your attention to be diverted for a
few moments from the interest of the present events, and resume your
acquaintance with that most deserving and ill-used cavalier. And here,
by the way, I may perhaps be allowed to indulge my spleen, by
manifesting my extreme dislike to interruptions in general, for there is
nothing so vexatious and mortifying as the unpleasant necessity to which
an author is obliged to submit of breaking the thread of a narration
when it begins to excite some interest.

It is a subject well worthy of notice, that the generality of readers
should be of so inquisitive a temperament, that they cannot be induced
to take in good part whatever they read, and rely implicitly on the good
faith of the author for the correctness of what he advances. By this
means, much time and paper might be saved, explanations would be
useless, and works would be rendered more compact, and consequently less
tedious, which we cannot but consider an infinite advantage to the
literary world at large. However, we must take matters as we find them,
and as a circumstantial and satisfactory solution is expected by the
reader to every incident enveloped somewhat in mystery, let us hasten to
comply with the established custom: and now to return--

We left Don Rodrigo with his man Peregil, patiently waiting the leisure
of their beasts, sighing, and cursing, and complaining by turns, for
want of more suitable recreation. The night was dreary, and the
spreading branches of the tree under which our friends had taken
shelter, afforded but a meagre accommodation. If their lodgings were
comfortless, the supper which they could expect was still more humble
and hermit-like;--the bill of fare consisted of some green grass, which
though abundantly supplied, presented a most provoking and unrelishing
want of variety. We would not venture to determine whether the
refinement of their palate stood in the way of their appetite, but it is
nevertheless a fact that both master and man left the reverend father's
mule and the _mesonero's_ ass undisturbed possessors of the repast. The
comforts of supper and rest being, therefore, denied to our wanderers,
they resigned themselves to their unpleasant situation, and with the
patience that necessity imposed upon them, awaited the approach of
morning. Don Rodrigo in particular, being thoroughly impressed with the
idea that his rival Gomez Arias had fallen in the encounter, was full of
inquietude, and excessiv