necessarily to pass by my chamber, so that, seeing myself followed by no one, I slipped in unperceived, and, changing the barrels in the twinkling of an eye, carried the one I had so well filled with earth and straw and laid it boldly among the rest in the cardinal's closet. His eminence was himself there to see them, and when they were all arranged in order he turned towards me, with a smile on his countenance, and said, "Well, Guzman, what think you of these barrels ? it will not be so easy a matter to thrust an arm into these, or to use wedges, as with the former ones."

"If wedges will not do," replied I coolly, "I may be tempted to employ my nails, for the hand sometimes does the office of the arm."

"Ah!" replied his eminence, "but I defy thee to pilfer these barrels, which have no corners to be lifted up as the chest had."

"True," replied I, "but I beseech your eminence not to defy me in anything; for the devil may in such a case furnish me with the means of deceiving you."

"Be that as it may,” cried the cardinal, “I give you leave with all my heart to steal these sweetmeats if you can, and I give you eight days to do it in. Should you be dexterous enough to succeed, you shall not only be allowed to keep what you steal, but I promise you as much more; on condition, however, that should your genius be obliged to yield, you will without murmuring submit to whatever penalty I may choose to inflict."

"That is but just, my lord," said I, “and I agree to the alternative. Yes," continued I, "if I do not perform my task in four and twenty hours, for I ask not eight days for so trifling an affair, I will submit to any punishment Signor Nicola may be pleased to sentence me to, who, after the affair of the mosquitoes and that of the turpentine, is not likely, you will allow, to be too lenient a judge."

The cardinal laughed at these last words, and it was finally agreed that I should be punished or rewarded on the following day.

What precautions did not his eminence take to secure his barrels from my clutches! besides keeping the key of the closet in his own possession, he set some of his most confidential domestics to be most constantly on the watch. The next day at dinner the good prelate, fancying me a little thoughtful, said, with a smile, "Guzman, I see plainly what makes you so dull; you are reflecting on the luxury of receiving a hundred lashes from the vigorous arm of Signor Nicola."

"Indeed, my lord," replied I, "nothing was farther from my thoughts, for the sweetmeats are already in my possession.”

The cardinal, fully persuaded that no one could possibly have gained access to his closet or touched his sweetmeats, seemed surprised at my effrontery, and rallied me all dinner-time on the strapping that was justly my due. I allowed him to divert himself as long as he pleased, but when the dessert was about to be served up, I stole privately out of the dining

room up to my own chamber, and drew out of my barrel some of the sweetmeats, with which I filled a basin I had taken off the sideboard for that purpose, and carried them to his eminence's table. He was so strangely surprised at the sight of them that he could scarcely believe his own eyes.

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Here," said he to the chamberlain, giving him the key of the closet, "go and count the barrels attentively; there must be one short." The chamberlain returned with an assurance that they were all safe.

“Ah, ah!” said the cardinal, "I now see through your finesse, my poor Guzman. You have purchased some of the same merchant who sold me these fruits, and now hope to make me believe that you have stolen them; but it will not do, Mr. Guzman; your undertaking was to open and pilfer one of my barrels and take out some of the sweetmeats; this was our wager as you will be pleased to recollect-you cannot, therefore, escape the punishment. Come, Signor Nicola," continued he, "seize this rash youth, and inflict on him such chastisement as he may appear to you to deserve."

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Softly, my lord," said I at these last words, "I confess that I amply deserve all this if the sweetmeats that I have just laid before you are not some of those your eminence bought yesterday; but you must allow also that I have won if I prove the contrary by convincing you that I have at this moment in my own chamber one of the twelve barrels that were yesterday brought into your palace."

"Be cautious what you affirm, page," interrupted the chamberlain; "there are twelve barrels in my master's cabinet, which I have counted over and over again."

“That may be,” said I to the chamberlain, “but recollect that 'the wolf often eats the counted sheep.'"

The cardinal, anxious to know the truth of the matter, hastened his dinner over, that he might examine his closet, whither he repaired, accompanied by all the guests that dined with him that day, who for the most part felt convinced, by the bold face I assumed, that the affair would not end to my disadvantage.

His eminence counted the barrels himself, and finding twelve, “Guzman,” said he, "here are the twelve barrels that I bought."

"My lord," answered I, "there are certainly twelve, but they are not all full of sweetmeats." The cardinal, losing patience, wished to have them opened.

"No, no,” cried I, "I will save you that trouble.” Saying which, I pointed out to him the barrel I had filled with earth and straw, and while they were opening it I ran to my chamber, whence I returned with the other, which was still half full of fruit, and related in what manner I had gained possession of it.

All the company present applauded me for my dexterity, and laughed most heartily at the adventure. His eminence, agreeably to promise, presented me with a second barrel, which I resigned to my comrades, to show that what I had done was but to

amuse my worthy master. Diverted, however, as he was by my sleights-of-hand, he would undoubtedly have dismissed me his service, for example's sake, had he not apprehended that if he abandoned me I might have been driven to the commission of some more desperate act, which would end in my utter destruction. Thus this good prelate, compassionating my youth, retained me in his family in spite of all my faults, that I might not be compelled to commit greater crimes elsewhere.

CHAPTER XXVII.

GUZMAN CONTINUES PLAYING HIS TRICKS AT THE

CARDINAL'S, WHO AT LENGTH DISMISSES HIM.

THE cardinal was certainly the best master in the world. What infinite pains he took to make me an honest man! He would neither employ threats with me, nor order me to be beaten, lest I should be terrified and run away from him; the mildness of his character prevented him from resorting to such means. He endeavoured to inspire me with a love of virtue by gentle remonstrances, and even by gifts. When I did anything praiseworthy, which indeed happened very seldom, he never failed to reward me well for it. When he was at table, and thought I had a longing for any little tit-bit, he would give it me, and this condescension was generally accompanied by a little good-natured bantering. "Guzman," said he one