I love a brave man, be he Busne or Gypsy. When I was not
much older than the Scorpion, I went with several others to rob the
cortijo of an old man; it was more than twenty leagues from here.
We broke in at midnight, and bound the old man: we knew he had
money; but he said no, and would not tell us where it was; so we
tortured him, pricking him with our knives and burning his hands
over the lamp; all, however, would not do. At last I said, "Let us
try the PIMIENTOS"; so we took the green pepper husks, pulled open
his eyelids, and rubbed the pupils with the green pepper fruit.
That was the worst pinch of all. Would you believe it? the old man
bore it. Then our people said, "Let us kill him," but I said, no,
it were a pity: so we spared him, though we got nothing. I have
loved that old man ever since for his firm heart, and should have
wished him for a husband.'
THE SCORPION. - 'Ojala, that I had been in that cortijo, to see
such sport!'
MYSELF. - 'Do you fear God, O Tuerta?'
THE ONE-EYED. - 'Brother, I fear nothing.'
MYSELF. - 'Do you believe in God, O Tuerta?'
THE ONE-EYED. - 'Brother, I do not; I hate all connected with that
name; the whole is folly; me dinela conche.
Pages:
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333