"This holy friar," said he, "is my
confessor, you may say any thing in his presence- and this damsel,"
nodding toward the handmaid, who had loitered with an air of great
curiosity, "this damsel is of great secrecy and discretion, and to
be trusted with any thing."
The soldier gave a glance between a squint and a leer at the
demure handmaid. "I am perfectly willing," said he, "that the damsel
should remain."
When all the rest had withdrawn, the soldier commenced his story. He
was a fluent, smooth-tongued varlet, and had a command of language
above his apparent rank.
"May it please your excellency," said he, "I am, as I before
observed, a soldier, and have seen some hard service, but my term of
enlistment being expired, I was discharged, not long since, from the
army at Valladolid, and set out on foot for my native village in
Andalusia. Yesterday evening the sun went down as I was traversing a
great dry plain of Old Castile."
"Hold," cried the governor, "what is this you say? Old Castile is
some two or three hundred miles from this."
"Even so," replied the soldier, coolly; "I told your excellency I
had strange things to relate; but not more strange than true; as
your excellency will find, if you will deign me a patient hearing."
"Proceed, culprit," said the governor, twirling up his mustaches.
"As the sun went down," continued the soldier, "I cast my eyes about
in search of quarters for the night, but as far as my sight could
reach, there were no signs of habitation.
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