"I will meet your worship on the fifth night from this at Jeres."
"Very well; here are five crowns as an earnest on our bargain. If
you carry it out well I shall very likely forget to deduct them
from the twenty I promised you. Do not be surprised if you find me
somewhat changed in appearance when you meet me there."
At the appointed time the muleteer with his train of animals
entered the courtyards of the Fonda at Jeres. Gerald was standing
on the steps of the inn. He had altered the fashion of his hair,
had fastened on large bushy eyebrows which he had obtained from a
skilful perruquier in Cadiz, and a moustache of imposing size turned
up at the tips; he wore high buff leather boots, and there was an
air of military swagger about him, and he was altogether so changed
that at the first glance the muleteer failed to recognize him. As
soon as the mules were unburdened, Gerald found an opportunity of
speaking with him.
"I will go round at once," the man said, "to the place where I shall
certainly obtain news of my friends if they are here. I told your
honour that they might be here, but they may have gone away on
some affair of business, and may be on the road or at Seville. They
always work between this town and Seville."
"I understand that you may not meet them tonight; if not, I will
meet you again in Seville.
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