 they have once told you that 'tis delicious! or delightful!
(as the case happens) - that the soil was grateful, and that nature pours out
all her abundance, etc .... they have then a large plain upon their hands, which
they know not what to do with - and which is of little or no use to them but to
carry them to some town; and that town, perhaps of little more, but a new place
to start from to the next plain - and so on.
    - This is most terrible work; judge if I don't manage my plains better.
 

                                  Chap. XLIII.

I had not gone above two leagues and a half, before the man with his gun, began
to look at his priming.
    I had three several times loiter'd terribly behind; half a mile at least
every time: once, in deep conference with a drum-maker, who was making drums for
the fairs of Baucaira and Tarascone - I did not understand the principles --
    The second time, I cannot so properly say, I stopp'd -- for meeting a couple
of Franciscans straiten'd more for time than myself, and not being able to get
to the bottom of what I was about -- I had turn'd back with them --
    The third, was an affair of trade with a gossip, for a hand basket of
Provence figs for four sous; this would have been transacted at once; but for a
case of conscience at the close of it; for when the figs were paid for, it
turn'd out, that there were two dozen of eggs cover'd over with vine-leaves at
the bottom of the basket - as I had no intention of buying eggs - I made no sort
of claim of them - as for the space they had occupied - what signified it? I had
figs enow for my money --
    - But it was my intention to have the basket - it was the gossip's intention
to keep it, without which, she could do nothing with her eggs -- and unless I
had the basket, I could do as little with my figs, which were too ripe already,
and most of 'em burst at the side: this brought on a short contention, which
terminated in sundry proposals, what we should both do --
    - How we disposed of our eggs and figs, I defy you, or the Devil himself,
had he not been there (which I am persuaded he was) to form the least probable
conjecture: You
