“But what have I to arrange?  What do those rascals claim from me?”

“It seems that a stream of water which rises in your property has changed its course and flows over some tile-works of the aforesaid Uncle Licurgo and the mill of another person, occasioning considerable damage.  My client—­for he is determined that I shall get him out of this difficulty—­my client, as I said, demands that you shall restore the water to its former channel, so as to avoid fresh injuries, and that you shall indemnify him for the damage which his works have already sustained through the neglect of the superior proprietor.”

“And I am the superior proprietor!  If I engage in a lawsuit, that will be the first fruit that those famous Poplars, which were mine and which now, as I understand, belong to everybody, will have ever produced me, for Licurgo, as well as some of the other farmers of the district, have been filching from me, little by little, year after year, pieces of land, and it will be very difficult to re-establish the boundaries of my property.”

“That is a different question.”

“That is not a different question.  The real suit,” exclaimed the engineer, unable to control his anger, “will be the one that I will bring against that rabble who no doubt propose to themselves to tire me out and drive me to desperation—­so that I may abandon every thing and let them continue in possession of what they have stolen.  We shall see if there are lawyers and judges who will uphold the infamous conduct of those village legists, who are forever at law, and who waste and consume the property of others.  I am obliged to you, young gentleman, for having informed me of the villanous intentions of those boors, who are more perverse than Satan himself.  When I tell you that that very tile-yard and that very mill on which Licurgo bases his claim are mine—­”

“The title-deeds of the property ought to be examined, to see if possession may not constitute a title in this case.”

“Possession!  Those scoundrels are not going to have the pleasure of laughing at me in that way.  I suppose that justice is honestly and faithfully administered in the city of Orbajosa.”

“Oh, as to that!” exclaimed the little lawyer, with an approving look, “the judge is an excellent person!  He comes here every evening.  But it is strange that you should have received no notice of Senor Licurgo’s claims.  Have you not yet been summoned to appear before the tribunal of arbitration?”

“No.”

“It will be to-morrow, then.  Well, I am very sorry that Senor Licurgo’s precipitation has deprived me of the pleasure and honor of defending you, but what is to be done?  Licurgo was determined that I should take him out of his troubles.  I will study the matter with the greatest care.  This vile slavery is the great drawback of jurisprudence.”

Pepe entered the dining-room in a deplorable state of mind.  Dona Perfecta was talking with the Penitentiary, as he entered, and Rosarito was sitting alone, with her eyes fixed on the door.  She was no doubt waiting for her cousin.