Aguilera here interrupted his friend. “Enough,” said he; “I see plainly the whole of the project, and that the master you serve is indeed a thorough-bred thief. You may assure him that I shall do every thing he has prescribed for me, and it shall not be my fault if his plans be defeated.” Sayavedra thereupon delivered up to him the casket with the three papers, the ten quadruples, and thirty Roman crowns, which Aguilera carried home and hid, until the time came to make use of them. CHAP. XLI. _What was the success of this stratagem._ I did not pass the Sunday without some uneasiness, fearing lest some untoward circumstance might defeat our enterprise; but my confidant having been to the usual place of rendezvous in the evening, returned full of joy to announce to me that every thing had been executed as I desired, and that Aguilera was preparing himself to play his part well the next day. This news restored my spirits, and I waited patiently for the hour when I should appear before the banker. No sooner had it arrived, than I repaired to his house; he was alone in his counting-house. After saluting him very politely, I told him I had called to request that he would return me what I had brought him a few days before. He inquired with astonishment what I had brought him. “Zounds!” said I, “why the gold and silver specie which I deposited in your hands.” “What gold and silver,” answered he. “Oh, oh!” replied I, “what you affect to joke? Upon my soul, this is not bad.” “Much more of a joke,” rejoined he, “that you should expect me to refund what has never been given to me.” “Let us have no more jesting, however,” said I, “on matters of business, which, I assure you, is by no means to my taste.” “Surely,” said he, “it must be you that jest: I recollect well enough that a few days since you called upon me, and promised that within an hour you would bring me twelve thousand franks; but you forfeited your word.” “Rather,” answered I, “confess that you have lost your memory. I protest that I delivered that sum into your own hands, and will not quit this house until it be refunded in the very same coins in which I paid it to you.” “Go about your business,” replied he, “or I shall grow impatient with your nonsense. I neither know any thing of you, nor have I ever had any thing that belongs to you. Go and get your money from those to whom you entrusted it.”