ItmaybethoughtthatwhileIwasemployedthusIhadforgottentheobjectofmycomingtoSpain，namelytoavengemymother’smurderonthepersonofJuandeGarcia。
　　Butthiswasnotso。
　　SosoonasIwassettledinthehouseofAndresdeFonsecaIsetmyselftomakeinquiriesastodeGarcia’swhereaboutswithallpossiblediligence，butwithoutresult。
　　Indeed，whenIcametoconsiderthemattercoollyitseemedthatI
　　hadbutaslenderchanceoffindinghiminthiscity。
　　Hehad，indeed，givenitoutinYarmouththathewasboundforSeville，butnoshipbearingthesamenameashishadputinatCadizorsaileduptheGuadalquivir，norwasitlikely，havingcommittedmurderinEngland，thathewouldspeakthetruthastohisdestination。
　　StillIsearchedon。
　　Thehousewheremymotherandgrandmotherhadlivedwasburneddown，andastheirmodeoflifehadbeenretired，aftermorethantwentyyearsofchangefewevenrememberedtheirexistence。
　　IndeedIonlydiscoveredone，anoldwomanwhomIfoundlivinginextremepoverty，andwhooncehadbeenmygrandmother’sservantandknewmymotherwell，althoughshewasnotinthehouseatthetimeofherflighttoEngland。
　　FromthiswomanIgatheredsomeinformation，though，needlesstosay，IdidnottellherthatIwasthegrandsonofheroldmistress。
　　ItseemedthataftermymotherfledtoEnglandwithmyfather，deGarciapersecutedmygrandmotherandhisauntwithlawsuitsandbyothermeans，tillatlastshewasreducedtobeggary，inwhichconditionthevillainlefthertodie。
　　Sopoorwassheindeed，thatshewasburiedinapublicgrave。
　　Afterthattheoldwoman，myinformant，saidshehadheardthatdeGarciahadcommittedsomecrimeandbeenforcedtofleethecountry。
　　Whatthecrimewasshecouldnotremember，butithadhappenedaboutfifteenyearsago。
　　AllthisIlearnedwhenIhadbeenaboutthreemonthsinSeville，andthoughitwasofinterestitdidnotadvancemeinmysearch。
　　Somefourorfivenightsafterwards，asIenteredmyemployer’shouseImetayoungwomancomingoutofthedoorwayofthepatio；
　　shewasthicklyveiledandmynoticewasdrawntoherbyhertallandbeautifulfigureandbecauseshewasweepingsoviolentlythatherbodyshookwithhersobs。
　　Iwasalreadywellaccustomedtosuchsights，formanyofthosewhosoughtmymaster’scounselhadgoodcausetoweep，andIpassedherwithoutremark。
　　ButwhenI
　　wascomeintotheroomwherehereceivedhispatients，ImentionedthatIhadmetsuchapersonandaskedifitwasanyonewhomI
　　knew。
　　’Ah！nephew，’saidFonseca，whoalwayscalledmethusbynow，andindeedbegantotreatmewithasmuchaffectionasthoughIwerereallyofhisblood，’asadcase，butyoudonotknowherandsheisnopayingpatient。
　　Apoorgirlofnoblebirthwhohadenteredreligionandtakenhervows，whenagallantappears，meetshersecretlyintheconventgarden，promisestomarryherifshewillflywithhim，indeeddoesgothroughsomemummeryofmarriagewithher——soshesays——andtherestofit。
　　Nowhehasdesertedherandsheisintrouble，andwhatismore，shouldthepriestscatchher，likelytolearnwhatitfeelsliketodiebyinchesinaconventwall。
　　Shecametomeforcounselandbroughtsomesilverornamentsasthefee。
　　Heretheyare。’
　　’Youtookthem！’
　　’Yes，Itookthem——Ialwaystakeafee，butIgaveherbacktheirweightingold。
　　Whatismore，Itoldherwhereshemighthidefromtheprieststillthehuntisdonewith。
　　WhatIdidnotliketotellheristhatherloveristhegreatestvillainwhoevertrodthestreetsofSeville。
　　Whatwasthegood？
　　Shewillseelittlemoreofhim。
　　Hist！herecomestheduchess——anastrologicalcasethis。
　　Wherearethehoroscopeandthewand，yes，andthecrystalball？
　　There，shadethelamps，givemethebook，andvanish。’
　　Iobeyed，andpresentlymetthegreatlady，astoutwomanattendedbyaduenna，glidingfearfullythroughthedarkenedarchwaystolearntheanswerofthestarsandpaymanygoodpesosforit，andthesightofhermademelaughsomuchthatIforgotquicklyabouttheotherladyandherwoes。
