time I brought her home, and have kept her ever since constantly
with me, in the dress of a girl who had to work for her bread, as her
mother directed. Fifteen years, one month, and four days I have been
looking for the person who should come and claim her, but the length of
time that has elapsed makes me begin to lose all hope of his coming. If
he does not make his appearance before this year is out, it is my
determination to adopt her and bequeath her all I am worth, which is
upwards of sixteen thousand ducats, thanks be to God. It now remains for
me, senor Corregidor, to enumerate to you the virtues and good qualities
of Costanza, if it be possible for me to express them. First and
foremost, she is most piously devoted to our Lady; she confesses and
communicates every month; she can read and write; there's not a better
lace maker in all Toledo; she sings without accompaniment like an angel;
in the matter of behaving with propriety she has not her equal; as for
her beauty, your worship has seen it with your own eyes. Senor Don
Pedro, your worship's son, has never exchanged a word with her in her
life. It is true that from time to time he treats her to some music,
which she never listens to. Many senors, and men of title too, have put
up at this house, and have delayed their journey for several days solely
to have their fill of looking at her; but I well know there is not one
of them can boast with truth that she ever gave them opportunity to say
one word to her either alone or before folk. This, senor, is the real
history of the illustrious scullery-maid, who is no scullion, in which I
have not departed one tittle from the truth."

The host had long ended his narrative before the corregidor broke
silence, so much was he struck by the strange facts he had heard. At
last he desired to see the parchment and the chain; the host produced
them without delay, and they corresponded exactly to the description he
had given of them. The chain was of curious workmanship, and on the
parchment were written, one under the other, on the projecting portions
of the zigzag, the letters, TIITEREOE which manifestly required to be
joined with those of the counterpart to make sense. The corregidor
admired the ingenuity of the contrivance, and judged from the costliness
of the chain, that the pilgrim must have been a lady of great wealth. It
was his intention to remove the lovely girl from the inn as soon as he
had chosen a suitable convent