er of Don Antonio, the latter introduced his
amazed and awe-stricken companion, as a person to whom he was indebted
for his life. He then explained to his relations what had occurred, and
did not fail to give Donald's promptitude and courage a due share of his
laudations. With a gratitude not less earnest than his own had been, the
mother and sister of Don Antonio took Donald by the hand; the one
taking the right, and the other the left, and, looking in his face,
with an expression of the utmost kindness, thanked him for the great
obligation he had conferred on them. These thanks were expressed in
Spanish; but, on Don Antonio's mentioning that Donald was a native of
Britain, and that he did not, as he rather thought, understand the
Spanish language, his sister, a beautiful girl of one or two-and-twenty,
repeated them, in somewhat minced, but perfectly intelligible English.
Great as Donald's perturbation was at finding himself so suddenly and
unexpectedly placed in a situation so much at variance with anything
he had been accustomed to, it did not prevent him marking, in a very
special manner, the dark sparkling eyes and rich sable tresses of Donna
Nunnez, the name of Don Antonio's sister. Nor, we must add, did the
former look with utter indifference on the manly form, so advantageously
set off as it was by his native dress, of Donald Gorm. But of this anon.
In a short time after, a supper, corresponding in elegance and splendour
to all the other elegances and splendours of this lordly mansion, was
served up; and, on its conclusion, Donald was conducted, by Don Antonio
himself, to a sleeping apartment, furnished with the same magnificence
that prevailed throughout the whole house. Having ushered him into his
apartment, Donald's host bade him a kind good-night, and left him to his
repose.

What Donald's feelings were on finding himself thus so superbly
quartered, now that he had time to think on the subject, and could do so
unrestrained by the presence of any one, we do not precisely know; but,
if one might have judged by the under-breath exclamations in which he
indulged, and by the looks of amazement and inquiry which he cast around
him, from time to time, on the splendours by which he was surrounded,
especially on the gorgeous bed, with its gilt canopy and curtains of
crimson silk, which was destined for his night's resting-place, these
feelings would appear to have been, after all, fully more perplexing
than pleasing.