　　AndnowImusttellhowImetmycousinandmyenemydeGarciaforthesecondtime。
　　TwodaysaftermymeetingwiththeveiledladyitchancedthatIwaswanderingtowardsmidnightthroughalonelypartoftheoldcitylittlefrequentedbypassers-by。
　　Itwasscarcelysafetobethusaloneinsuchaplaceandhour，butthebusinesswithwhichIhadbeenchargedbymymasterwasonethatmustbecarriedoutunattended。
　　AlsoIhadnoenemieswhomIknewof，andwasarmedwiththeveryswordthatIhadtakenfromdeGarciainthelaneatDitchingham，theswordthathadslainmymother，andwhichIboreinthehopethatitmightservetoavengeher。
　　IntheuseofthisweaponIhadgrownexpertenoughbynow，foreverymorningItooklessonsintheartoffence。
　　MybusinessbeingdoneIwaswalkingslowlyhomeward，andasIwentIfelltothinkingofthestrangenessofmypresentlifeandofhowfaritdifferedfrommyboyhoodinthevalleyoftheWaveney，andofmanyotherthings。
　　AndthenIthoughtofLilyandwonderedhowherdayspassed，andifmybrotherGeoffreypersecutedhertomarryhim，andwhetherornoshewouldresisthisimportunitiesandherfather’s。
　　AndsoasIwalkedmusingIcametoawater-gatethatopenedontotheGuadalquivir，andleaninguponthecopingofalowwallIrestedthereidlytoconsiderthebeautyofthenight。
　　Intruthitwasalovely，night，foracrossalltheseyearsIrememberit。
　　LetthosewhohaveseenitsayiftheyknowanyprospectmorebeautifulthanthesightoftheAugustmoonshiningonthebroadwatersoftheGuadalquivirandtheclusteringhabitationsoftheancientcity。
　　NowasIleaneduponthewallandlooked，Isawamanpassupthestepsbesidemeandgoonintotheshadowofthestreet。
　　ItooknonoteofhimtillpresentlyIheardamurmurofdistantvoices，andturningmyheadIdiscoveredthatthemanwasinconversationwithawomanwhomhehadmetattheheadofthepaththatrandowntothewater-gate。
　　Doubtlessitwasalovers’meeting，andsincesuchsightsareofinteresttoall，andmoreespeciallytotheyoung，I
　　watchedthepair。
　　SoonIlearnedthattherewaslittleoftendernessinthistryst，atleastonthepartofthegallant，whodrewcontinuallybackwardstowardmeasthoughhewouldseektheboatbywhichdoubtlesshehadcome，andImarvelledatthis，forthemoonlightshoneuponthewoman’sface，andevenatthatdistanceIcouldseethatitwasveryfair。
　　Theman’sfaceIcouldnotseehowever，sincehisbackwastowardsmeforthemostpart，moreoverheworealargesombrerothatshadedit。
　　Nowtheycamenearertome，themanalwaysdrawingbackwardandthewomanalwaysfollowing，tillatlengththeywerewithinearshot。
　　Thewomanwaspleadingwiththeman。
　　’Surelyyouwillnotdesertme，’shesaid，’aftermarryingmeandallthatyouhavesworn；youwillnothavethehearttodesertme。
　　Iabandonedeverythingforyou。
　　Iamingreatdanger。
　　I——’andherehervoicefellsothatIcouldnotcatchherwords。
　　Thenhespoke。
　　’Fairest，nowasalwaysIadoreyou。
　　Butwemustpartawhile。
　　Youowememuch，Isabella。
　　Ihaverescuedyoufromthegrave，Ihavetaughtyouwhatitistoliveandlove。
　　Doubtlesswithyouradvantagesandcharms，yourgreatcharms，youwillprofitbythelesson。
　　MoneyIcannotgiveyou，forIhavenonetospare，butIhaveendowedyouwithexperiencethatismorevaluablebyfar。
　　ThisisourfarewellforawhileandIambrokenhearted。
　　Yet
　　“’NeathfairerskiesShineothereyes，“
　　andI——’andagainhespokesolowthatIcouldnotcatchhiswords。
　　Ashetalkedon，allmybodybegantotremble。
　　Thescenewasmovingindeed，butitwasnotthatwhichstirredmesodeeply，itwastheman’svoiceandbearingthatremindedme——no，itcouldscarcelybe！
　　’Oh！youwillnotbesocruel，’saidthelady，’toleaveme，yourwife，thusaloneandinsuchsoretroubleanddanger。
　　Takemewithyou，Juan，Ibeseechyou！’andshecaughthimbythearmandclungtohim。
