had only taken half the pains to set
myself off which She did....! But this is neither here nor there.
As I was saying, Segnor, a young Nobleman fell in love with her, and
married her unknown to his Father. Their union remained a secret near
three years, But at last it came to the ears of the old Marquis, who,
as you may well suppose, was not much pleased with the intelligence.
Away He posted in all haste to Cordova, determined to seize Elvira, and
send her away to some place or other, where She would never be heard of
more. Holy St. Paul! How He stormed on finding that She had escaped
him, had joined her Husband, and that they had embarked together for
the Indies. He swore at us all, as if the Evil Spirit had possessed
him; He threw my Father into prison, as honest a painstaking Shoe-maker
as any in Cordova; and when He went away, He had the cruelty to take
from us my Sister's little Boy, then scarcely two years old, and whom
in the abruptness of her flight, She had been obliged to leave behind
her. I suppose, that the poor little Wretch met with bitter bad
treatment from him, for in a few months after, we received intelligence
of his death.'

'Why, this was a most terrible old Fellow, Segnora!'

'Oh! shocking! and a Man so totally devoid of taste! Why, would you
believe it, Segnor? When I attempted to pacify him, He cursed me for a
Witch, and wished that to punish the Count, my Sister might become as
ugly as myself! Ugly indeed! I like him for that.'

'Ridiculous', cried Don Christoval; 'Doubtless the Count would have
thought himself fortunate, had he been permitted to exchange the one
Sister for the other.'

'Oh! Christ! Segnor, you are really too polite. However, I am
heartily glad that the Conde was of a different way of thinking. A
mighty pretty piece of business, to be sure, Elvira has made of it!
After broiling and stewing in the Indies for thirteen long years, her
Husband dies, and She returns to Spain, without an House to hide her
head, or money to procure her one! This Antonia was then but an
Infant, and her only remaining Child. She found that her Father-in-Law
had married again, that he was irreconcileable to the Conde, and that
his second Wife had produced him a Son, who is reported to be a very
fine young Man. The old Marquis refused to see my Sister or her Child;
But sent her word that on condition of never hearing any more of her,
He would assign her a small pension, and She might live in