f my sword.
He became grave. His fine eyes--he had great, sombre, liquid eyes, such
as you'll scarcely ever see outside of Spain--considered me thoughtfully
a moment. Then he laughed lightly and fell back a pace.

"Pish!" said he. "Saint James! I am no rabbit for your skewering. If
it comes to skewers, I am a useful man of my hands, Antonio. Come,
man"--and again he took my arm--"if I presume, forgive it out of the
assurance that I am moved solely by interest and concern for you. We
have been friends too long that I should be denied."

I had grown cool again, and I realized that perhaps my show of anger had
been imprudent. So I relented now, and we went our ways together without
further show of ill-humour on my part, or further advice on his. But
the matter did not end there. Indeed, it but began. Going early in the
afternoon of the morrow to visit Anne, I found her in tears--tears, as I
was to discover, of anger.

Escovedo had been to visit her before me, and he had dared to reproach
her on the same subject.

"You are talked about, you and Perez," he had informed her, "and the
thing may have evil consequences. It is because I have eaten our bread
that I tell you this for your own good."

She had risen up in a great passion.

"You will leave my house, and never set foot in it again," she had told
him. "You should learn that grooms and lackeys have no concern in the
conduct of great ladies. It is because you have eaten my bread that I
tell you this for your own good."

It drove him out incontinently, but it left her in the condition in
which I was later to discover her. I set myself to soothe her. I swore
that Escovedo should be punished. But she would not be soothed. She
blamed herself for an unpardonable rashness. She should not have taken
that tone with Escovedo. He could avenge himself by telling Philip,
and if he told Philip, and Philip believed him--as Philip would, being
jealous and mistrustful beyond all men--my ruin must follow. She had
thought only of herself in dismissing him in that high-handed manner.
Coming since to think of me it was that she had fallen into this
despair. She clung to me in tears.

"Forgive me, Antonio. The fault is all mine--the fault of all. Always
have I known that this danger must overhang you as a penalty for loving
me. Always I knew it, and, knowing it, I should have been stronger. I
should have sent you from me at the first. But I was so starved of love
from childhood till