　　Heshookherfromhimsomewhatroughly，andashedidsohiswidehatfelltothegroundsothatthemoonlightshoneuponhisface。
　　ByHeaven！itwashe——JuandeGarciaandnoother！
　　Icouldnotbemistaken。
　　Therewasthedeeplycarved，cruelface，thehighforeheadwiththescaronit，thethinsneeringmouth，thepeakedbeardandcurlinghair。
　　Chancehadgivenhimintomyhand，andI
　　wouldkillhimorheshouldkillme。
　　Itookthreepacesandstoodbeforehim，drawingmyswordasI
　　came。
　　’What，mydove，haveyouabullyathand？’hesaidsteppingbackastonished。
　　’Yourbusiness，senor？
　　Areyouheretochampionbeautyindistress？’
　　’Iamhere，JuandeGarcia，toavengeamurderedwoman。
　　DoyourememberacertainriverbankawayinEngland，whereyouchancedtomeetaladyyouhadknown，andtoleaveherdead？
　　Orifyouhaveforgotten，perhapsatleastyouwillrememberthis，whichIcarrythatitmaykillyou，’andIflashedtheswordthathadbeenhisbeforehiseyes。
　　’MotherofGod！
　　ItistheEnglishboywho——’andhestopped。
　　’ItisThomasWingfieldwhobeatandboundyou，andwhonowpurposestofinishwhathebeganyonderashehassworn。
　　Draw，or，JuandeGarcia，Iwillstabyouwhereyoustand。’
　　DeGarciaheardthisspeech，thatto-dayseemstometosmackofthetheatre，thoughitwasspokeningrimmestearnest，andhisfacegrewlikethefaceofatrappedwolf。
　　YetIsawthathehadnomindtofight，notbecauseofcowardice，fortodohimjusticehewasnocoward，butbecauseofsuperstition。
　　Hefearedtofightwithmesince，asIlearnedafterwards，hebelievedthathewouldmeethisendatmyhand，anditwasforthisreasonchieflythathestrovetokillmewhenfirstwemet。
　　’Theduellohasitslaws，senor，’hesaidcourteously。
　　’Itisnotusualtofightthusunsecondedandinthepresenceofawoman。
　　Ifyoubelievethatyouhaveanygrievanceagainstme——thoughIknownotofwhatyourave，orthenamebywhichyoucallme——Iwillmeetyouwhereandwhenyouwill。’
　　Andallthewhilehelookedoverhisshoulderseekingsomewayofescape。
　　’Youwillmeetmenow，’Ianswered。
　　’DraworIstrike！’
　　Thenhedrew，andwefelltoitdesperatelyenough，tillthesparksflew，indeed，andtherattleofsteeluponsteelrangdownthequietstreet。
　　Atfirsthehadsomewhatthebetterofme，formyhatemademewildinmyplay，butsoonIsettledtotheworkandgrewcooler。
　　Imeanttokillhim——more，IknewthatIshouldkillhimifnonecamebetweenus。
　　HewasstillabetterswordsmanthanI，who，tillIfoughtwithhiminthelaneatDitchingham，hadneverevenseenoneoftheseSpanishrapiers，butIhadtheyouthandtherightonmyside，asalsoIhadaneyelikeahawk’sandawristofsteel。
　　SlowlyIpressedhimback，andevermyplaygrewcloserandbetterandhisbecamewilder。
　　NowIhadtouchedhimtwice，onceintheface，andIheldhimwithhisbackagainstthewallofthewaythatleddowntothewater-gate，andithadcometothis，thathescarcelystrovetothrustatmeatall，butstoodonhisdefencewaitingtillIshouldtire。
　　Then，whenvictorywasinmyhanddisasterovertookme，forthewoman，whohadbeenwatchingbewildered，sawthatherfaithlessloverwasindangerofdeathandstraightwayseizedmefrombehind，atthesametimesendingupshriekaftershriekforhelp。
　　Ishookherfrommequicklyenough，butnotbeforedeGarcia，seeinghisadvantage，haddealtmeacoward’sthrustthattookmeintherightshoulderandhalfcrippledme，sothatinmyturnImuststandonmydefenceifI
　　wouldkeepmylifeinme。
　　Meanwhiletheshriekshadbeenheard，andofasuddenthewatchcamerunningroundthecornerwhistlingforhelp。
　　DeGarciasawthem，anddisengagingsuddenly，turnedandranforthewater-gate，theladyalsovanishing，whitherIdonotknow。
　　Nowthewatchwasonme，andtheirleadercameatmetoseizeme，holdingalanterninhishand。
　　Istruckitwiththehandleofthesword，sothatitfellupontheroadway，whereitblazeduplikeabonfire。