The families of the country folk, whenever they heard any talk about smart men, always thought immediately of the notary from Valencia.

With religious veneration they saw him adjust his spectacles in order to read as an expert the bill of sale or dowry contract that his amanuenses had just drawn up.

It was written in Castilian and for the better understanding of his listeners he would read it, without the slightest hesitation, in Valencian.

What a man!...
Afterwards, while the contracting parties were signing it, the notary raising the little glass window at the front, would entertain the assembly with some local legends, always decent, without any illusions to the sins of the flesh, but always those in which the digestive organs figured with every degree of license.

The clients would roar with laughter, captivated by this funny eschatalogy, and would haggle less in the matter of fees.