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edrodeAlarcon
OldBuscabeata&aos;sbackbegantocurveduringtheeriodofwhichIamgoingtotell,andthereasonwasthathewassixtyyearsold,fortyofwhichhadbeensentworkingaieceofgroundonthebanksoftheRiverCostilla.Thatyearhehadcultivatedonhisfarmacroofenormousumkins,andtheseumkinshadattainedanorangecolorbothinsideandout,whichshowedthatitwasnowthemonthofJune.Buscabeataskneweachoneofthemerfectlybyitsform,itsstateofrieness,andevenbyitsname,eseciallythefortywhichwerefattestandrichestincolour.Hesentallhisdaysgazingatthemtenderly,andsadlyexclaiming,
"Soonweshallhavetoart!
"
Oneafternoonhedecidedonthesacrifice.Heointedtotheriestofhisbelovedumkins,whichhadcosthimsomucheffort,andsaidtheterriblewords,
"TomorrowIwillcutthesefortyandtakethemtotheCadizmarket.Hayisthemanwhoilleatthem!
"Andhewalkedbacktothehousewithslowstes,andsentthenightwiththeagonyofafatherwhoisgoingtomarryoffhisdaughteronthefollowingday.
"Myoordearumkins!
"hesighedagainandagain,unabletofallaslee.Butthenhethought,
"WhatelsecanIdobutsellthem?Icultivatedthemforthaturose.AtleastIwillreceivefifteendurosforthem.
"
Imaginethenhisextremeastonishment,furyanddeserationwhen,goingthefollowingmorningtothefarm,hediscoveredthathehadbeenrobbedduringthenightofhisfortyumkins.TosavetimeIwillmerelysaythathewasfilledwithtragicfuryandthathereeatedagainandagaintheterriblewords,
"Oh,ifIcatchyou,ifIcatchyou!
"
Thenhebegantoreflect,coldly,andhedecidedthathisbelovedumkinscouldnotbeinRota,hisnativevillage.Itwouldbeimossibletoutthemonsaletherebecausetheywouldberecognized.Besides,umkinsfetchedaverylowricethere.
"TheyareinCadiz!
"Hedecidedaftermuchthought.
"Thatrascal,therobber,robbedmelastnightatnineorteno&aos;clockandescaedwiththematmidnightinthecargoboat.IwilltaketheboatthisverymorningforCadiz,andIwillbeverymuchsurrisedifIdonotcatchtherobberandrecoverthedaughtersofmylabour.
"Sosaying,heyetremainedabouttwentyminutesnearthesceneofthedisasterasifcountingthemissingumkinsorlanningterribleunishmentsfortherobber,untilitwaseighto&aos;clockandheleftinthedirectionoftheboat.
Itwasalmostreadytosail.ItleavesforCadizeverymorningatnineo&aos;clock,carryingassengers,justasthecargoboatleaveseverynightatmidnightcarryingfruitandvegetables.
ThatmorningathalfasttenBuscabeatasausedinfrontofavegetablestallintheCadizmarket-lace,andsaidtoaboredolicemanwhowasstandingby.
"Thosearemyumkins.Arrestthatman!
"Andheointedtothemerchant.
"Arrestme!
"exclaimedthemerchant,surrisedandfurious.
"Thoseumkinsaremine.Iboughtthem...
"
"You&aos;llbeabletotellthattothejudge,
"answeredBuscabeatas.
"Iwon&aos;t.
"
"Youwill.
"
"You&aos;rearascal.
"
"You&aos;reathief.
"
"Youshouldseakwithmoreoliteness.Menshouldnottalktoeachotherinthisfashion,
"theolicemansaidwithextremecalm,hittingeachoftheminthechest.Meanwhileacrowdhadcollected,anditwasnotlongbeforethereaearedtheoliceinsectoroftheublicmarket,theinsectoroffood.
Theolicemantoldthisgreatmanwhatwashaening.Hequestionedthemerchant.
"Fromwhomdidyoubuytheseumkins?
"theinsectoraskedimortantly.
"FromFulano,theoldmanfromRota,
"themerchantrelied.
"Thatwouldbetheman!
