ad conceded it, in a false position, by relinquishing
his purpose of becoming a priest, seemed to him very dishonorable. It
was, besides, a treason against his father, who loved Pepita and desired
to marry her; and to visit her in order to undeceive her in regard to
his love for her, seemed to him a greater refinement of cruelty than to
depart without saying anything.

Influenced by these considerations, the first thought of Don Luis was to
fail, without excuse or warning, to keep his appointment, and leave
Antonona to wait in vain for him in the hall; but then, as Antonona had,
in all probability, already announced his visit to her mistress, he
would, by failing to go, unpardonably offend, not only Antonona, but
Pepita herself.

He then resolved on writing Pepita a very affectionate and discreet
letter, excusing himself from going to see her, justifying his conduct,
consoling her, manifesting his tender sentiments toward her, while
letting her see that duty and Heaven were before everything, and
endeavoring to inspire her with the courage to make the same sacrifice
as he himself was making.

He made four or five different attempts to write this letter. He blotted
a great deal of paper which he afterward tore up, and could not, in the
end, succeed in getting the letter to his taste. Now it was dry, cold,
pedantic, like a poor sermon or a school-master's discourse; now its
contents betrayed a childish apprehension, as if Pepita were a monster
lying in wait to devour him; now it had other faults not less serious.
In fine, after wasting many sheets of paper in the attempt, the letter
remained unwritten.

"There is no help for it," said Don Luis to himself; "the die is cast. I
must only summon courage and go."

He comforted his spirit with the hope that his self-control would not
forsake him during the coming interview; and that God would endow his
lips with eloquence to persuade Pepita, who was so good, that it was she
herself who, sacrificing her earthly love, urged him to fulfill his
vocation, resembling in this those holy women of whom there are not
wanting examples, who not only renounced the society of a bridegroom or
a lover, but even the companionship of a husband, as is narrated, for
instance, in the life of St. Edward, of England, whose queen lived with
him as a sister.

Don Luis felt himself consoled and encouraged by this thought, and he
already pictured himself as St. Edward, and Pepita as Queen Edith. A