Don Luis did not answer him; but, followed by Pedro and his other attendants, bearing the luggage, he repaired to the stable, where their beasts were saddled, and they were soon ready to depart. The landlord made his appearance, followed by Rosa, with tears in her eyes: "You will not be cruel, senhor, and make a complaint about what happened last night," she said; "for if you do, you will ruin us all, and we shall be sent to prison, or turned into the road to starve." "I have already said I would make no complaint," answered Don Luis; "and, Senhor Estalajadeiro, I must discharge my bill to you." "Oh, senhor, I cannot think of such a thing after the inconveniences you have endured," answered the landlord, bowing; "yet, senhor, I am a poor man with a family. It is but a trifle, four milreas in all, for which I shall be thankful." "Very well, here is the amount," said Don Luis, giving him the money; "and I should advise you to be more careful in future what guests you entertain." Saying which, he leapt into his saddle, and, with his attendants, resumed his journey towards his home, the landlord bowing most humbly till they were out of sight. Pedro, eager to let his tongue have full play, took the liberty of an old servant, and rode up to the side of his master, whose horse's head he allowed to be just a little in advance, as a mark of respect. "Those people at the inn are very great rascals, senhor," he began. "There can be but little doubt of it," returned his master. "Ah, senhor, and the greatest of all is the friar. Do you know, senhor, he was one of those who attacked Goncalo Christovao, yesterday? I marked his slouched hat, his ferret eyes, and the cut on his shoulder, which he declares is a bruise: now I saw plenty of blood about it, and blood does not flow from a bruise in that way." "I suspected as much," said Don Luis; "but were I to make a complaint against him, no notice, probably, would be taken of it; for his robes will protect a friar as long as he is guilty of no heretical opinions, even though he may have committed murder, and the other people would take an early opportunity to revenge themselves, while I should not benefit society." "You were quite right, senhor, in what you did," answered Pedro; "I wish merely to observe, that we must not trust to any of them; for, depend upon it, both the friar and the landlord are in league with the robbers; though, for some reason or other, it did not suit them to cut our throats, as the rest wished to do. I hope that, none of them are on the watch to pick us off as we ride along; and if it pleases you, senhor, had we not better push on as quick as we can through this grove? These trees afford such close shelter to lurking foes, who may shoot every one of us without our being able to get near them."