At this discovery my heart yearned with sorrow, and my friends stood till in mute astonishment. After a long and awful pause, we carried Alfonso back to the castle, put him on a bed, and sent for physical assistance.
"O Fernandos!" cried I, "what have you done?" My friend appeared speechless and absorbed in profound meditation. Alfonso's wound was dangerous, and we all felt it our interest to preserve his life, at least for an hour. I had now reason to expect that the mystic curtain would be drawn, and all the secrets of my life be brought to light.
When Alfonso recovered from his long swoon, his first look was fixed upon me. I felt myself penetrated with all the force of its expressiveness. It was the longing glance of a dying man, that is about to bid an everlasting adieu to his favourite.
The surgeons came, and declared that his wound was mortal. He was himself sensible, that he could not live many hours, and impressed with this certainty, laid hold of
