ith such rapturous delight that he even
offered to aid me in my object, by marrying me to Donna Maria,--a piece
of generous zeal, I am certain, that originated less in friendship
than in the prospect of a proselyte,--the niece of a bishop, too! Poor
fellow, he might make many converts, if he were thus easily satisfied.

The next day I drove Donna Maria out for an airing, and, while occupying
her mind with various matters, contrived to prolong our excursion to
Horseleap. "What a dreary spot you have chosen for our drive!" said she,
looking around her.

"Do you see yonder little hut," said I, "where the smoke is rising?"

"Yes, that poor cabin yonder! You have not come to show me _that?_" said
she, laughing.

"Even so, Maria," said I; "to show you that poor and humble hut, and to
tell you that it was there I was born,--a peasant's son; that from that
same lowly roof I wandered out upon the world friendless and hungry;
that partly by energy, partly by a resolution to succeed, partly by the
daring determination that would not admit a failure, I have become what
I am,--titled, honored, wealthy, but still the son of a poor man. I
could not have gone on deceiving you, even though this confession should
separate us forever." I could not speak more, nor needed I. Her hand had
already clasped mine as she murmured: "Yours more than ever."

"Now is the moment, then, to become so," said I, as I lifted her from
the carriage and led her within the cabin.

The company were already waiting dinner ere we returned to the Castle.
"I have to make our excuses," said I to the hostess; "but we prolonged
our drive to a considerable distance."

"Ah, we feared you might have taken the road by the lake, where there is
no turning back," said she.

"Exactly, madam; that is what we did precisely, for we are married!"

Need I dwell upon the surprise and astonishment of this announcement?
The Bishop--fortunately it was in Spanish--uttered something very like
an oath. The bride blushed--some of the ladies looked shocked--the men
shook hands with me, and the Prince, saluting Donna Maria with a most
hearty embrace, begged to say "that the lady would be very welcomely
received in Paris, since it was the only drawback to my appointment as
an ambassador--that I was unmarried."

Here I have done,--not that my Confessions are exhausted, but that I
fear my reader's patience may be; I may, however, add that this was not
the only "Spanish marriage" in