if there is anything else you would have, and
be not squeamish in asking."
"No, nothing more," answered the peasant.
The governor then rising, and seizing the chair on which he had been
seated, exclaimed, "I vow to Heaven, Don Lubberly, saucy bumpkin, if you
do not instantly get out of my sight, I will break your head with this
chair! Son of a rascal, and the devil's own painter! At this time of day
to come and ask me for six hundred ducats! Where should I have them,
villain? And if I had them, idiot! why should I give them to thee? What
care I for Miguel Terra, or for the whole race of the Perlerinos?
Begone, I say! or, by the life of my lord duke, I will be as good as my
word. Thou art no native of Miguel Terra, but some scoffer sent from the
devil to tempt me. Impudent scoundrel! I have not yet had the government
a day and a half, and you expect I should have six hundred ducats!"
The sewer made signs to the countryman to go out of the hall, which he
did, hanging down his head, and seemingly much afraid lest the governor
should put his threat into execution,--for the knave knew very well how
to play his part.
But let us leave Sancho in his passion; peace be with him!
The devil will never give you a high nose if a flat nose
will serve your turn.
All is not gold that glitters.
I am fully convinced that judges and governors are, or ought
to be, made of brass, so as that they may not feel the
importunity of people of business, who expect to be heard
and despatched at all hours and at all seasons, come what
will, attending only to their own affairs; and if the poor
devil of a judge does not hear and despatch them, either
because it is not in his power, or it happens to be an
unseasonable time for giving audience, then they grumble and
backbite, gnaw him to the very bones, and even bespatter his
whole generation. Ignorant man of business! foolish man of
business! be not in such a violent hurry; wait for the
proper season and conjuncture, and come not at meals and
sleeping-time; for judges are made of flesh and blood, and
must give to nature that which nature requires.
Good physicians deserve palms and laurels.
Either we are, or we are not.
Walls have ears.
Let us all live and eat together in harmony and good
friendship.
When God sends the morning, the light shines upon all.
Make yourselves honey, and the flies will devour you.
Your idle and lazy people in a commonwealth are like drones
in a beehive, which only devour the honey the laboring bees
gather.
Every day produces something new in the world: jests turn
into earnest, and the biters are bit.
They who expect snacks should be modest, and take cheerfully
whatever is given them, and not haggle with the winners;
unless they know them to be sharpers, and their gains
unfairly gotten.