"I have no repugnance to obey you, Señor Don Antonio," the Tigrero answered. "The confidence our common friend places in you is a sure guarantee to me of your intentions. Hence dispose of me as you think proper, without fearing the slightest objection on my part."
"That is the way to talk," the banker said, with a laugh. "Now, to begin, my dear señor, you will do me the pleasure of changing your dress, for the one you wear is slightly too worldly for the place to which we are going."
"Change my dress?" the Tigrero exclaimed. "Diablos! you ought to have told me so at your house."
"Unnecessary, my dear sir. I have all you require here."
"Well, you shall see," he said, as he took from one of the coach pockets a Franciscan's gown, while from the other he drew a pair of sandals and a cord. "Have you not worn this dress before?"
"Well, you are going to put it on again, and for the following reasons: At the convent, people believe (or pretend to believe, which comes to the same thing) that you are a Franciscan monk. For the sake, then, of persons who are not in the secret, it is necessary that I should be accompanied by a monk, and more, that they may be able, if required, to take their oaths to the fact."
"I obey you. But will not your coachman be surprised at seeing a Franciscan emerge from the carriage into which he showed a caballero?"
"My coachman? Pardon me, but I do not think you looked at him?"
"Indeed, I did not. All these Indians are alike, and equally hideous."
Don Martial bent forward, and slightly lowered the shutter.
"Curumilla!" he cried, in amazement, as he drew back. "He, and so well disguised?"
"Do you now believe that he will be surprised?"
"No, but you do not take the trouble to reflect."
"Well, I will put on the gown since I must. Still, with your permission, I will keep my weapons under it."
"Caspita! my permission? On the contrary, I order you to do so. But what are they?"
"You shall see. A machete, a knife, and a pair of pistols."
"That is first-rate. If necessary, I shall be able to find you a rifle. Trust to me for that."
While talking thus, the Tigrero had changed his dress; that is to say, he had simply put the gown over his other clothes, fastened the rope round his body, and substituted the sandals for his boots.