ThenIturnedalsoandfled，forIdidnotwishtobedraggedbeforethemagistratesofthecityasabrawler，andinmydesiretoescapeIforgotthatdeGarciawasescapingalso。
AwayI
wentandthreeofthewatchafterme，buttheywerestoutandscantofbreath，andbythetimethatIhadrunthreefurlongsI
distancedthem。
IhaltedtogetmybreathandrememberedthatI
hadlostdeGarciaanddidnotknowwhenIshouldfindhimagain。
AtfirstIwasmindedtoreturnandseekhim，butreflectiontoldmethatbynowitwouldbeuseless，alsothattheendofitmightbethatIshouldfallintothehandsofthewatch，whowouldknowmebymywound，whichbegantopainme。
SoIwenthomewardcursingmyfortune，andthewomanwhohadclaspedmefrombehindjustasI
wasabouttosendthedeath-thrusthome，andalsomylackofskillwhichhaddelayedthatthrustsolong。
TwiceImighthavemadeitandtwiceIhadwaited，beingovercautiousandover-anxioustobesure，andnowIhadlostmychance，andmightbidemanyadaybeforeitcameagain。
HowshouldIfindhiminthisgreatcity？
Doubtless，thoughIhadnotthoughtofit，deGarciapassedundersomefeignednameashehaddoneatYarmouth。
Itwasbitterindeedtohavebeensoneartovengeanceandtohavemissedit。
BynowIwasathomeandbethoughtmethatIshoulddowelltogotoFonseca，mymaster，andaskhishelp。
HithertoIhadsaidnothingofthismattertohim，forIhavealwayslovedtokeepmyowncounsel，andasyetIhadnotspokenofmypasteventohim。
Goingtotheroomwherebewasaccustomedtoreceivepatients，I
foundhehadretiredtorest，leavingordersthatIwasnottoawakehimthisnightashewasweary。
SoIboundupmyhurtafterafashionandsoughtmybedalso，veryill-satisfiedwithmyfortune。
OnthemorrowIwenttomymaster’schamberwherehestilllayabed，havingbeenseizedbyasuddenweaknessthatwasthebeginningoftheillnesswhichendedinhisdeath。
AsImixedadraughtforhimhenoticedthatmyshoulderwashurtandaskedmewhathadhappened。
Thisgavememyopportunity，whichIwasnotslowtotake。
’Haveyoupatiencetolistentoastory？’Isaid，’forIwouldseekyourhelp。’
’Ah！’heanswered，’itistheoldcase，thephysiciancannothealhimself。
Speakon，nephew。’
ThenIsatdownbythebedandtoldhimall，keepingnothingback。
Itoldhimthehistoryofmymotherandmyfather’scourtship，ofmyownchildhood，ofthemurderofmymotherbydeGarcia，andoftheoaththatIhadsworntobeavengeduponhim。
LastlyItoldhimofwhathadhappeneduponthepreviousnightandhowmyenemyhadevadedme。
AllthewhilethatIwasspeakingFonseca，wrappedinarichMoorishrobe，satupinthebedholdinghiskneesbeneathhischin，andwatchingmyfacewithhiskeeneyes。
ButhespokenowordandmadenosigntillIhadfinishedthetale。
’Youarestrangelyfoolish，nephew，’hesaidatlength。
’Forthemostpartyouthfailsthroughrashness，butyouerrbyover-
caution。
Byover-cautioninyourfenceyoulostyourchancelastnight，andsobyover-cautioninhidingthistalefrommeyouhavelostafargreateropportunity。
What，haveyounotseenmegivecounselinmanysuchmatters，andhaveyoueverknownmetobetraytheconfidenceevenoftheverieststranger？
Whythendidyoufearforyours？’
’Idonotknow，’Ianswered，’butIthoughtthatfirstIwouldsearchformyself。’
’Pridegoethbeforeafall，nephew。
Nowlisten:hadIknownthishistoryamonthago，bynowdeGarciahadperishedmiserably，andnotbyyourhand，butbythatofthelaw。
Ihavebeenacquaintedwiththemanfromhischildhood，andknowenoughtohanghimtwiceoverdidIchoosetospeak。
More，Iknewyourmother，boy，andnowIseethatitwasthelikenessinyourfacetohersthathauntedme，forfromthefirstitwasfamiliar。
ItwasIalsowhobribedthekeepersoftheHolyOfficetoletyourfatherloose，though，asitchanced，Ineversawhim，andarrangedhisflight。
Sincethen，IhavehaddeGarciathroughmyhandssomefourorfivetimes，nowunderthisnameandnowunderthat。
Onceevenhecametomeasaclient，butthevillainythathewouldhaveworkedwastooblackformetotouch。
