seashore, and walking with his
wife and mother, asked them about the city. They said that it was the
Queen's City. Then, he said, he seemed to hear trumpets, and far on the
horizon made out a sail.--Then city and shore and all were gone, and it
was dark, starry night, and he was in the Azores, alone, with a staff in
his hand that he had drawn from the sea.

It was Fray Juan Perez who brought him news of her death. "Queen
Isabella!" he said and turned to the wall and lay there praying.

One day there came to see him Amerigo Vespucci who sailing with Ojeda,
knew Paria. They talked of that Vastness to the south. The Venetian
thought it might be a continent wholly unknown alike to the ancients and
the moderns. "Known," answered the Genoese, "in the far, far past! But
unknown, I grant, for so long that it has become again new. All a New
World."

"How should we map it?" said the other. "Faith of God! I should like to
see the maps a hundred years from now!"

He had something to say of Sebastian Cabot who was finding northward for
King Henry of England. But laying a fine small hand upon the Admiral's
mighty one, he called him "_magister et dominus_, Christopherus
Columbus."

Winter wore away. With the spring he seemed to be better in health.
He left his bed. But the physician, Juan Lepe, believed that ports and
havens, new lands, and service of an order above this order were even
now coloring and thrilling within.

When all spring was singing high, the Admiral, having had a letter from
the king, said he would go to court. His sons would have had him travel
in a litter, but he waved that away. The Adelantado procured him a mule,
and with his sons and brother and a small train beside he started, the
King being at Segovia. He had a hardly scraped together purse of gold,
and all his matters seemed dejected. Yet his family riding with him
rode as nobles of Spain, and his son, Don Diego, should one day become
Governor of Hispaniola. Earthly speaking, for all his feeling "All is
vain!" he had made his family. Unlike many families so made, this one
was grateful.

On the road to Segovia, stayings, restings and meetings were cordial
enough to him, for here flocked the people to see the Discoverer. If
they heard his voice they were happy; if some bolder one had a moment's
speech with him that fortunate went off with the air of, "My children's
children shall know of this!" There returned in this springtide travel
sunniness, halcy