"And who does not from hear-say? I'm sure he must be one of the wildest jockies alive. But church is over now, and I have orders to deliver this letter personally to the marchioness. Will you have the goodness to tell her, that a servant of the Governor of Alcantara, that came hither with his master, is charged with a letter from Don Carlos?"
—"But I am afraid she won't see you."
—"Then only tell her the letter comes from her husband, and that my orders are to deliver it into no other hands but her own."
I was confident that however shy she might be of receiving strangers, she could not refuse admittance to a person sent by her husband. The sister went and returned a little while after, with the intelligence of her having orders to introduce me into the parlor.
I followed the sister, and found Adela ready to receive me at the barred window. Without deigning to honor me with a single look she eagerly snatched the letter from my hands, inspected the direction and seal, kissed it, broke it open, and began to peruse the contents. But with such eager haste did she