ThismanisthewickedestwhomIhaveknowninSeville，andthatissayingmuch，alsoheisthecleverestandthemostrevengeful。
Helivesbyviceforvice，andtherearemanydeathsuponhishands。
Buthehasneverprosperedinhisevil-
doing，andto-dayheisbutanadventurerwithoutaname，wholivesbyblackmail，andbyruiningwomenthathemayrobthemathisleisure。
Givemethosebooksfromthestrongboxyonder，andI
willtellyouofthisdeGarcia。’
Ididashebademe，bringingtheheavyparchmentvolumes，eachboundinvellumandwrittenincipher。
’Thesearemyrecords，’hesaid，’thoughnonecanreadthemexceptmyself。
Nowfortheindex。
Ah！hereitis。
Givemevolumethree，andopenitatpagetwohundredandone。’
Iobeyed，layingthebookonthebedbeforehim，andhebegantoreadthecrabbedmarksaseasilyasthoughtheyweregoodblack-
letter。
’DeGarcia——Juan。
Height，appearance，family，falsenames，andsoon。
Thisisit——history。
Nowlisten。’
Thencamesometwopagesofcloselywrittenmatter，expressedinsecretsignsthatFonsecatranslatedasheread。
Itwasbriefenough，butsucharecordasitcontainedIhaveneverheardbeforenorsince。
Here，setoutagainstthisoneman’sname，waswellnigheverywickednessofwhichahumanbeingcouldbecapable，carriedthroughbyhimtogratifyhisappetitesandrevengefulhate，andtoprovidehimselfwithgold。
Inthatblacklistweretwomurders:oneofarivalbytheknife，andoneofamistressbypoison。
Andtherewereotherthingsevenworse，tooshameful，indeed，tobewritten。
’Doubtlessthereismorethathasnotcomebeneathmynotice，’saidFonsecacoolly，’butthesethingsIknowfortruth，andoneofthemurderscouldbeprovedagainsthimwerehecaptured。
Stay，givemeink，Imustaddtotherecord。’
Andhewroteinhiscipher:’InMay，1517，thesaiddeGarciasailedtoEnglandonatradingvoyage，andthere，intheparishofDitchingham，inthecountyofNorfolk，hemurderedLuisaWingfield，spokenofaboveasLuisadeGarcia，hiscousin，towhomhewasoncebetrothed。
InSeptemberofthesameyear，orpreviously，undercoverofafalsemarriage，hedecoyedanddesertedoneDonnaIsabellaofthenoblefamilyofSiguenza，anuninareligioushouseinthiscity。’
’What！’Iexclaimed，’isthegirlwhocametoseekyourhelptwonightssincethesamethatdeGarciadeserted？’
’Theverysame，nephew。
Itwasshewhomyouheardpleadingwithhimlastnight。
HadIknowntwodaysagowhatIknowto-day，bynowthisvillainhadbeensafeinprison。
Butperhapsitisnotyettoolate。
Iamill，butIwillriseandseetoit。
Leaveittome，nephew。
Go，nurseyourself，andleaveittome；ifanythingmaybedoneIcandoit。
Stay，bidamessengerbeready。
ThiseveningIshallknowwhateverthereistobeknown。’
ThatnightFonsecasentformeagain。
’Ihavemadeinquiries，’hesaid。
’Ihaveevenwarnedtheofficersofjusticeforthefirsttimeformanyyears，andtheyarehuntingdeGarciaasbloodhoundshuntaslave。
Butnothingcanbeheardofhim。
Hehasvanishedandleftnotrace。
To-nightIwritetoCadiz，forhemayhavefledtheredowntheriver。
OnethingIhavediscovered，however。
TheSenoraIsabellawascaughtbythewatch，andbeingrecognisedashavingescapedfromaconvent，shewashandedovertotheexecutoriesoftheHolyOffice，thathercasemaybeinvestigated，orinotherwords，shouldherfaultbeproved，todeath。’
’Cansheberescued？’
’Impossible。
Hadshefollowedmycounselshewouldneverhavebeentaken。’
’Canshebecommunicatedwith？’
’No。
Twentyyearsagoitmighthavebeenmanaged，nowtheOfficeisstricterandpurer。
Goldhasnopowerthere。
Weshallneverseeorhearofheragain，unless，indeed，itisatthehourofherdeath，when，shouldshechoosetospeakwithme，theindulgencemaypossiblybegrantedtoher，thoughIdoubtit。
Butitisnotlikelythatshewillwishtodoso。
Shouldshesucceedinhidingherdisgrace，shemayescape；butitisnotprobable。
Donotlooksosad，nephew，religionmusthaveitssacrifices。
Perchanceitisbetterforhertodiethusthantoliveformanyyearsdeadinlife。
Shecandiebutonce。
MayherbloodlieheavyondeGarcia’shead！’
’Amen！’Ianswered。
