'Oh!' he cried, joining his hands with extreme fervour, 'a saint; it is she that keeps me up.'
'You are very fortunate,' said I, 'for the most of us, I am afraid, and myself among the number, are better at going down.'
'Senor,' said Felipe earnestly, 'I would not say that. You should not tempt your angel. If one goes down, where is he to stop?'
'Why, Felipe,' said I, 'I had no guess you were a preacher, and I may say a good one; but I suppose that is your sister's doing?'
He nodded at me with round eyes.
'Well, then,' I continued, 'she has doubtless reproved you for your sin of cruelty?'
'Twelve times!' he cried; for this was the phrase by which the odd creature expressed the sense of frequency. 'And I told her you had done so - I remembered that,' he added proudly - 'and she was ple
