edrodeAlarcon
OldBuscabeata&aos;sbackbegantocurveduringtheeriodofwhichIamgoingtotell，andthereasonwasthathewassixtyyearsold，fortyofwhichhadbeensentworkingaieceofgroundonthebanksoftheRiverCostilla.Thatyearhehadcultivatedonhisfarmacroofenormousumkins，andtheseumkinshadattainedanorangecolorbothinsideandout，whichshowedthatitwasnowthemonthofJune.Buscabeataskneweachoneofthemerfectlybyitsform，itsstateofrieness，andevenbyitsname，eseciallythefortywhichwerefattestandrichestincolour.Hesentallhisdaysgazingatthemtenderly，andsadlyexclaiming，
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Soonweshallhavetoart!
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Oneafternoonhedecidedonthesacrifice.Heointedtotheriestofhisbelovedumkins，whichhadcosthimsomucheffort，andsaidtheterriblewords，
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TomorrowIwillcutthesefortyandtakethemtotheCadizmarket.Hayisthemanwhoilleatthem!
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Andhewalkedbacktothehousewithslowstes，andsentthenightwiththeagonyofafatherwhoisgoingtomarryoffhisdaughteronthefollowingday.
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Myoordearumkins!
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hesighedagainandagain，unabletofallaslee.Butthenhethought，
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WhatelsecanIdobutsellthem?Icultivatedthemforthaturose.AtleastIwillreceivefifteendurosforthe
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Imaginethenhisextremeastonishment，furyanddeserationwhen，goingthefollowingmorningtothefarm，hediscoveredthathehadbeenrobbedduringthenightofhisfortyumkins.TosavetimeIwillmerelysaythathewasfilledwithtragicfuryandthathereeatedagainandagaintheterriblewords，
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Oh，ifIcatchyou，ifIcatchyou!
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Thenhebegantoreflect，coldly，andhedecidedthathisbelovedumkinscouldnotbeinRota，hisnativevillage.Itwouldbeimossibletoutthemonsaletherebecausetheywouldberecognized.Besides，umkinsfetchedaverylowricethere.
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TheyareinCadiz!
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Hedecidedaftermuchthought.
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Thatrascal，therobber，robbedmelastnightatnineorteno&aos;clockandescaedwiththematmidnightinthecargoboat.IwilltaketheboatthisverymorningforCadiz，andIwillbeverymuchsurrisedifIdonotcatchtherobberandrecoverthedaughtersofmylabour.
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Sosaying，heyetremainedabouttwentyminutesnearthesceneofthedisasterasifcountingthemissingumkinsorlanningterribleunishmentsfortherobber，untilitwaseighto&aos;clockandheleftinthedirectionoftheboat.
Itwasalmostreadytosail.ItleavesforCadizeverymorningatnineo&aos;clock，carryingassengers，justasthecargoboatleaveseverynightatmidnightcarryingfruitandvegetables.
ThatmorningathalfasttenBuscabeatasausedinfrontofavegetablestallintheCadizmarket-lace，andsaidtoaboredolicemanwhowasstandingby.
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Thosearemyumkins.Arrestthatman!
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Andheointedtothemerchant.
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