Manuel and the ragdealer returned early in the morning; they unloaded
the cart on the flat earth before the door, and husband, wife and the
boy would separate and classify the day's collection. The rag-dealer
and his wife were amazingly skilful and quick at this work.
On rainy days the assorting was done in the shed. During such weather
the depression became a dismal, repellant swamp, and in order to cross
it one had to sink into the mud, in places half way up to the knee.
Everything would drip water; the hog in the yard would wallow in mire;
the hens would appear with their wings all black and the dog scampered
about coated with mud to the ears.
After the sorting of the collection, Senor Custodio and Manuel, each
with a basket, would wait for the dump-carts to arrive, and as the
refuse was tipped out, they would set about sorting it on the very
dumping-grounds: pasteboard, rags, glass and bones.
In the afternoon Senor Custodio would go to certain stables in the
Argueelles district to clean out the manure and take it to the orchards
on the Manzanares.
Between one thing and another Senor Custodio made enough to live in a
certain comfort; he had a firm grasp upon his business and as he was
under no compulsion to sell his wares promptly, he would wait for the
most opportune occasion so that he could sell with advantage.
Pages:
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253