her parents, who, overjoyed at her good fortune, gave thanks for it to
Heaven with all their hearts.

The courier arrived at Naples; and Rodolfo, eager to become possessed of
so beautiful a wife as his father had described, took advantage of the
opportunity offered by four galleys which were ready to sail for Spain;
and two days after the receipt of the letter he embarked with his two
comrades, who were still with him. After a prosperous run of twelve
days, he reached Barcelona, whence he posted in seven to Toledo, and
entered his father's house, dressed in the very extreme of fashionable
bravery. His parents were beyond measure rejoiced at his safe arrival,
after so long an absence; and Leocadia was filled with indescribable
emotions, as she beheld him, herself unseen, from a secret place in
which she had been stationed by Dona Estafania's contrivance. Rodolfo's
two comrades proposed to take leave of him at once, and retire to their
own homes; but Estafania would not suffer them to depart, for their
presence was needful for the execution of a scheme she had in her head.

It was nearly night when Rodolfo arrived; and whilst preparations were
making for supper, Estafania took her son's companions aside, believing
that they were two of the three whom Leocadia mentioned as having been
with Rodolfo on the night of her abduction. She earnestly entreated them
to tell her, if they remembered that her son had carried off a young
woman, on such a night, so many years ago; for the honour and the peace
of mind of all his relations depended on their knowing the truth of that
matter. So persuasive were her entreaties, and so strong her assurances
that no harm whatever could result to them from the information she
sought, they were induced to confess that one summer's night, the same
she had mentioned, themselves and another friend being out on a stroll
with Rodolfo, they had been concerned in the abduction of a girl whom
Rodolfo carried off, whilst the rest of them detained her family, who
made a great outcry, and would have defended her if they could. They
added that Rodolfo told them, on the following day, that he had carried
the girl to his own apartment; and this was all they knew of the matter.

All doubts which could possibly have remained on the case having been
removed by this confession, Estafania determined to pursue her scheme.
Shortly before supper she took her son in private into a room, where she
put the portrait of a