and I keep them still, always expecting the arrival of the person who is to produce the counterparts; for the lady told me that in two years she would send for her daughter, charging me that I should have her brought up not as became her mother’s quality, but as a simple villager; and if by any chance she was not able to send for the child so soon, I was on no account to acquaint her with the secret of her birth, even should she have arrived at years of discretion.  The lady moreover begged me to excuse her if she did not tell me who she was; having for the present important reasons to conceal her name.  Finally, after giving us four hundred gold crowns more, and embracing my wife with tears, she departed, leaving us filled with admiration for her discretion, worth, beauty, and modesty.

“Costanza remained at nurse in the village for two years.  At the end of that time I brought her home, and have kept her ever since constantly with me, in the dress of a girl who had to work for her bread, as her mother directed.  Fifteen years, one month, and four days I have been looking for the person who should come and claim her, but the length of time that has elapsed makes me begin to lose all hope of his coming.  If he does not make his appearance before this year is out, it is my determination to adopt her and bequeath her all I am worth, which is upwards of sixteen thousand ducats, thanks be to God.  It now remains for me, senor Corregidor, to enumerate to you the virtues and good qualities of Costanza, if it be possible for me to express them.  First and foremost, she is most piously devoted to our Lady; she confesses and communicates every month; she can read and write; there’s not a better lace maker in all Toledo; she sings without accompaniment like an angel; in the matter of behaving with propriety she has not her equal; as for her beauty, your worship has seen it with your own eyes.  Senor Don Pedro, your worship’s son, has never exchanged a word with her in her life.  It is true that from time to time he treats her to some music, which she never listens to.  Many senors, and men of title too, have put up at this house, and have delayed their journey for several days solely to have their fill of looking at her; but I well know there is not one of them can boast with truth that she ever gave them opportunity to say one word to her either alone or before folk.  This, senor, is the real history of the illustrious scullery-maid, who is no scullion, in which I have not departed one tittle from the truth.”

The host had long ended his narrative before the corregidor broke silence, so much was he struck by the strange facts he had heard.  At last he desired to see the parchment and the chain; the host produced them without delay, and they corresponded exactly to the description he had given of them.  The chain was of curious workmanship, and on the parchment were written, one under the other, on the projecting portions of the zigzag, the letters, TIITEREOE which manifestly