tendants, and his unfailing alacrity in supplying them with everything
he imagined they could want or wish for? But as we have said, he was
asleep. Had he been awake, and disposed to reply, he could not have
given a better answer than by saying, as he shrugged his shoulders and
arched his eyebrows, that all this had been brought to nought by the
craft of an idle and vicious young man, and the wickedness of a
faithless duena, working upon the weakness of an artless and
inexperienced girl. Heaven save us all from such enemies as these,
against whom the shield of prudence and the sword of vigilance are alike
impotent to defend us!

Such, nevertheless, was Leonora's rectitude, and so opportunely did she
manifest it, that all the villanous arts of the crafty seducer were of
no avail; till both of them, wearied by the contest, the baffled tempter
and the victorious defender of her own chastity, fell asleep almost at
the moment when it pleased Heaven that Carrizales should awake in spite
of the ointment. As usual he felt all about the bed, and not finding his
dear wife in it, he jumped up in the utmost consternation, and with
strange agility for a man of his years. He looked all over the room for
her, and when he found the door open, and the key gone from between the
mattresses, he was nearly distracted. Recovering himself a little, he
went out into the gallery, stole softly thence to the saloon, where the
duena was asleep, and seeing no Leonora there, he went to the duena's
own room, opened the door gently, and beheld Leonora in Loaysa's arms,
and both of them looking as if the soporific ointment was exerting its
influence over themselves instead of upon the jealous husband.

Carrizales was petrified with horror; his voice stuck in his throat; his
arms fell powerless by his sides, and his feet seemed rooted to the
ground; and though the fierce revulsion of his wrath presently aroused
his torpid senses, he yet could scarcely breathe, so intense was his
anguish. Thirsting for vengeance as terrible as his monstrous wrong, but
having no weapon at hand, he returned to his chamber as stealthily as he
had quitted it, in search of a dagger, with which he would wash out the
stain cast upon his honour in the blood of the guilty pair, and then
massacre his whole household; but he had no sooner reached his room than
his grief again overpowered him, and he fell senseless on the bed.

Day broke now, and found Leonora still in the arms of