his bruises, and with his wound
still open, was in a condition to go out, and promised a complete
recovery within a short time.

The first duty which Don Luis thought himself obliged to fulfill, as
soon as he was off the sick-list, was to confess to his father his love
for Pepita, and his intention of marrying her.

Don Pedro had not gone to the country, nor had he occupied himself in
any other way than in taking care of his son during the sickness of the
latter. He was constantly at his side, waiting on him and petting him
with tender affection.

On the morning of the 27th of June, after the doctor had gone, Don Pedro
being alone with his son, the confession, so difficult for Don Luis to
make, took place in the following manner:

"Father," said Don Luis, "I ought not to deceive you any longer. To-day
I am going to confess my faults to you, and cast away hypocrisy."

"If it is a confession you are about to make, my boy, it would be better
for you to send for the reverend vicar. My standard of morality is an
indulgent one, and I shall give you absolution for everything, without
my absolution being of much value to you, however. But if you wish to
confide to me some weighty secret, as to your best friend, begin by all
means; I am ready to listen to you."

"What I am about to confess to you is a very serious fault of which I
have been guilty; and I am ashamed to--"

"You have no need to be ashamed before your father; speak frankly."

Here Don Luis, growing very red, and with visible confusion, said:

"My secret is, that I am in love with--Pepita Ximenez--and that she--"

Don Pedro interrupted his son with a burst of laughter, and finished the
sentence for him:

"And that she is in love with you, and that on the night of St. John's
eve you were with her in tender conference until two o'clock in the
morning, and that, for her sake, you sought a quarrel with the Count of
Genazahar, whose head you have broken. A pretty secret you confide to
me, truly! There isn't a cat or a dog in the village that is not fully
acquainted with every detail of the business. The only thing there
seemed a possibility of being able to conceal was, that your interview
lasted until just two o'clock in the morning; but some gypsy cake-women
chanced to see you leave Pepita's house, and did not stop until they had
told every living creature in the place of it. Pepita, besides, makes no
great effort to conceal the truth, and in this she does