“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, señora, 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.”