my neck, and other jewels which I had at home, and by disposing of some military finery, I could muster more than two thousand ducats, which, with her two thousand five hundred, would be enough for us to retire upon to a village of which I was a native, and where I had relations and some patrimony.  Its yearly increase, helped by our money, would enable us to lead a cheerful and unembarrassed life.  In fine, our union was at once agreed on; the banns were published on three successive holidays (which happened to fall together), and on the fourth day, the marriage was celebrated in the presence of two mends of mine, and a youth who she said was her cousin, and to whom I introduced myself as a relation with words of great urbanity.  Such, indeed, were all those which hitherto I had bestowed on my bride—­with how crooked and treacherous an intention I would rather not say; for though I am telling truths, they are not truths under confession which must not be kept back.

My servant removed my trunk from my lodgings to my wife’s house.  I put by my magnificent chain in my wife’s presence; showed her three or four others, not so large, but of better workmanship, with three or four other trinkets of various kinds; laid before her my best dresses and my plumes, and gave her about four hundred reals, which I had, to defray the household expenses.  For six days I tasted the bread of wedlock, enjoying myself like a beggarly bridegroom in the house of a rich father-in-law.  I trod on rich carpets, lay in holland sheets, had silver candlesticks to light me, breakfasted in bed, rose at eleven o’clock, dined at twelve, and at two took my siesta in the drawing-room.  Dona Estefania and the servant girl danced attendance upon me; my servant, whom I had always found lazy, was suddenly become nimble as a deer.  If ever Dona Estefania quitted my side, it was to go to the kitchen and devote all her care to preparing fricassees to please my palate and quicken my appetite.  My shirts, collars, and handkerchiefs were a very Aranjuez of flowers, so drenched they were with fragrant waters.  Those days flew fast, like the years which are under the jurisdiction of time; and seeing myself so regaled and so well treated, I began to change for the better the evil intention with which I had begun this affair.

At the end of them, one morning, whilst I was still in bed with Dona Estefania, there was a loud knocking and calling at the street door.  The servant girl put her head out of the window, and immediately popped it in again, saying,—­“There she is, sure enough; she is come sooner than she mentioned in her letter the other day, but she is welcome!”

“Who’s come, girl?” said I.

“Who?” she replied; “why, my lady Dona Clementa Bueso, and with her senor Don Lope Melendez de Almendarez, with two other servants, and Hortigosa, the duena she took with her.”

“Bless me!  Run, wench, and open the door for them,” Dona Estefania now exclaimed; “and you, senor, as you love me, don’t put yourself out, or reply for me to anything you may hear said against me.”