There was just a little
mocking smile on her lips, just a little gleam of laughing eyes under
her drooping lashes, for she could not help watching my face for
admiration. In such an attitude the tempting little witch might have
made the tepid blood of an ascetic boil.
Two or three hours thus flew swiftly by while I listened to her lively
prattle, which, like the lark's singing, had scarcely a pause in it,
her attempt at being still and moonlight having ended in a perfect
fiasco. At length, pouting her pretty lips and complaining of her hard
lot, she said it was time to go back to her prison; but all the time
I was engaged in forcing back the bolt into its place she chattered
without ceasing. "Adieu, Sun, husband of the moon," she said. "Adieu,
sweet, sweet friend, buyer of side-saddles! They were all lies you
told--I know, I know. You want a horse and sidesaddle to carry off
some girl to-night. Happy she! Now I must sit in the dark alone, alone,
alone, till Antonio, the atrocious, comes to liberate me with his iron
key--ah, fool!"
Before I had been long back under my tree, Antonio appeared, bringing
the side-saddle in triumph on his horse before him. After going in to
release his wife he came out and invited me to take _mate_. I
then mentioned my wish to buy a good horse; he was only too willing
to sell, and in a few minutes his horses were driven up for inspection.
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