waiting for an answer, he abruptly
left her presence. He next repaired to Aguilar, and bitterly complained
of the material change he had observed in him as well as in his daughter
Leonor.

"If," he added, "you have reasons to impeach my integrity, speak aloud,
Don Alonso, and give me an opportunity of removing the foul slander. But
if it is a caprice, or a late repentance in her choice, that induces
your daughter to adopt this strange behaviour, let her speak
frankly--Gomez Arias is above the thought of constraining a woman's
inclinations--and she shall be at once released from all engagements."

Don Alonso de Aguilar was struck with the generosity and manliness of
Gomez Arias, and gave credit to the apparent sincerity of his words.
The noble mind of Don Alonso could not conceive it possible that guilt
should assume so perfect a resemblance of candour. The disappearance of
Theodora, and the events which had attended her departure, were
certainly well calculated to awake a suspicion that Gomez Arias was
implicated in that affair; but as nothing positive could be adduced to
prove his participation, Aguilar did not feel inclined to proceed with
inconsiderate hastiness in an affair calculated materially to injure
Gomez Arias in the estimation of the world. Leonor was naturally more
irritated than her father at the least shadow of duplicity in the
conduct of her lover. Thus she had requested the wedding to be deferred
for a month, during which interval a proper investigation might be made.

Gomez Arias did not lose time in calling all his abilities into
requisition, for his case was desperate, and it was necessary that the
remedies should partake of the same character. He continued his visits
to the Aguilars, but not with the same confidence as heretofore; and as
he witnessed the high degree of esteem in which Don Antonio de Leyva was
held, both by Don Alonso and his daughter, he affected to look on Leonor
with offended pride, while he bitterly insinuated that it was a growing
attachment for young de Leyva that had induced her to consider with
suspicion, and treat with coldness, the conduct of a sincere lover.

Leonor, however, continued in the same frame of mind, insensible alike
to his expostulations and bitter sarcasms. Deeply had her pride been
offended, and deeply she had determined to resent the affront; nor could
her sagacity and penetration permit her incautiously to trust the soft
words and blandishments of a man