. Antonona
has an understanding with me already, and through her I know that Pepita
is over head and ears in love. We have agreed that I shall continue to
seem blind to everything, and to know nothing of what passes. The
reverend vicar, who is a simple soul, always in the clouds, helps me as
much as Antonona does, or more, and without knowing it, because he
repeats to Pepita everything Luis says to him, and everything Pepita
says to him to Luis; so that this excellent man, with the weight of
half a century in each foot, has been converted--O miracle of love and
of innocence!--into a carrier-dove by which the two lovers send each
other their flatteries and endearments, while they are as ignorant as he
is of the fact. So powerful a combination of natural and artificial
methods ought to give an infallible result. You will be made acquainted
with this result when I give you notice of the wedding, so that you may
come to perform the ceremony, or else send the lovers your blessing and
a handsome present."

* * * * *

With these words Don Pedro finished the reading of his letter; and, on
looking again at Don Luis, he saw that he had been listening to him with
his eyes full of tears.

Father and son gave each other a long and close embrace.

* * * * *

Just a month from the date of this interview, the wedding of Don Luis de
Vargas and Pepita Ximenez took place.

The reverend dean--fearing the ridicule of his brother at the
spiritual-mindedness of Don Luis having thus come to naught, and
recognizing also that he would not play a very dignified _role_ in the
village, where every one would say he had a poor knack at turning out
saints--declined to be present, giving his occupations as an excuse;
although he sent his blessing, and a magnificent pair of ear-rings as a
present for Pepita.

The reverend vicar, therefore, had the pleasure of marrying her to Don
Luis.

The bride, elegantly attired, was thought lovely by every one, and was
looked upon as a good exchange for the hair shirt and the scourge.

That night Don Pedro gave a magnificent ball in the court-yard of his
house and the contiguous apartments. Servants and gentlemen, nobles and
laborers, ladies and country-girls were present, and mingled together,
as if it were the ideal golden age--though why called golden I know not.
Four skillful, or if not skillful at least indefatigable guitar-players
played