’’Well, it is perhaps astonishing to those who do not know us; but somehow Pedro is my best, in fact, my only friend.  We were brought up in the same village, and are just like brothers.  He is a good sort of fellow, but is abominably vain and self-conceited; then he is deucedly overbearing.  He has no delicacy for his friend’s feelings, and, in fact, has a thousand failings that no one else but I could tolerate.  True, we have now and then a pretty rough time of it.  The two gashes on his left cheek are mementoes of my regard, and I confess I have two ugly marks, one on my shoulder, the other on my right breast, which I owe to him.  But what galls me most, he is always talking of his six dead ones, while I can claim only five; but then my five are all men, while two of his six are women.’

‘’Horrible!’ I exclaimed.

’’Yes, it is not a fair count; but then it shows his insatiable vanity.  Vanity is one of the capital sins; it is hard to tell into what meanness it may not lead a man.’  With this sententious denunciation, the Mexican, who had clearly misinterpreted my indignant ejaculation, raised his hat, with an air of extreme politeness, and departed.

’When I again entered Mr. Livermore’s apartment, the conversation naturally turned on Pepito.

‘’Well, what think you of my cavalier?’ said Adele.

’’As you are aware, my acquaintance with him is of but recent date; but one thing speaks greatly in his favor:  he has been for several months attached to Mr. Livermore’s person, both as guide and as attendant while sick, and he has not attempted, as far as I have heard, either to assassinate or poison him.  This I take to be a striking proof of meritorious moderation.’

‘’I fear, Adele, we are acting imprudently,’ said Arthur, ’in intrusting you to the tender mercies of such an unprincipled scoundrel, a man you have seen but twice.

’’Good heavens! dearest Arthur, would it be less imprudent for that man Percival to find me here?  I shudder to think of ever again meeting him; and moreover, by flattering this Pepito and pretending to place entire confidence in him, I shall win him to a devoted submission to my every wish.’

’After a somewhat protracted but by no means important conversation, I retired, promising to see them in the morning, previous to Adele’s departure.

XII.

’Shortly before the appointed hour, Pepito arrived, and announced that all his preparations had been made.  His fair charge quickly made her appearance, dressed in complete Mexican costume.  It suited her remarkably well, and I was not surprised to observe the intense admiration with which Pepito gazed upon her, for her beauty was truly fascinating.  Notwithstanding my suspicions of the absence of that inner spiritual beauty which should adorn all female loveliness, I myself could scarce resist the spell she exercised on my feelings, even in spite of my judgment.