feeling, for there had never been a quarrel; and as far as Ripa was
concerned, as he had no cause for jealousy, there was no reason why he
should bear ill-will to the unsuccessful candidate. With Gaspar it was
different: he hated Ripa; but as it hurt his pride that this enmity to
one whom he considered so far beneath him should be known, he made no
open demonstration of dislike, and when Malfi expressed a wish to invite
his friend to supper, hoping that Mendez would not refuse to meet him,
the Spaniard made no objection whatever. "Why not?" he said: "he knew of
no reason why he should not meet Giuseppe Ripa, or any other person his
brother-in-law chose to invite."

Accordingly the party was made; and on the night appointed Giuseppe,
after a private interview in the orchard with his mistress, started for
Malfi's house, which was situated about three miles off, in the same
direction as Gaspar's, which, indeed, he had to pass; on which account
he deterred his departure to a later hour than he otherwise would have
done, wishing not to come in contact with his rival till they met under
Malfi's roof. Mendez had a servant called Antonio Guerra, who worked on
his farm, and who appears to have been much in his confidence, and just
as Ripa passed the Spaniard's door, he met Guerra coming in an opposite
direction, and asked him if Mendez had gone to the supper yet; to which
Guerra answered that he supposed he had, but he did not know. Guerra
then took a key out of his pocket, and unlocking the door, entered the
house, whilst Ripa walked on.

In the mean while the little party had assembled in Malfi's parlor, all
but the two principal personages, Gaspar and Giuseppe; and as time
advanced without their appearing, some jests were passed amongst the men
present, who wished they might not have fallen foul of each other on the
way. At length, however, Ripa arrived, and the first question that was
put to him was: "What had he done with his rival?" which he answered by
inquiring if the Spaniard was not come. But although he endeavored to
appear unconcerned, there was a tremor in his voice and a confusion of
manner that excited general observation. He made violent efforts,
however, to appear at his ease, but these efforts were too manifest to
be successful; whilst the continued absence of Mendez became so
unaccountable, that a cloud seems to have settled on the spirits of the
company, which made the expected festivity pass very heavily of