During his confinement he lived tolerably well, being in possession of money. His meals were sent him twice a day from the _posada_, where his pony remained in embargo. Once or twice he asked permission of the _alcalde_, who visited him every night and morning with his armed guard, to purchase pen and paper, in order that he might write to Madrid; but this favour was peremptorily refused him, and all the inhabitants of the village were forbidden under terrible penalties to afford him the means of writing, or to convey any message from him beyond the precincts of the place, and two boys were stationed before the window of his cell for the purpose of watching everything which might be conveyed to him. It happened one day that Victoriano, being in need of a pillow, sent word to the people of the _posada_ to send him his _alforjas_, or saddle-bags, which they did. In these bags there chanced to be a kind of rope, or, as it is called in Spanish, _soga_, with which he was in the habit of fastening his satchel to the pony’s back. The urchins seeing an end of this rope, hanging from the _alforjas_, instantly ran to the _alcalde_ to give him information. Late at evening, the _alcalde_ again visited the prisoner at the head of his twelve men as usual. “_Buenos noches_,” {228a} said the _alcalde_. “_Buenas noches tenga usted_,” {228b} replied Victoriano. “For what purpose did you send for the _soga_ this afternoon?” demanded the functionary. “I sent for no _soga_,” said the prisoner; “I sent for my _alforjas_ to serve as a pillow, and it was sent in them by chance.” “You are a false, malicious knave,” retorted the _alcalde_; “you intend to hang yourself, and by so doing ruin us all, as your death would be laid at our door. Give me the _soga_.” No greater insult can be offered to a Spaniard than to tax him with an intention of committing suicide. Poor Victoriano flew into a violent rage; and, after calling the _alcalde_ several very uncivil names, he pulled the _soga_ from his bags, flung it at his head, and told him to take it home and use it for his own neck.