Long experience, my dear Lorenzo, has convinced me how generous is your nature: I waited not for your declaration of ignorance respecting your sister’s adventures to suppose that they had been purposely concealed from you. Had they reached your knowledge, from what misfortunes should both Agnes and myself have escaped! Fate had ordained it otherwise! You were on your travels when I first became acquainted with your sister; and as our enemies took care to conceal from her your direction, it was impossible for her to implore by letter your protection and advice.

On leaving Salamanca, at which university as I have since heard, you remained a year after I quitted it, I immediately set out upon my travels. My father supplied me liberally with money; but he insisted upon my concealing my rank, and presenting myself as no more than a private gentleman. This command was issued by the counsels of his friend, the Duke of Villa Hermosa, a nobleman for whose abilities and knowledge of the world I have ever entertained the most profound veneration.

“Believe me,” said he, “my dear Raymond, you will hereafter feel the benefits of this temporary degradation. ’Tis true, that as the Condé de las Cisternas you would have been received with open arms; and your youthful vanity might have felt gratified by the attentions showered upon you from all sides. At present, much will depend upon yourself: you have excellent recommendations, but it must be your own business to make them of use to you. You must lay yourself out to please; you must labour to gain the approbation of those, to whom you are presented: they who would have courted the friendship of the Condé de las Cisternas will have no interest in finding out the merits, or bearing patiently with the faults, of Alphonso d’Alvarada. Consequently, when you find yourself really liked, you may safely ascribe it to your good qualities, not your rank, and the distinction shown you will be infinitely more flattering. Besides, your exalted birth would not permit your mixing with the lower classes of society, which will now be in your power, and from which, in my opinion, you will derive considerable benefit. Do not confine yourself to the illustrious of those countries through which you pass.