I had the confidence of the padrona's
foster-sister, who is now dead; but at that time Susanna knew everything
that concerned her mistress.

"There was a bad prospect for the expectant bridegroom in France, for
whenever the padrona spoke of him, it was with a laugh we knew, and which
boded no good; but she still wrote frequently to the marquis and his
mother, and many a letter from Rochebrun reached our house. To be sure,
her excellenza also gave Don Luis more than one secret audience.

"During Lent a messenger from Fraulein Van Hoogstraten's father arrived
with the news, that at Easter he, himself, would come to Brussels from
Haarlem, and the marquis from Castle Rochebrun, and on Maundy Thursday I
received orders to dress the private chapel with flowers, engage
posthorses, and do several other things. On Good Friday, the day of our
Lord's crucifixion--I wish I were telling lies--early in the morning of
Good Friday the signorina was dressed in all her bridal finery. Don Luis
appeared clad in black, proud and gloomy as usual, and by candle-light,
before sunrise on a cold, damp morning--it seems to me as if it were only
yesterday--the Castilian was married to our young mistress. The padrona,
a Spanish officer and I were the witnesses. At seven o'clock the carriage
drove up, and after it was packed Don Luis handed me a little box to put
in the vehicle. It was heavy and I knew it well; the padrona was in the
habit of keeping her gold coin in it. At Easter the whole city learned
that Don Luis d'Avila had eloped with the beautiful Anna Van Hoogstraten,
after killing her betrothed bridegroom in a duel on Maundy-Thursday at
Hals on his way to Brussels--scarcely twenty-four hours before the
wedding.

"I shall never forget how Junker Van Hoogstraten raged. The padrona
refused to see him and pretended to be ill, but she was as well as only
she could be during these last few years."

"And do you know how to interpret your mistress's mysterious conduct?"
asked Wilhelm.

"Yes sir; her reasons are perfectly evident. But I must hasten, it is
growing late; besides I cannot tell you minute particulars, for I was
myself a child when the event happened, though Susanna has told me many
things that would probably be worth relating. Her excellenza's mother was
a Chevreaux, and my mistress spent the best years of her life with her
mother's sister, who during the winter lived in Paris. It was in the
reign of the late King Francis, and you