e old gentleman's displeasure. He filled a bumper to the
health of the bride and bridegroom, and throwing up his eyes with marks
of admiration, exclaimed, "How happy is the Count! alas! five days longer
must I rein my impatience!" "It is but reasonable, you rogue, that your
betters should have the start of you," said the merchant, who did him
justice in the glass, and counselled him to drown his impatience with
good claret. The youth followed his advice, and it was late before the
company retired to rest.

These citizens, however, resolved to seize an opportunity of rallying the
new-married couple, according to custom, and with that view arose early
in the morning, on the supposition of finding them still asleep; but they
were not a little surprised, when they entered the breakfasting room, to
see Renaldo, and his amiable bed-fellow, already dressed, and awaiting to
do the honours of the house. The old gentleman would fain have cracked a
joke upon their extraordinary despatch, but he was so much overawed by
the dignity and tamed by the sweetness of Serafina's carriage, that he
durst not give utterance to his conception; and Valentine stood silent
and abashed, as in the presence of a superior being. After breakfast
these gentlemen and Charlotte again expressed their sense of the
obligations they owed to this happy family, repeated their invitation,
and, taking leave, returned to London in a coach that was provided
overnight.

Our friends being thus left to themselves, Don Diego turned towards
Melvil: "Now," said he, "that I have yielded to the impatience of your
love, as well as to the eagerness of my own desire to make you happy, I
must beg leave to interrupt, for a little while, the stream of your
mutual pleasure, and propose a melancholy excursion, which, however, will
not be wholly void of enjoyment. I have too long delayed the performance
of my duty at Antonia's grave--let us spend the forenoon in that pious
pilgrimage--I will drop a few tears to the memory of that excellent
woman, and never afterwards shall my friends be troubled with my grief."

The proposal being universally approved, they set out for the place,
which had oft been visited by the gentle Serafina, who conducted her
father to a black marble stone, which Renaldo had ordered to be laid over
the grave; and, as he kneeled to kiss the monument, he perceived this
plain inscription in the Spanish tongue:--Antonia de Zelos primera en
todo lo que es