eve it, Segnor? When I attempted to pacify him, He cursed me for a
Witch, and wished that to punish the Count, my Sister might become as
ugly as myself! Ugly indeed! I like him for that.”

“Ridiculous”, cried Don Christoval; “Doubtless the Count would have
thought himself fortunate, had he been permitted to exchange the one
Sister for the other.”

“Oh! Christ! Segnor, you are really too polite. However, I am heartily
glad that the Condé was of a different way of thinking. A mighty pretty
piece of business, to be sure, Elvira has made of it! After broiling
and stewing in the Indies for thirteen long years, her Husband dies,
and She returns to Spain, without an House to hide her head, or money
to procure her one! This Antonia was then but an Infant, and her only
remaining Child. She found that her Father-in-Law had married again,
that he was irreconcileable to the Condé, and that his second Wife had
produced him a Son, who is reported to be a very fine young Man. The
old Marquis refused to see my Sister or her Child; But sent her word
that on condition of never hearing any more of her, He would assign her
a small pension, and She might live in an old Castle which He possessed
in Murcia; This had been the favourite habitation of his eldest Son;
But since his flight from Spain, the old Marquis could not bear the
place, but let it fall to ruin and confusion—My Sister accepted the
proposal; She retired to Murcia, and has remained there till within the
last Month.”

“And what brings her now to Madrid?” enquired Don Lorenzo, whom
admiration of the young Antonia compelled to take a lively interest in
the talkative old Woman’s narration.

“Alas! Segnor, her Father-in-Law being lately dead, the Steward of his
Murcian Estates has refused to pay her pension any longer.

With the design of supplicating his Son to renew it, She is now come to
Madrid; But I doubt, that She might have saved herself the trouble! You
young Noblemen have always enough to do with your money, and are not
very often disposed to throw it away upon old Women. I advised my
Sister to send Antonia with her petition; But She would not hear of
such a thing. She is so obstinate! Well! She will find herself the
worse for not following my counsels: the Girl has a good pretty face,
and possibly might have done much.”

“Ah! Segnora,” interrupted Don Christoval, counterfeiting a passionate
air; “If a pretty face will do the business, why has not your Sister
recourse to you?”

“Oh! Jesus! my Lord, I swear you quite overpower me with your
gallantry! But I promise you that I am too well aware of the danger of
such Expeditions to trust myself in a young Nobleman’s power! No, no; I
have as yet preserved my reputation without blemish or reproach, and I
always knew how to keep the Men at a proper distance.”

“Of that, Segnora, I have not the least doubt. But permit me to ask
you; Have you then any aversion to Matrimony?”

“That is an home question. I cannot but confess, that if an amiable
Cavalier was to present himself....”

Here She intended to throw a tender and significant look upon Don
Christoval; But, as She unluckily happened to squint most abominably,
the glance fell directly upon his Companion: Lorenzo took the
compliment to himself, and answered it by a profound bow.

“May I enquire,” said He, “the name of the Marquis?”

“The Marquis de las Cisternas.”

“I know him intimately well. He is not at present in Madrid, but is
expected here daily. He is one of the best of Men; and if the lovely
Antonia will permit me to be her Advocate with him, I doubt not my
being able to make a favourable report of her cause.”

Antonia raised her blue eyes, and silently thanked him for the offer by
a smile of inexpressible sweetness. Leonella’s satisfaction was much
more loud and audible: Indeed, as her Niece was generally silent in her
company, She thought it incumbent upon her to talk enough for both:
This She managed without difficulty, for She very seldom found herself
deficient in words.

“O