ad so unseasonably disturbed his interesting
speculations.

Roque, like a good servant, without losing any time in useless parley,
obeyed his master's commands by making the best of his way to the person
in question, who in reality proved to be the Count. Gomez Arias, feeling
certain that his apprehensions were well founded, suddenly seized him by
the shoulder, at the same time calling on him to stay.

"What means this?" cried Urena, sharply, turning round, not at all
pleased with the roughness of the salutation: "who is he that dares----"

"Your friend," answered Gomez Arias, laughing.

"Don Lope!" cried Count Urena, in amazement.

"The same--but whither are you going?"

"To your house, surely: and now you must confess that I am a sincere
friend; for although not entirely recovered from my late indisposition,
I could not resist the desire of being present at your wedding; so I
posted to Granada, and here I am, in time, I suppose?"

"Oh, quite," replied Don Lope, evidently annoyed.

"But it seems," continued Count Urena, "that my arrival does not meet
with your approbation?"

"My dear friend, you must excuse my apparent want of cordiality, but I
have already dispatched an express to your castle to explain matters,
and you must on no account be seen in Granada."

"But why?"

"I ask it as a particular favor."

"I cannot comprehend," said the Count, perplexed: then he turned to
Roque; but Roque, as if aware that he was about to be questioned, and,
conscious of his total inability to satisfy any queries, to save the
Count a fruitless expenditure of words, shrugged up his shoulders, and
rolled his eyes most expressively.

"My dear Count," cried Gomez Arias, "it is of momentous importance that
you should not be seen in this city by any of our mutual relations and
friends. My peace of mind, my future prospects, nay, my very honor,
require this sacrifice from your friendship. I have no time now to enter
into explanation; but the enigma will be solved upon your perusal of my
dispatch: in the meantime suffice it to say, that your immediate removal
from Granada, and your strictly keeping within your house, will bind me
to you with a powerful and lasting obligation."

"_By Santiago_, Don Lope," exclaimed the Count, good humoredly, "you
must either be crazy, or wish to pass some merry jest upon me. Well, I
am heartily happy to see a bridegroom in such spirits."

"No, by my honor," returned Gomez Arias, "I solemnly