e, he
buttoned himself up again, and asked for a room to which he might
retire, and, if possible, be alone. The hostess said they had only one
in the house and that had two beds, in one of which she must accommodate
any other guest that might arrive. The traveller replied that he would
pay for both beds, guest or no guest; and taking out a gold crown he
gave it to the hostess, on condition that no one should have the vacant
bed. The hostess, well satisfied with such good payment, promised that
she would do as he required, though the Dean of Seville himself should
arrive that night at her house. She then asked him if he would sup. He
declined, and only begged they would take great care of his nag. Then,
taking the key of the chamber, and carrying with him a large pair of
leathern saddle-bags, he went in, locked the door, and even, as it
afterwards appeared, barricaded it with two chairs.

The moment he was gone, the host, the hostess, the hostler, and two
neighbours who chanced to be there, held a council together, and all
extolled the great comeliness and graceful deportment of the stranger,
agreeing that they had never seen any one so handsome. They discussed
his age, and came to the conclusion that it was between sixteen and
seventeen. They speculated largely as to what might have been the cause
of his fainting, but could make no plausible guess at it. The neighbours
after a while went home, the host went to look after the nag, and the
hostess to prepare supper in case any other guest should arrive; nor was
it long before another entered, not much older than the first, and of no
less engaging mien, so that the hostess no sooner saw him than she
exclaimed, "God bless me! how is this? Are angels coming to stop here
to-night?"

"Why does the lady hostess say that?" said the cavalier.

"It is not for nothing I say it. Only I must beg your honour not to
dismount, for I have no bed to give you; for the two I had have been
taken by a cavalier who has paid for both, though he has no need of more
than one; but he does that because no one else may enter the room,
being, I suppose, fond of solitude; though upon my conscience I can't
tell why, for his face and appearance are not such that he need be
ashamed of them or want to hide them, but quite the contrary."

"Is he so good-looking, senora hostess?"

"Good-looking? Ay, the best of good-looking."

"Here, my man, hold my stirrup," said the cavalier to a muleteer who
accom