Page 214 (1/2)

"All the while the good-natured i upon his words,under me so that I could scarcely

stand However, I opened the letter and read these words:

"'The proe your father to speak to mine,

he has fulfilled e I have to tell you, senor, that he has demanded me for a wife,

and my father, led away by what he considers Don Fernando's superiority

over you, has favoured his suit so cordially, that in two days hence the

betrothal is to take place with such secrecy and so privately that the

only witnesses are to be the Heavens above and a few of the household

Picture to yourself the state I aent for you to

come; the issue of the affair will show you whether I love you or not

God grant this may come to your hand before mine shall be forced to link

itself with his who keeps so ill the faith that he has pledged'

"Such, in brief, were the words of the letter, words that er for reply or money; for I no

clearly that it was not the purchase of horses but of his own pleasure

that had made Don Fernando send ainst Don Fernando, joined with the fear of losing the prize I had

won by so s; so that al I reached ho