he had
only to give them the impression in wax, and they would have a false one
made forthwith. Having said this, the friends retired, and Loaysa and
his pupil went to rest for the short remainder of the night. The next
day hung heavily on hand, as always happens to those who are filled with
eager expectation; but the longest day must have an end, and Loaysa's
impatient desire was at last gratified.

The appointed hour having arrived, all the domestics, great and small,
black and white, repaired to the turning-box, longing to see the senor
musico fairly within their seraglio; but no Leonora was there. When
Loaysa inquired for her, they said she was in bed with her good man, who
had locked the bed-room door, and put the key under his pillow; and that
their lady had told them, that when the old man had fallen asleep she
would take the key, and they were to go to her by and by for the wax
impression she would take from it, and pass to them through a trap-hole
in the door. Loaysa was astonished at the old man's extreme wariness, in
spite of which he by no means despaired of baffling his precautions.
Just then the French horn was heard: Loaysa hastened to the door, and
received from his friends a pot containing the promised ointment.
Bidding them wait awhile, and he would bring them the mould of the key,
he went back to the turning-box, and told the duena, who seemed the most
eager of all the women for his admission, to give the ointment to her
lady, bid her anoint her husband with it so cautiously that he should
not be aware of what she was doing, and she would soon see wonders. The
duena took the pot, stole up to her mistress's door, and found her
waiting on the inside, stretched full length on the floor, with her face
to the trap-hole. The duena laid herself down in the same manner, and
putting her mouth to her mistress's ear, whispered that she had brought
the ointment, telling her at the same time how to apply it. Leonora took
the ointment, but told the duena that she could by no means get the key,
for her husband had not put it under the pillow as usual, but between
the mattresses, just under where he lay. However, she was to tell the
maestro, that if the ointment operated as he said, she could easily get
the key as often as she pleased, and so there would be no need of
copying it in wax. Having delivered this message at once, the duena was
to come back, and see how the ointment worked, for she intended to apply
it for