s costume; one dolorously reciting the list of the things he had
lost, another declaring that the loss of a box of Agnus Dei he was
bringing home from Rome afflicted him more than all besides. In short,
the whole wood resounded with the moans and lamentations of the
despoiled wretches. The brother and sister beheld them with deep
compassion, and heartily thanked heaven for their own narrow escape from
so great a peril. But what affected Teodoro more than anything else was
the sight of a lad apparently about fifteen, tied to a tree, with no
covering on him but a shirt and a pair of linen drawers, but with a face
of such beauty that none could refrain from gazing on it. Teodoro
dismounted and unbound him, a favour which he acknowledged in very
courteous terms; and Teodoro, to make it the greater, begged Calvete to
lend the gentle youth his cloak, until he could buy him another at the
first town they came to. Calvete complied, and Teodoro threw the cloak
over his shoulders, asking him in Don Rafael's presence to what part of
the country he belonged, whence he was coming, and whither he was going.
The youth replied that he was from Andalusia, and he named as his
birthplace a town which was but two leagues distant from that of the
brother and sister. He said he was on his way from Seville to Italy, to
seek his fortune in arms like many another Spaniard; but that he had had
the misfortune to fall in with a gang of thieves, who had taken from him
a considerable sum of money and clothes, which he could not replace for
three hundred crowns. Nevertheless he intended to pursue his journey,
for he did not come of a race which was used to let the ardour of its
zeal evaporate at the first check.

The manner in which the youth expressed himself, the fact that he was
from their own neighbourhood, and above all, the letter of
recommendation he carried in his face, inspired the brother and sister
with a desire to befriend him as much as they could. After they had
distributed some money among such of the rest as seemed in most need of
it, especially among monks and priests, of whom there were eight, they
made this youth mount Calvete's mule, and went on without more delay to
Igualada. There they were informed that the galleys had arrived the day
before at Barcelona, whence they would sail in two days, unless the
insecurity of the roadstead compelled them to make an earlier departure.
On account of this news, they rose next morning before t