plighted to
you I shall keep in life and in death, for death itself could not
tear it from my soul, and this immortal soul will harbour it through
eternity..."

Thus and much more in the same manner wrote the niece of King Philip of
Spain to Gabriel Espinosa, the pastry-cook, in his Valladolid retreat.
How he filled his days we do not know, beyond the fact that he moved
freely abroad. For it was in the streets of that town that meddlesome
Fate brought him face to face one day with Gregorio Gonzales, under whom
Espinosa had been a scullion once in the service of the Count of Nyeba.

Gregorio hailed him, staring round-eyed; for although Espinosa's
garments were not in their first freshness they were far from being
those of a plebeian.

"In whose service may you be now?" quoth the intrigued Gregorio, so soon
as greetings had passed between them.

Espinosa shook off his momentary embarrassment, and took the hand of
his sometime comrade. "Times are changed, friend Gregorio. I am not in
anybody's service, rather do I require servants myself."

"Why, what is your present situation?"

Loftily Espinosa put him off. "No matter for that," he answered, with a
dignity that forbade further questions. He gathered his cloak about him
to proceed upon his way. "If there is anything you wish for I shall be
happy, for old times' sake, to oblige you."

But Gregorio was by no means disposed to part from him. We do not
readily part from an old friend whom we rediscover in an unsuspected
state of affluence. Espinosa must home with Gregorio. Gregorio's wife
would be charmed to renew his acquaintance, and to hear from his own
lips of his improved and prosperous state. Gregorio would take no
refusal, and in the end Espinosa, yielding to his insistence, went with
him to the sordid quarter where Gregorio had his dwelling.

About an unclean table of pine, in a squalid room, sat the
three--Espinosa, Gregorio, and Gregorio's wife; but the latter displayed
none of the signs of satisfaction at Espinosa's prosperity which
Gregorio had promised. Perhaps Espinosa observed her evil envy, and
it may have been to nourish it--which is the surest way to punish
envy--that he made Gregorio a magnificent offer of employment.

"Enter my service," said he, "and I will pay you fifty ducats down and
four ducats a month."

Obviously they were incredulous of his affluence. To convince them he
displayed a gold watch--most rare possession--set with diamonds, a