the latter offer any suggestion whatsoever to have the former remain stubborn.
The high official tried another tack. "Sporting arms can harm only rats and chickens. They'll say—"
"But are we chickens?" interrupted the General, again shrugging his shoulders. "Am I? I've demonstrated that I 'm not."
"But there's another thing," observed the secretary. "Four months ago, when the possession of arms was prohibited, the foreign importers were assured that sporting arms would be admitted."
His Excellency knitted his brows.
"That can be arranged," suggested Simoun.
"How?"
"Very simply. Sporting arms nearly all have a caliber of six millimeters, at least those now in the market. Authorize only the sale of those that haven't these six millimeters."
All approved this idea of Simoun's, except the high official, who muttered into Padre Fernandez's ear that this was not dignified, nor was it the way to govern.
"The schoolmaster of Tiani," proceeded the secretary, shuffling some papers about, "asks for a better location for—"
"What better location can he want than the storehouse that he has all to himself?" interrupted Padre Camorra, who had returned, having forgotten about the card-game.
"He says that it's roofless," replied the secretary, “and that having purchased out of his own pocket some maps and pictures, he doesn't want to expose them to the weather."
"But I haven't anything to do with that," muttered his Excellency. "He should address the head secretary,[1] the governor of the province, or the nuncio."
- ↑ Under the Spanish régime the government paid no attention to education, the schools (!) being under the control of the religious orders and the friar-curates of the towns.—Tr.
