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"That is the truth," said Don Quixote; "but go on, for the story is very

good, and you, good Pedro, tell it with very good grace"

"May that of the Lord not be wanting to me," said Pedro; "that is the one

to have To proceed; you h the uncle put before his

niece and described to her the qualities of each one in particular of the

her toto her own taste, she never gave any other answer than

that she had no desire toshe did

not think herself fit to bear the burden of matrimony At these, to all

appearance, reasonable excuses that she e

her, and waited till she was soe and couldFor, said he--and he said quite right--parents

are not to settle children in life against their will But when one least

looked for it, lo and behold! one day the demure Marcela makes her

appearance turned shepherdess; and, in spite of her uncle and all those

of the town that strove to dissuade her, took to going a-field with the

other shepherd-lasses of the village, and tending her own flock And so,

since she appeared in public, and her beauty came to be seen openly, I

could not well tell you how entlemen and peasants,

have adopted the costu

love to her One of these, as has been already said, was our deceased

friend, of whom they say that he did not love but adore her But you must

not suppose, because Marcela chose a life of such liberty and

independence, and of so little or rather no retireiven any occasion, or even the seement of

her purity and ilance hich she watches over her honour, that of all those that

court and woo her not one has boasted, or can with truth boast, that she

has given hi his desire For