with handsome marriage portions.  You must remember the pains I took to dress and adorn her with everything she could desire or I could think of as suitable to her.  It is known to you likewise how, prompted by my natural disposition, fearful of the evil to which I shall surely owe my death, and taught by the experience of a long life to be on my guard against the many strange chances that occur in life, I sought to guard this jewel which I had chosen and you had bestowed upon me, with all possible care and caution.  I raised the walls of this house higher, blocked up all the windows that looked on the street, doubled the locks of the doors, set up a turning-box as in a nunnery, and perpetually banished from my dwelling every vestige of the male sex.  I gave my wife female servants and slaves to wait upon her:  I denied neither her nor them anything they chose to ask of me.  I made her my equal, communicated my most secret thoughts to her, and put my whole property at her disposal.  Having done all this, I thought I might fairly expect to enjoy securely what had cost me so much, and that it would be her care not to afford me cause for conceiving any kind of jealous fear whatever.  But it is not within the power of human efforts to prevent the chastisement which Heaven is pleased to inflict on those who do not rest their whole hopes and desires upon it alone.  No wonder then if mine have been deceived, and I have myself prepared the poison of which I am now dying.  But I see how anxiously you hang upon the words of my mouth.  I will therefore keep you no longer in suspense, but conclude this long preamble by telling you, in one word, what no words were adequate to describe, were I to speak for ever.  This morning I found this woman,” (here he pointed to his wife,) “who was born for the ruin of my peace and the destruction of my life, in the arms of a young gallant, who is now shut up in the bed-chamber of this pestilent duena.”

Carrizales had no sooner uttered these words than Leonora swooned, and fell with her head upon his lap.  Marialonso turned as white as ashes, and Leonora’s parents were so astounded that they could not utter a word.  After a short pause, Carrizales continued thus:—­

“The vengeance I intend to take for this outrage shall be no common one.  As I have been singular in all my other actions, so will I be in this.  My vengeance shall fall upon myself, as the person most culpable of all, for I ought to have considered how ill this girl’s fifteen years could assort with my threescore and ten.  I have been like the silkworm, which builds itself a house in which it must die.  I do not reproach you, misguided girl”—­here he bent down and kissed his still insensible wife—­“for the persuasions of a wicked old woman, and the wheedling tongue of an amorous youth, easily prevail over the little wit of a green girl; but that all the world may see how strong and how true was the love I bore you, I shall give such a proof of it here on my death-bed,