"Whoever wants something has to pay the price, my little fellow," he
said. "And the profession of gymnast isn't within everybody's reach."
To the mother he confided that her son might some day be a fine circus
artist.
Then Don Alonso, finding himself before a numerous public, would begin
to talk volubly of the United States, of Mexico, and the South
American republics.
"Why don't you tell us stories of the countries you've been to?" asked
Perico Rebolledo.
"No, not now; I have to go out with the _Infiel_ Tower."
"Ah! Go on, tell us," they would all implore.
Don Alonso pretended to be importuned by the request; but when he got
going, he spun one yarn after the other in such numbers that they
almost had to beg him to stop.
"And didn't you ever see in those countries men who had been killed by
lions?" asked Ariston.
"No."
"Then there aren't any lions?"
"Lions in cages ... yes, a lot."
"But I mean at liberty, in the fields."
"In the fields? No."
Don Alonso seemed rather provoked to make these confessions.
"No other wild beasts, either?"
"There are no longer any wild beasts in the civilized countries," said
the barber.
"Why, see here, there certainly are wild beasts over there," and Don
Alonso, wrinkling his features into a jesting grimace, winked slily at
Rebolledo.
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