"and if it were not for fear of
my master, perhaps I would tell you where at once, and I warrant you
would be glad to see him."

"But where can he be for us to see him," returned the duena, "since no
one but our master ever enters this house?"

"I will not tell you any more about the matter till you have heard what
I can do, and how much he has taught me in this short time."

"By my troth, unless he is a demon who has taught you, I don't know how
you can have become a musician all at once."

"Stop a bit and you shall hear him, and mayhap you will see him too some
day."

"That can't be," said another of the women, "for there are no windows on
the street through which we could hear or see anybody."

"Never mind" said the negro; "there's a remedy for everything but
death. If you only could or would keep silence--"

"Keep silence! Ay that we will, brother Luis, as if we were born dumb. I
give you my word, friend, I am dying to hear a good voice, for ever
since we have been shut up here we have not even heard the birds sing."

Loaysa listened with great inward glee to this conversation, which
showed how readily the women were taking the very bent he would have
given them. The negro was afraid lest his master should return and catch
him talking with them; but they would not go away until he had promised
that, when they least expected it, he would call them to hear a capital
voice. He then retreated to his loft, where he would gladly have resumed
his lessons, but durst not do so by day for fear of detection. His
master returned soon after and went into the house, locking both doors
behind him as usual. When Luis went that day to the turning-box for his
victuals, he told the negress, who brought them, to let her
fellow-servants know that when their master was asleep that night, they
should all of them come down to the turning-box, when he would be sure
to give them the treat he had promised. He was enabled to say so much,
having previously entreated his music-master to condescend to sing and
play that night before the inner door for the amusement of the women.
The maestro suffered himself to be pressed very hard to do the thing he
most desired, but after much seeming reluctance he at last yielded to
the solicitations of his esteemed pupil, and said he would be happy to
oblige him. The negro embraced him cordially, in testimony of his
grateful sense of the promised favour, and treated him that day to as
good cheer as h