CXLVIII.

,,Was it for this that no Cortejo ere

,,I yet have chosen from out the youth of Seville? ,,Is it for this I scarce went any where,

,,Except to bull-fights, mass, play, rout, and

revel?

,,Is it for this, whate'er my suitors were,

,,Is it for this that General Count O'Reilly,

,,Who took Algiers, declares I used him vilely? 6

CXLIX.

,,Did not the Italian Musico Cazzani

,,Sing at my heart six months at least in vain ? ,,Did not his countryman, Count Corniani, ,,Call me the only virtuous wife in Spain?.. ,,Were there not also Russians, English, many? ,,The Count Strongstroganoff I put in pain, ,,And Lord Mount Coffeehouse, the Irish peer, "Who kill'd himself for love (with wine) last year.

CLA

,,Have I not had two bishops at my feet? ,,The Duke of Ichar, and Don Fernan Nunez, ,,And is it thus a faithful wife you treat?

,,I wonder in what quarter now the moon is: ,,I praise your vast forbearance not to beat ,,Me also, since the time to opportune is → „Oh, valiant man! with sword drawn and coèk’d trigger,

,,Now, tell me, don't you ent a pretty figure?

CLI.

,,Was it for this you took your sudden journey, ,,Under pretence of business indispensible

"

With that sublime of rascals your attorney,

Whom I see standing there, and looking sensible

Of having play'd the fool? though both I spurn, he ,,Deserves the worst, his conduct's less defensible, ,,Because, no doubt, 'twas for his dirty fee,

,,And not from any love to you nor me.

CLII.

,,If he comes here to take a deposition,

,,By all means let the gentleman proceed; ,,You've made the apartment in a fit condition:,,There's pen and ink for you, sir, when you

need

Let every thing be noted with precision,

,,I would not you for nothing should be fee'd,,But, as my maid's undrest, pray turn your spies

166

out."

"Oh!" sobb'd Antonia,,,I could tear their eyes out.“

CLIII.

,,There is the closet, there the toilet, there ,,The anti-chamber-search them under, over; „There is the sofa, there the great arm-chair, „The chimney - which would really hold a lover. ,,I wish to sleep, and beg you will take care

„And make no further noise, till you discover

The secret cavern of this lurking treasure — ,,And when 'tis found, let me, too, have that plea

sure.

CLIV.

,,And now, Hidalgo! now that you have thrown ,,Doubt upon me, confusion over all,

,,Pray have the courtesy to make it known

„Who is the man you search for? how d'ye call ,,Him? what's his lineage? let him but be shown,,I hope he's young and handsome-is he tall?

,,My honour thus, it shall not be in vain.

CLV.

,,At least, perhaps, he has not sixty years, ,,At that age he would be too old for slaughter, ,,Or for so young a husband's jealous fears ,,(Antonia! let me have a glass of water.) ,,I am ashamed of having shed these tears, ,,They are unworthy of my father's daughter; ,,My mother dream'd not in my natal hour ,,That I should fall into a monster's power.

CLVI.

side

"Perhaps 'tis of Antonia you are jealous, "You saw that she was sleeping by my ,,When you broke in upon us with your fellows: ,,Look where you please-we've nothing, sir, to

hide;

,,Only another time, I trust, you'll tell us,

,,Or for the sake of decency abide

„A moment at the door, that we may be ,,Drest to receive so much good company.

CLVII.

,,And now, sir, I have done, and say no more;

The little I have said may serve to show ,,The guileless heart in silence may grieve o'er ,,The wrongs to whose exposure it is slow:,,I leave you to your conscience as before,

,,'Twill one day ask you why you used me so? ,,God grant you feel not then the bitterest grief! ,,Antonia! where's my pocket-handkerchief?“