“With respect to the death of Rey, the rumor circulates throughout the town that he was assassinated, but by whom is not known.  It is asserted that he declared this to be the case, for he lived for about an hour and a half.  According to what they say, he refused to reveal the name of his murderer.  I repeat this version, without either contradicting or supporting it.  Perfecta does not wish this matter to be spoken of, and she becomes greatly distressed whenever I allude to it.

“Poor woman! no sooner had one misfortune occurred than she met with another, which has grieved us all deeply.  My friend, the fatal malady that has been for so many generations connatural in our family has now claimed another victim.  Poor Rosario, who, thanks to our cares, was improving gradually in her health, has entirely lost her reason.  Her incoherent words, her frenzy, her deadly pallor, bring my mother and my sister forcibly to my mind.  This is the most serious case that I have witnessed in our family, for the question here is not one of mania but of real insanity.  It is sad, terribly sad that out of so many I should be the only one to escape, preserving a sound mind with all my faculties unimpaired and entirely free from any sign of that fatal malady.

“I have not been able to give your remembrances to Don Inocencio, for the poor man has suddenly fallen ill and refuses to see even his most intimate friends.  But I am sure that he would return your remembrances, and I do not doubt that he could lay his hand instantly on the translation of the collection of Latin epigrams which you recommend to him.  I hear firing again.  They say that we shall have a skirmish this afternoon.  The troops have just been called out.”

“BARCELONA, June 1.

“I have just arrived here after leaving my niece in San Baudilio de Llobregat.  The director of the establishment has assured me that the case is incurable.  She will, however, have the greatest care in that cheerful and magnificent sanitarium.  My dear friend, if I also should ever succumb, let me be taken to San Baudilio.  I hope to find the proofs of my ‘Genealogies’ awaiting me on my return.  I intend to add six pages more, for it would be a great mistake not to publish my reasons for maintaining that Mateo Diez Coronel, author of the ‘Metrico Encomio,’ is descended, on the mother’s side, from the Guevaras, and not from the Burguillos, as the author of the ‘Floresta Amena’ erroneously maintains.

“I write this letter principally for the purpose of giving you a caution.  I have heard several persons here speaking of Pepe Rey’s death, and they describe it exactly as it occurred.  The secret of the manner of his death, which I learned some time after the event, I revealed to you in confidence when we met in Madrid.  It has appeared strange to me that having told it to no one but yourself, it should be known here in all its details—­how he entered the garden; how he fired on Caballuco when the latter attacked him with his dagger; how Ramos then fired on him with so sure an aim that he fell to the ground mortally wounded.  In short, my dear friend, in case you should have inadvertently spoken of this to any one, I will remind you that it is a family secret, and that will be sufficient for a person as prudent and discreet as yourself.