rothed, who awaits her?"

"One day--one single day! You know not whose existence is bound to that
of this child. One day--one single day! at least until I find Martin
Paz, he whom my heart and God have named my son!"

Father Joachim returned to the young girl; Don Vegal went out and
traversed the streets of Lima.

The Spaniard was surprised at the noise, the commotion, the agitation of
the city. It was that the great fete of the Amancaes, forgotten by him
alone, the 24th of June, the day of St. John, had arrived. The
neighboring mountains were covered with verdure and flowers; the
inhabitants, on foot, on horseback, in carriages, were repairing to a
celebrated table-land, situated at half a league from Lima, where the
spectators enjoyed an admirable prospect; mestizoes and Indians mingled
in the common fete; they walked gayly by groups of relatives or friends;
each group, calling itself by the name of _partida_, carried its
provisions, and was preceded by a player on the guitar, who chanted,
accompanying himself, the most popular _yaravis_ and _llantos_. These
joyous promenaders advanced with cries, sports, endless jests, through
the fields of maize and of _alfalfa_, through the groves of banana,
whose fruits hung to the ground; they traversed those beautiful
_alamedas_, planted with willows, and forests of citron, and
orange-trees, whose intoxicating perfumes were mingled with the wild
fragrance from the mountains. All along the road, traveling cabarets
offered to the promenaders the brandy of _pisco_ and the _chica_, whose
copious libations excited to laughter and clamor; cavaliers made their
horses caracole in the midst of the throng, and rivaled each other in
swiftness, address, and dexterity; all the dances in vogue, from the
_loudon_ to the _mismis_, from the _boleros_ to the _zamacuecas_,
agitated and hurried on the _caballeros_ and black-eyed _sambas_. The
sounds of the _viguela_ were soon no longer sufficient for the
disordered movements of the dancers; the musicians uttered wild cries,
which stimulated them to delirium; the spectators beat the measure with
their feet and hands, and the exhausted couples sunk one after another
to the ground.

There reigned in this fete, which derives its name from the little
mountain-flowers, an inconceivable transport and freedom; and yet no
private brawl mingled among the cries of public rejoicing; a few lancers
on horseback, ornamented with their shining cuirasses, maint