ThenIturnedalsoandfled，forIdidnotwishtobedraggedbeforethemagistratesofthecityasabrawler，andinmydesiretoescapeIforgotthatdeGarciawasescapingalso。
　　AwayI
　　wentandthreeofthewatchafterme，buttheywerestoutandscantofbreath，andbythetimethatIhadrunthreefurlongsI
　　distancedthem。
　　IhaltedtogetmybreathandrememberedthatI
　　hadlostdeGarciaanddidnotknowwhenIshouldfindhimagain。
　　AtfirstIwasmindedtoreturnandseekhim，butreflectiontoldmethatbynowitwouldbeuseless，alsothattheendofitmightbethatIshouldfallintothehandsofthewatch，whowouldknowmebymywound，whichbegantopainme。
　　SoIwenthomewardcursingmyfortune，andthewomanwhohadclaspedmefrombehindjustasI
　　wasabouttosendthedeath-thrusthome，andalsomylackofskillwhichhaddelayedthatthrustsolong。
　　TwiceImighthavemadeitandtwiceIhadwaited，beingovercautiousandover-anxioustobesure，andnowIhadlostmychance，andmightbidemanyadaybeforeitcameagain。
　　HowshouldIfindhiminthisgreatcity？
　　Doubtless，thoughIhadnotthoughtofit，deGarciapassedundersomefeignednameashehaddoneatYarmouth。
　　Itwasbitterindeedtohavebeensoneartovengeanceandtohavemissedit。
　　BynowIwasathomeandbethoughtmethatIshoulddowelltogotoFonseca，mymaster，andaskhishelp。
　　HithertoIhadsaidnothingofthismattertohim，forIhavealwayslovedtokeepmyowncounsel，andasyetIhadnotspokenofmypasteventohim。
　　Goingtotheroomwherebewasaccustomedtoreceivepatients，I
　　foundhehadretiredtorest，leavingordersthatIwasnottoawakehimthisnightashewasweary。
　　SoIboundupmyhurtafterafashionandsoughtmybedalso，veryill-satisfiedwithmyfortune。
　　OnthemorrowIwenttomymaster’schamberwherehestilllayabed，havingbeenseizedbyasuddenweaknessthatwasthebeginningoftheillnesswhichendedinhisdeath。
　　AsImixedadraughtforhimhenoticedthatmyshoulderwashurtandaskedmewhathadhappened。
　　Thisgavememyopportunity，whichIwasnotslowtotake。
　　’Haveyoupatiencetolistentoastory？’Isaid，’forIwouldseekyourhelp。’
　　’Ah！’heanswered，’itistheoldcase，thephysiciancannothealhimself。
　　Speakon，nephew。’
　　ThenIsatdownbythebedandtoldhimall，keepingnothingback。
　　Itoldhimthehistoryofmymotherandmyfather’scourtship，ofmyownchildhood，ofthemurderofmymotherbydeGarcia，andoftheoaththatIhadsworntobeavengeduponhim。
　　LastlyItoldhimofwhathadhappeneduponthepreviousnightandhowmyenemyhadevadedme。
　　AllthewhilethatIwasspeakingFonseca，wrappedinarichMoorishrobe，satupinthebedholdinghiskneesbeneathhischin，andwatchingmyfacewithhiskeeneyes。
　　ButhespokenowordandmadenosigntillIhadfinishedthetale。
　　’Youarestrangelyfoolish，nephew，’hesaidatlength。
　　’Forthemostpartyouthfailsthroughrashness，butyouerrbyover-
　　caution。
　　Byover-cautioninyourfenceyoulostyourchancelastnight，andsobyover-cautioninhidingthistalefrommeyouhavelostafargreateropportunity。
　　What，haveyounotseenmegivecounselinmanysuchmatters，andhaveyoueverknownmetobetraytheconfidenceevenoftheverieststranger？
　　Whythendidyoufearforyours？’
　　’Idonotknow，’Ianswered，’butIthoughtthatfirstIwouldsearchformyself。’
　　’Pridegoethbeforeafall，nephew。
　　Nowlisten:hadIknownthishistoryamonthago，bynowdeGarciahadperishedmiserably，andnotbyyourhand，butbythatofthelaw。
　　Ihavebeenacquaintedwiththemanfromhischildhood，andknowenoughtohanghimtwiceoverdidIchoosetospeak。
　　More，Iknewyourmother，boy，andnowIseethatitwasthelikenessinyourfacetohersthathauntedme，forfromthefirstitwasfamiliar。
　　ItwasIalsowhobribedthekeepersoftheHolyOfficetoletyourfatherloose，though，asitchanced，Ineversawhim，andarrangedhisflight。
　　Sincethen，IhavehaddeGarciathroughmyhandssomefourorfivetimes，nowunderthisnameandnowunderthat。
　　Onceevenhecametomeasaclient，butthevillainythathewouldhaveworkedwastooblackformetotouch。
　　ThismanisthewickedestwhomIhaveknowninSeville，andthatissayingmuch，alsoheisthecleverestandthemostrevengeful。
