adored wife, the
father of a charming little girl, he had seen himself deprived, by a
horrible event, of both these objects of his love. Since then, no bond
of affection had attached him to earth, and he suffered his life to
float at the will of events.

Don Vegal had thought his heart to be indeed dead, when he felt it
palpitate at contact with that of Martin Paz. This ardent nature awoke
fire beneath the ashes; the proud bearing of the Indian suited the
chivalric hidalgo; and then, weary of the Spanish nobles, in whom he no
longer had confidence, disgusted with the selfish mestizoes, who wished
to aggrandize themselves at his expense, he took a pleasure in turning
to that primitive race, who have disputed so valiantly the American soil
with the soldiers of Pizarro.

According to the intelligence received by the marquis, the Indian passed
for dead at Lima; but, looking on his attachment for the Jewess as worse
than death itself, the Spaniard resolved doubly to save his guest, by
leaving the daughter of Samuel to marry Andre Certa.

While Martin Paz felt an infinite sadness pervade his heart, Don Vegal
avoided all allusion to the past, and conversed with the young Indian on
indifferent subjects.

Meanwhile, one day, saddened by his gloomy preoccupations, the Spaniard
said to him:

"Why, my friend, do you lower the nobility of your nature by a sentiment
so much beneath you? Was not that bold Manco-Capac, whom his patriotism
placed in the rank of heroes, your ancestor? There is a noble part left
for a valiant man, who will not suffer himself to be overcome by an
unworthy passion. Have you no heart to regain your independence?"

"We are laboring for this, senor," said the Indian; "and the day when my
brethren shall rise _en masse_ is perhaps not far distant."

"I understand you; you allude to the war for which your brethren are
preparing among their mountains; at a signal they will descend on the
city, arms in hand--and will be conquered as they have always been! See
how your interests will disappear amid these perpetual revolutions of
which Peru is the theatre, and which will ruin it entirely, Indians and
Spaniards, to the profit of the mestizoes, who are neither."

"We will save it ourselves," exclaimed Martin Paz.

"Yes, you will save it if you understand how to play your part! Listen
to me, Paz, you whom I love from day to day as a son! I say it with
grief; but, we Spaniards, the degenerate sons of a powerfu