The Purple Land

he favourite one of horse-flesh, which had held undisputed sway the whole evening. Uncle Anselmo w

reason I always keep a little of it in the house in a stone bottle; for, when I have taken my maté in the morning, and, after it, o

from the manner in which I had to tip it upwards when pouring it out. In order to remember that I had to bring home some with me that day I tied a knot in my handkerchief; then, mounting my horse, I rode out towards the side

m of beautiful Margarita; but politeness forbade, and I was also somewhat curiou

the money he lost was not much, but how he came to have any was a mystery to many. To me, however, it was no mystery, and when my cattle were slaughtered and had their hides stripped off by night, perhaps I could have gone to Justice-feeling like a blind man for something in the wrong place-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, consuming

nd paid him fifty dollars for them. True, the horses were young and sound; nevertheless, it was a great price, and I paid it not without first weighing the matter well in my own mind. For in things of this nature if a person make

me time, whenever I find it impossible to make out my accounts, or settle what to do, I have only to take the matter to bed with me and lie awake thinking it over. For when I do that, I rise nex

to say, 'Here I have you and you shall not escape from me.' But about supper-time Manuel came i

'and is anxious to make an example, I know not for what reason s

lied. 'Wise men tell us that Providen

ier who finds fault with the measures of his commander? But you know, Anselmo, the man I am, and it

I, 'ever preys on

nture; and now I am forced to believe that even my credit is gone, since I cannot

I, 'the very dogs will scrat

endships that were so many? For nothing has a worse smell, or stinks more, than poverty,

all men, for who knows-there being so many souls in the

person has had compassion on me it is you; and this I say, no

cards oblige me to part with my horses for money; th

ard, therefore you need not have used compliments, and before saying this

not to dismount before checking my hors

heless, when you come to a friend's house, you n

My faults are more numerous than the spots on th

e is not of yesterday, for we have looked into and know each other, even to the bowels and to the marrow in the bones. W

r an injury? Some there are, who, loving me badly, would blow up your head like a bladder with lies if they could, laying I kn

if those who speak evil of you, only because they themselves are evil, were listening, they might

'therefore I am dumb, for nothing is to be gained by speaking. T

honest, sober, and diligent. If in anything you had given offence I s

like others. Therefore, relying on your great openness in all things, I come to you about these horses

gold, and that the mines of Peru were not left to me f

our ears against reason and poverty when they speak. My horses

swered, 'to-morrow I w

if you will close with me tonight I

it be to-morrow, for I have accounts to make

d rainy, but he had never needed moon or lantern to find what he soug

hers enough in my flock to pay for the cream-noses? Then I asked, How many fat wethers will it take at the pric

I resolved to light the candle and get an ear of maize; for by putting the grains into small he

d when there is not even an egg to put in it? Then there is the black cock with the twisted toe-one of the second brood the spotted hen raised last summer, though the foxes carried off no less than three hens from the very bushes where she was sitting-he has been going round with drooping wings all day, so that I verily believe he is going to have the pip. And if any epidemic comes amongst the fowls as there was in neighbour Gumesinda's the year before last, you may be sure it will only

neighbour Gumesinda, and I know not what besides! Do you think I have nothing to do but to gallop about the country looking for mai

e fattest fowl in all this neighbourhood you may thank me, after the Virgin, for it, as neighbour Gumesinda often says, for I never fail to give her chopped meat three times a day; and that is why she is never out of the kitchen, so that even the cats are afraid t

full as a gazette of her neighbours' affairs! I know well what the parsley is she comes to gather in my garden. It is not enough that she goes about the country giving importance to the couplets I sang to Montenegro's daughter, when I danced with her at Cousin Teodoro's dance af

gs and other things besides, for there is no end to that woman'

more I bought the horses and paid Manuel his price. For there is in me this excellent gift, when I am puzzled in mind

ell. They had all been clean forgotten. He began to make a cigarette, and, fearing that he was