　　Helivesbyviceforvice，andtherearemanydeathsuponhishands。
　　Buthehasneverprosperedinhisevil-
　　doing，andto-dayheisbutanadventurerwithoutaname，wholivesbyblackmail，andbyruiningwomenthathemayrobthemathisleisure。
　　Givemethosebooksfromthestrongboxyonder，andI
　　willtellyouofthisdeGarcia。’
　　Ididashebademe，bringingtheheavyparchmentvolumes，eachboundinvellumandwrittenincipher。
　　’Thesearemyrecords，’hesaid，’thoughnonecanreadthemexceptmyself。
　　Nowfortheindex。
　　Ah！hereitis。
　　Givemevolumethree，andopenitatpagetwohundredandone。’
　　Iobeyed，layingthebookonthebedbeforehim，andhebegantoreadthecrabbedmarksaseasilyasthoughtheyweregoodblack-
　　letter。
　　’DeGarcia——Juan。
　　Height，appearance，family，falsenames，andsoon。
　　Thisisit——history。
　　Nowlisten。’
　　Thencamesometwopagesofcloselywrittenmatter，expressedinsecretsignsthatFonsecatranslatedasheread。
　　Itwasbriefenough，butsucharecordasitcontainedIhaveneverheardbeforenorsince。
　　Here，setoutagainstthisoneman’sname，waswellnigheverywickednessofwhichahumanbeingcouldbecapable，carriedthroughbyhimtogratifyhisappetitesandrevengefulhate，andtoprovidehimselfwithgold。
　　Inthatblacklistweretwomurders:oneofarivalbytheknife，andoneofamistressbypoison。
　　Andtherewereotherthingsevenworse，tooshameful，indeed，tobewritten。
　　’Doubtlessthereismorethathasnotcomebeneathmynotice，’saidFonsecacoolly，’butthesethingsIknowfortruth，andoneofthemurderscouldbeprovedagainsthimwerehecaptured。
　　Stay，givemeink，Imustaddtotherecord。’
　　Andhewroteinhiscipher:’InMay，1517，thesaiddeGarciasailedtoEnglandonatradingvoyage，andthere，intheparishofDitchingham，inthecountyofNorfolk，hemurderedLuisaWingfield，spokenofaboveasLuisadeGarcia，hiscousin，towhomhewasoncebetrothed。
　　InSeptemberofthesameyear，orpreviously，undercoverofafalsemarriage，hedecoyedanddesertedoneDonnaIsabellaofthenoblefamilyofSiguenza，anuninareligioushouseinthiscity。’
　　’What！’Iexclaimed，’isthegirlwhocametoseekyourhelptwonightssincethesamethatdeGarciadeserted？’
　　’Theverysame，nephew。
　　Itwasshewhomyouheardpleadingwithhimlastnight。
　　HadIknowntwodaysagowhatIknowto-day，bynowthisvillainhadbeensafeinprison。
　　Butperhapsitisnotyettoolate。
　　Iamill，butIwillriseandseetoit。
　　Leaveittome，nephew。
　　Go，nurseyourself，andleaveittome；ifanythingmaybedoneIcandoit。
　　Stay，bidamessengerbeready。
　　ThiseveningIshallknowwhateverthereistobeknown。’
　　ThatnightFonsecasentformeagain。
　　’Ihavemadeinquiries，’hesaid。
　　’Ihaveevenwarnedtheofficersofjusticeforthefirsttimeformanyyears，andtheyarehuntingdeGarciaasbloodhoundshuntaslave。
　　Butnothingcanbeheardofhim。
　　Hehasvanishedandleftnotrace。
　　To-nightIwritetoCadiz，forhemayhavefledtheredowntheriver。
　　OnethingIhavediscovered，however。
　　TheSenoraIsabellawascaughtbythewatch，andbeingrecognisedashavingescapedfromaconvent，shewashandedovertotheexecutoriesoftheHolyOffice，thathercasemaybeinvestigated，orinotherwords，shouldherfaultbeproved，todeath。’
　　’Cansheberescued？’
　　’Impossible。
　　Hadshefollowedmycounselshewouldneverhavebeentaken。’
　　’Canshebecommunicatedwith？’
　　’No。
　　Twentyyearsagoitmighthavebeenmanaged，nowtheOfficeisstricterandpurer。
　　Goldhasnopowerthere。
　　Weshallneverseeorhearofheragain，unless，indeed，itisatthehourofherdeath，when，shouldshechoosetospeakwithme，theindulgencemaypossiblybegrantedtoher，thoughIdoubtit。
　　Butitisnotlikelythatshewillwishtodoso。
　　Shouldshesucceedinhidingherdisgrace，shemayescape；butitisnotprobable。
　　Donotlooksosad，nephew，religionmusthaveitssacrifices。
　　Perchanceitisbetterforhertodiethusthantoliveformanyyearsdeadinlife。
　　Shecandiebutonce。
　　MayherbloodlieheavyondeGarcia’shead！’
　　’Amen！’Ianswered。