Capitan Basilio would do so with the greatest pleasure, and as
he wished to propitiate the soldier in order that he might not be
molested in the persons of his laborers, he refused to accept the
money which the alferez was trying to get out of his pocket.

"It's my Christmas gift!"

"I can't allow you, Capitan, I can't permit it!"

"All right! We'll settle up afterwards," replied Capitan Basilio with
a lordly gesture.

Also, the curate wanted a pair of lady's earrings and requested the
capitan to buy them for him. "I want them first class. Later we'll
fix up the account."

"Don't worry about that, Padre," said the good man, who wished to be
at peace with the Church also. An unfavorable report on the curate's
part could do him great damage and cause him double the expense,
for those earrings were a forced present. Simoun in the meantime was
praising his jewels.

"That fellow is fierce!" mused the student. "He does business
everywhere. And if I can believe _a certain person,_ he buys from some
gentlemen for a half of their value the same jewels that he himself
has sold for presents. Everybody in this country prospers but us!"

He made his way to his house, or rather Capitan Tiago's, now occupied
by a trustworthy man who had held him in great esteem since the
day when he had seen him perform a surgical operation with the same