Page:Brazilian short stories.djvu/26

 "Couldn't you see that the calico would fade, you ass?"

What hurt him above all was to carry for the execrable people of the opposition. The Colonel of the opposite party, neutral or secret opponent, did not hesitate to take advantage, through the influence of a third party, of the martyr's good faith.

Biriba recalled painfully a thoroughbred goat that gave him great trouble on the way, and several butts besides; finally upon his arrival he discovered that the animal was destined for the enemy. Everybody received news of the incident with laughter and jest.

"This Biriba is an idiot! To think of his bringing the opposite party's goat! Ha! ha! ha!"

This and other happenings embittered him. He became thin and yellow.

The poor mare lost all shape of a horse. Her loins became sway-back so that the rider's feet nearly touched the ground. Biriba sank when he mounted. His head nearly came on a level with the mare's haunches and ears. Horribly sore, the miserable animal's eyes were always filled with tears of pain. All this suffering, however, instead of moving the hard hearts of the people of Itaóca, amused them and was the cause of endless ridicule and idiotic jokes about the "postman of the Sorry Aspect and his Bucephalus," as they were nicknamed by a town wag. …

Scrofulous as they, only one other creature, Cunegundes. Cunegundes was a dog without owner, covered with mange, that strayed about