At this instant the crier returned and said, "My lord Alcalde, I can find no asses in the place, only the two magistrates, Berrueco and Crespo, who are taking their ride."
"I sent you for asses, not magistrates, blockhead! but go and bring them hither, whether they will or no; I wish to have them present at the pronunciation of this sentence, which shall be given notwithstanding, and is not to fail for want of asses, of which, thank God, we have plenty in this place."
"You will never have them in Heaven, my lord Alcalde," said the youth, "if you go on thus severely. Please to consider that we have stolen nothing; we have hardly gained a miserable sustenance by our trick, which is laborious enough, like the business of a day labourer, or any workmen. Our parents taught us no trade, thus we were obliged to have recourse to our wits. Punish those who are guilty of bribery, of house-breaking, highwaymen, false witnesses, disaffected or disloyal men, the idle and the good-for-nothing, but let alone the poor fellows who go straight forward to serve his majesty, with their best right hand, and their sharpest ingenuity. There are no better soldiers than those who are transplanted from the seats of learning to the fields of war. None ever left his studies to be a soldier who was not a super-excellent one, for when strength and intellect meet and join, they make a marvellous composition, with which Mars rejoices, peace is maintained, and the country aggrandized."
Periander and most of the bystanders admired much what the young man said, and the fluency of his discourse. He proceeded thus:—"Let us examine closely into this matter, my lord Alcalde. Look, and look again, and scrutinize the seams of our garments; if you can find six reals, not only you may give us a hundred, but six hundred lashes. Let us see then if the acquisition of so small an amount of gain deserves to be punished with dishonour, and martyred with the galleys. And again I say that my lord Alcalde should think better of this, and not overhastily do that which may perhaps give him reason to repent by and by. Discreet judges punish, but do not take vengeance upon faults. The prudent and compassionate mingle equity with justice, and between rigour and clemency prove their excellent judgment."
"By Heaven," said the second Alcalde, "but the boy talks well, although he talks too much, and I not only will not consent that they be flogged, but I will have them carried to my own house, and help them on with their journey, on condition that they go straight forwards, for if they are to be wandering here and there, it will prove them rather vicious than necessitous."
The first Alcalde, already tamer and becoming compassionate, more mildly said, "I will not have them go to your house, they shall go to mine, where I will give them a lesson upon the state of things at Algiers, so that for the future nobody shall be able to catch them tripping in their pretended story."
The two lads thanked him. The bystanders praised this kind intention of the Alcalde's, and our pilgrims were delighted with the result of the affair.
The first Alcalde then came up to Periander, and said, "And you, friend pilgrims, have you got any picture with you to tell us about? Have you any history to relate, and make us believe it true, although falsehood herself may have composed it?"
Periander made no answer, for he saw Antonio pulling out the passports, licenses, and dispatches that they carried with them, and placing them in the Alcalde's hands, he said, "Your worship may see by these papers who we are, and where we are going, but we do not think it necessary to produce them, as we ask no alms, and have no need to ask any. Thus, you perceive, you may let us pass on freely."
The Alcalde took the papers, and because he did not know how to read, he gave them to his companion, who knew as little as he did, and so they passed on into the hands of their clerk, who, glancing over them rapidly, returned them to Antonio, saying, "My lord Alcalde, there is as much worth and goodness as there is beauty in these pilgrims: if they wish to remain here to-night, my house shall serve them for an inn, and I shall attend to their wishes to the utmost of my power."