folly; for, in their eyes, the abundance of any particular quality is
very apt to be taken as the standard of its excellence.

"This is well for him who receives, but it may be death to him that pays,"
cried the son of the south, gaining not a little among his auditors by the
distinction, for the argument was sufficiently wily, as between the buyer
and the seller. "Thou wilt get thy silver for the risk, and we may get
watery graves for our weakness. Nought but mishaps can come of wicked
company, and accursed will they be, in the evil hour, that are found in
brotherly communion, with one whose trade is hurrying Christians into
eternity, before the time that has been lent by nature is fairly up. Santa
Madre! I would not be the fellow-traveller of such a wretch, across this
wild and changeable lake, for the honor of leaping and showing my poor
powers in the presence of the Holy Father, and the whole of the learned
conclave!"

This solemn declaration, which was made with suitable gesticulation, and
an action of the countenance that was well adapted to prove the speaker's
sincerity, produced a corresponding effect on most of the listeners, who
murmured their applause in a manner sufficiently significant to convince
the patron he was not about to dispose of the difficulty, simply by virtue
of fair words. In this dilemma he bethought him of a plan of overcoming
the scruples of all present, in which he was warmly seconded by the agent
of the police, and to which, after the usual number of cavilling
objections that were generated by distrust, heated blood, and the
obstinacy of disputation, the other parties were finally induced to give
their consent. It was agreed that the examination should no longer be
delayed, but that a species of deputation from the crowd might take their
stand within the gate where all who passed would necessarily be subject
to their scrutiny, and, in the event of their vigilance detecting the