now spent itself, we parted from each
other.

"When I reached home, my unfortunate wife seemed more repulsive than
ever; in fact, her disagreeable ways, added to her natural homeliness,
had rendered her almost intolerable. The memory of Inez's lovely form
and face, her graceful manner and silvery voice, was ever present with
me. I repeatedly told myself how wicked this was, and resolved not to
call again on Don Manuel, lest I should see her. But it was impossible
to banish her image, and day after day the struggle within my soul grew
more severe. Thus the rainy months passed away; during which I
scarcely left home at all, and saw no one but my wife. One day she was
taken sick, and soon became so ill that Brother Jonathan, who was the
physician of the mission, and for whom I sent at once, became very
anxious. It was on the fifth day of her illness, and Jonathan had been
to see her in the afternoon; but in the evening she became much worse.
She complained so much that about ten o'clock I concluded to ride out
to the doctor's. Jonathan was much sought after as a physician, and
when I reached his house about eleven o'clock, he had already been
roused up from his sleep by a man who wanted some medicine for a child,
and who was waiting to have it prepared. Ah, how I remember every
trifle, exactly as if it all had occurred only yesterday!

"When I told Jonathan how very ill my wife was, he gave me very little
if any hope, but said he would prepare a soothing draught for her. I
was full of anxiety and in great haste to get back, as was also the
other man; and when at last Thomas, Jonathan's servant, brought the two
bottles of medicine, I seized mine eagerly, as I had a long way to go;
and as I left, Brother Jonathan said to me: 'They are opium-drops; give
her fifteen when you get home, and if she does not get easy, then two
hours after repeat the dose.'"

"I sprang on my horse and hurried away. Jonathan's words seemed to
ring in my ears: 'I have scarcely any hope of saving her.' Ah, Carmen,
they were to me like words of deliverance. I had borne for so long the
fearfully heavy yoke which had been laid upon me that at times it
seemed beyond human endurance; for this woman's soul was almost more
repulsive than her body. At last I reached home. It was twelve
o'clock. My wife was suffering as much as ever; she complained
incessantly of the increasing pain, and I at once prepared the drops
for her. She groaned; th