"I can't explain what I mean, but treasures have always seemed to me to
have something to do with the devil, or the fairies. And then, you got
that ground for so low a rent! The whole town says there was some trickery
in the business!"

"That concerns the secretary and councillors. They drew up the documents."

"Besides, as I understand, when a treasure is discovered, a part of it
must be given to the king."

"That is when it is found on ground that is not one's own, like mine!"

"One's own! One's own! Who knows to whom that tower the Council sold you
belonged!"

"Why, to the Moor, of course!"

"And who knows who that Moor may have been? It seems to me, Juan, whatever
money the Moor may have hidden in his house should belong to him, or to
his heirs, not to you or to me."

"You are talking nonsense. According to that, it is not I who ought to be
the Alcalde of Aldeire, but the man who was Alcalde a year ago, at the
time of the proclamation of Riego. According to that, we should have to
send the rents of the lands of Granada and Guadix, and hundreds of other
towns, every year to the descendants of the Moors in Africa."

"It may be that you are right. At any rate, go to Ugijar, and our gossip
will tell you what is best to be done in the matter."