ether I should deliver it
or not. She hastily tore it open--it ran as follows:--"How can I
sufficiently express my gratitude to my adored Emilia, for her kindness
to me last night? Tell me, dearest angel, when am I to have the
pleasure of meeting you again in the saloon? Till you once more grant
me the favour, life will be a blank."

"Pedro," said she, "you have indeed done me a service--you have been my
preserver. How can I ever repay you?"

"Give me a double allowance of kisses, this time," replied I.

"I will give you a thousand," answered she; and she kissed and blessed
me while tears ran down her cheeks: she then took some paper, and
imitating the hand-writing, wrote as follows:--"I must submit to your
wishes, Donna Emilia; and while your sister blesses Don Florez, must
yield to the severity of your disposition. Still I hope that you will
relent--I am very miserable; write to me, if you have any love still
remaining for your adorer.--Perez."

"Take this to Emilia, my sweet child.--What can I do to reward you?"

"Why you must take care of my money," said I, "for if my mistress finds
it out, I shall never be able to tell how I came by it." She smiled
mournfully as she received my doubloons, and locked them up in a
trinket-box. "I will add to your wealth, Pedro," said she.

"No," replied I, "only kisses from you." I told her why her aunt gave
me the two reals, and we separated. I delivered the note to Donna
Emilia, who in the afternoon put an answer into my hand; but I would not
act without Donna Teresa knowing what took place; and it occurred to me,
that it would be very possible to repair the mischief which my mistake
had occasioned. I therefore took the answers of Donna Emilia to her
lover to Donna Teresa, and told her what I thought. "My dear Pedro, you
are indeed a treasure to me," replied Teresa.

She opened Emilia's note, which ran as follows:--"You accuse me of
unkindness, which I do not deserve. Heaven knows my heart is but too
yielding. I will arrange a meeting as soon as I possibly can; but as I
before said, my aunt is suspicious, and I cannot make up my mind, like
Teresa, to run the risk of discovery."

Teresa tore up this note; and wrote as follows:--"If a woman has the
misfortune to yield too much to the solicitations of her lover, he
becomes arrogant, and claims as a right, what only can be received as a
favour. I consider that what passes in darkness should remain as secret
in th