found herself alone, her restless gayety disappeared, and
her countenance assumed a grave and thoughtful expression.

Two thoughts now presented themselves to her mind, both equally serious;
the one possessing a merely mundane interest, the other an interest of a
higher nature. The first thought was that her conduct to-night--the
delirium of passion once past--might prejudice her in the opinion of Don
Luis; but, finding, after a severe examination of her conscience, that
neither premeditation nor artifice had had any part in her actions,
which were the offspring of an irresistible love, and of impulses noble
in themselves, she came to the conclusion that Don Luis could not
despise her for it, and she therefore made her mind easy on that point.
Nevertheless, although her frank confession that she was unable to
comprehend a love that was purely spiritual, and her taking refuge
afterward in the obscurity of her chamber--without foreseeing
consequences--were both the result of an impulse innocent enough in
itself, Pepita did not seek to deny in her own mind that she had sinned
against God, and on this point she could find for herself no excuse.

She commended herself with all her heart, therefore, to the Virgin,
entreating her forgiveness. She vowed to the image of Our Lady of
Solitude, in the convent of the nuns, seven beautiful golden swords of
the finest and most elaborate workmanship, to adorn her breast, and
determined to go to confess herself on the following day to the vicar,
and to submit herself to the harshest penance he should choose to impose
upon her, in order to merit the absolution of those sins by means of
which she had vanquished the obstinacy of Don Luis, who, but for them,
would without a doubt have become a priest.

While Pepita was engaged in these reflections, and while she was
arranging with so much discretion the affairs of her soul, Don Luis had
descended to the hall below, accompanied by Antonona.

Before taking his leave, Don Luis, without preface or circumlocution,
spoke thus:

"Antonona, tell me, you who are acquainted with everything, who is the
Count of Genazahar, and what has he had to do with your mistress?

"You begin to be jealous very soon."

"It is not jealousy that makes me ask this, it is simply curiosity."

"So much the better. There is nothing more tiresome than jealousy. Well,
I will try to satisfy your curiosity. This same count has given room
enough for talk. He is a diss