nful world. She
appeared at last, her eyes half closed, her lips moving fast in the
fervour of her devotions, and her long skinny fingers employed in a
manner equally devout, as with the most exemplary industry, and solemn
sedateness, she let fall in measured intervals, one by one, the large
black counters of her rosary.

"The Lord be with you!" ejaculated piously the duenna.

"Save you, good Martha," responded Don Manuel.

"And may the blessed Virgin forgive you Senor, for thus disturbing an
humble sinner at her prayers."

"Amen!" answered Don Manuel; "and now Martha tell me where is my
daughter."

"_Ave Maria!_" continued the duenna, as another counter fell.

Monteblanco, who expected quite a different answer, was however kind
enough to give the customary response to the salutation.

"_Santa Maria!_" muttered he with a movement of impatience, raising
nevertheless his eyes to heaven. But it so happened that the devotion of
the old cavalier was obliged to give way to his paternal solicitude.

"Martha," he therefore cried, "put aside your beads, and tell me, in
goodness tell me, if my child is indisposed."

"Holy Virgin!" exclaimed the duenna, "what brings that into your head,
Don Manuel?"

"If not," demanded the father, "how does it happen she has not yet
appeared?--Where is she?"

"In bed, God help her," replied Martha, "for she very naturally
concluded, that a lady who had spent the night in an amorous colloquy,
could not be expected to rise over early the next morning."

"In bed!" echoed Monteblanco, "in bed! shame, why it is past seven," he
added, somewhat ruffled at the idea. "What! has she passed an
indifferent night?"

"Not that I know of, unless indeed that she may have been a little too
zealous in her midnight devotions: the grace of the Lord be upon her for
a sweet, innocent child. Bless her soul, she could not be otherwise
after the holy counsel which I, a miserable sinner, have endeavoured to
instill into her tender mind."

"Martha, Martha," seriously observed Don Manuel, "I do not entirely
approve of this excess of devotion."

"Ah!" ejaculated the duenna. "That is exactly what I say to her, but she
is very scrupulous in her religious exercises."

"Well Martha, you must moderate her zeal, and make her understand that
the views of heaven will be much better realized, by yielding implicit
obedience to the dictates of a father; and now," he added in a more
familiar tone, "go, and bid her co