es were familiar.

"Follow me," cried Don Rodrigo, as he bounded down the stairs with
fearful alacrity.

"Stay, Don Rodrigo," said Gomez Arias, sarcastically, "not such
precipitation, or you may perchance fall before your time."

This provoking sarcasm entirely overthrew the little remaining temper
which Don Rodrigo possessed. His eyes flashed fire, his whole frame
shook, and unable to restrain himself any longer, he furiously drew his
sword, and fixed on the _Zaguan_[17] for the field of action.

"Defend yourself, Don Lope," exclaimed he, with frenzied rage.

"Look to yourself, fair Sir," returned Don Lope, as, unsheathing his
rapier, he calmly placed himself in a posture of defence.

With impetuous fury Don Rodrigo darted on his antagonist, and commenced
an assault with all the courage and address of a practised swordsman.
Thrust succeeded thrust with mortal rapidity, but the active eye of
Gomez Arias foiled their deadly aim with consummate skill and dexterity.
A demoniac spirit seemed to agitate Don Rodrigo, and he continued for
some minutes wasting his strength in the fruitless attack, and impairing
his own means of resistance. The combat was too fierce to be of long
duration, and a few moments would have brought it to a mortal issue (for
Don Lope was now in his turn about to press hard his weakened
adversary), had not Roque, in that tenderness of conscience for which he
was so noted, very adroitly extinguished the light that hung in the
_Zaguan_, as the most effectual way of suspending hostilities.

The place was thus plunged in utter darkness, and Don Rodrigo, afraid of
being disappointed in his revenge, called out to Gomez Arias.

"I am here," replied Don Lope; "I am here, Don Rodrigo; the light is
superfluous; we shall do perfectly well without it, for a mutual
sympathy will lead our weapons aright."

The swords again met, and short, quick sparks of light, like the
fugitive flash of a summer's exhalation, gave a momentary glimpse of the
combatants' fearful countenances--then a dismal groan is heard, a body
falls heavily on the ground, and a shriek of horror burst from the
household, who had crowded round the entrance of the _Zaguan_.

"He is dead," muttered Don Rodrigo to himself, and sought for safety
with the swiftness of lightning.

"Bring torches," cried Monteblanco; "let us afford the fallen
_caballero_ all the assistance in our power."

The state of Theodora baffles all description. Ignorant a