do that would make him proud; he would think too much of himself, and
would make experiments upon you as on a dead body. Keep quiet, sister,
and in a short time you will see him here repentant, as I have said; and
if not, we will write verses on him that shall make him roar with rage."

"Let us write by all means," returned Juliana, "for I have a thousand
things to say to him."

"And I will be your secretary, if need be," rejoined Monipodio, "for
although I am no poet, yet a man has but to tuck up the sleeves of his
shirt, set well to work, and he may turn off a couple of thousand verses
in the snapping of a pair of scissors. Besides, if the rhymes should not
come so readily as one might wish, I have a friend close by, a barber,
who is a great poet, and will trim up the ends of the verses at an
hour's notice. At present, however, let us go finish our repast; all the
rest can be done afterwards."

Juliana was not unwilling to obey her superior, so they all fell to
again at the O-be-joyful with so much goodwill that they soon saw the
bottom of the basket and the dregs of the great leather bottle. The old
ones drank _sine fine_, the younger men to their hearts' content, and
the ladies till they could drink no more. When all was consumed, the two
old men begged permission to take their leave, which Monipodio allowed
them to do, but charged them to return punctually, for the purpose of
reporting all they should see or hear that could be useful to the
brotherhood; they assured him they would by no means fail in their duty,
and then departed.

After these gentlemen had left the company, Rinconete, who was of a very
inquiring disposition, begged leave to ask Monipodio in what way two