CLXVIII.

Of his position I can give no notion:

'Tis written in the Hebrew Chronicle, How the physicians, leaving pill and potion,

Prescribed, by way of blister, a young belle, When old King David's blood grew dull in motion, And that the medicine answer'd very well : Perhaps 'twas in a different way applied, For David lived, but Juan nearly died.

CLXIX.

What's to be done? Alfonso will be back
The moment he has sent his fools away.
Antonia's skill was put upon the rack,

But no device could be brought into play
And how to parry the renew'd attack?

Besides, it wanted but few hours of day:
Antonia puzzled; Julia did not speak,
But press'd her bloodless lip to Juan's cheek.

CLXX.

He turn'd his lip to hers, and with his hand Call'd back the tangles of her wandering hair; Even then their love they could not all command, And half forgot their danger and despair: Antonia's patience now was at a stand

,,Come, come, 'tis no time now for fooling there," ,,She whisper'd, in great wrath-"I must deposit "This pretty gentleman within the closet:

CLXXI.

,,Pray, keep your nonsense for some luckier

night—

,,Who can have put my master in this mood? ,,What will become on't?- I'm in such a fright,

,,The devil's in the urchin, and no good ,,Is this a time for giggling? this a plight? ,,Why, don't you know that it may end in blood? ,,You'll lose your life, and I shall lose my place, ,,My mistress all, for that half-girlish face.

CLXXII.

,,Had it but been for a stout cavalier

,,Of twenty-five or thirty-(Come, make haste) ,,But for a child, what piece of work is here! ,,(I really, madam, wonder at your taste ,,Come, sir, get in) - my master muss be near. ,,There, for the present, at the least he's fast, ,,And, if we can but till the morning keep ,,Our counsel-(Juan, mind, you must not sleep.)<

CLXXIII.

Now, Don Alfonso entering, but alone,
Closed the oration of the trusty maid:
She loiter'd, and he told her to be gone,
An order somewhat sullenly obey'd;
However, present remedy was none,

And no great good seem'd answer'd if she staid: Regarding both with slow and sidelong view,

She snuff'd the candle, curtsied, and withdrew.

CLXXIV.

Alfonso paused a minute then begun
Some strange excuses for his late proceeding;
He would not justify what he had done,

To say the best, it was extreme ill-breeding;
But there were ample reasons for it, none
Of which he specified in this his pleading:
His speech was a fine sample, on the whole,
Of rhetoric, which the learn'd call „rigmarole."

CLXXV.

Julia said nought; though all the while there rose
A ready answer, which at once enables
A matron, who her husbands foible knows,

By a few timely words to turn the tables,
Which if it does not silence still must pose,

Even if it should comprise a pack of fables; "Tis to retort with firmness, and when he Suspects with one, do you reproach with three. :

CLXXVI.

Julia, in fact, had tolerable grounds,

Alfonso's loves with Inez were well known; But whether 'twas that one's own guilt confounds,

But that can't be, as has been often shown,

A lady with apologies abounds;

It might be that her silence sprang alone

From delicacy to Don Juan's ear,

To whom she knew his mother's fame was dear,

CLXXVII.

There might be one more motive, which makes

two,

Alfonso ne'er to Juan had alluded,

Mention'd his jealousy, but never whọ

Had been the happy lover, he concluded, Conceal'd amongst his premises; 'tis true,

His mind the more o'er this its mystery brooded; To speak of Inez now were, one may say," Like throwing Juan in Alfonso's way.