ed he
found himself.

Gomez Arias at last, after several fruitless endeavours to stop Martha's
tongue, availed himself of a momentary pause she made to take
breath.--"Don Manuel de Monteblanco," said he, "is undoubtedly anxious
to learn the object of my visit to his house."

"Visit!" exclaimed the duenna. "Intrusion--a downright taking by
storm.--God bless me! a visit you call it--- a visit!"

"Silence, Martha, silence; let the gentleman proceed," cried Don Manuel,
a little more composed, and feeling an inward dread at the matron's
explanatory talents.

"Don Manuel," continued Gomez Arias, "I am exceedingly concerned for
the confusion created in the mansion of so honorable a cavalier; but
certainly I am not so greatly to blame as that good woman wishes to
imply."

"Good woman, indeed!" ejaculated the duenna. "_Jesus me valga!_ that I
should live to be so called--_soy Cristiana vieja_[16]--and of as good a
family as needs be.--No Jewish puddle in my veins.--Good woman,
forsooth! My dear master, am I to be called a good woman?"

Don Manuel looked very grave, not so much perhaps at the difficulty of
resolving the question, as at the probability of never obtaining a
knowledge of the business so long as the duenna had the free use of her
tongue; to quiet therefore her anger, the complaisant old cavalier
kindly soothed her apparently wounded feelings, by allowing that she by
no means deserved the appellation.

Silence being thus restored, Gomez Arias continued: "The cause of my
apparent intrusion is simply this:--informed by my servant that Don
Rodrigo de Cespedes was in active search after me, and not wishing to
be backward in acknowledging the favor, I thought it incumbent on my
honor to facilitate a meeting with the utmost expedition. I repaired to
this house, from whence my servant had seen that gentleman issue, but
before the nature of my business could be disclosed, that rigid dame
assailed me with a tremendous storm of abuse, when my valet, in his zeal
to serve me, or rather indulging in a propensity to retaliate, retorted
the lady's freedom of tongue with rather too much acrimony."

"Now," thought Roque, "it is really too bad to accuse me of acrimony
when I have not opened my lips."

"I attempted an explanation," continued Gomez Arias, "in the hopes of
meeting with a more courteous reception, when this young lady made her
appearance (turning to Theodora). I was then about to acquaint her with
my intention,