you have obtained, place you in a sphere so superior to mine, that it were no less extravagant in me to aspire to you, than to adore some one of those brilliant stars which look down upon us, and wish an alliance with it. Alas! my lord, never did the royal eagle humble itself to the white dove, or the kingly lion make love to the hind."

"What do you say, my Edelfrida?" replied Bernardo; "what madness obscures your reason? Have you formed so mean a conception of my love that you believe it susceptible of change and subject to vary from such consideration as this? If you have no other pain, if no other care afflicts you, you may well, from this moment, rest in peace, relying on my constancy; for that Supreme Being who observes us be my witness, that the sun shall sooner stop in his career, and the waves of the unquiet sea have rest, than my breast cease to adore you. If I were a crowned monarch with an empire at my feet, I would only wish it in order to offer up my greatness upon the altar of your beauty. Without your love, honours and riches have no attractions for me, and I should prefer with you a rustic cabin in the fields of Miduerna, to the most sumptuous palace of Burgos obtained at the expense of my passion."

"But will the king allow it? Will Heaven consent to it?" replied Edelfrida.

"The king," replied Bernardo, "has no power to prevent it, and Heaven, without doubt, is on our side. Have you any more fears ?".

"One only," said Edelfrida: "between you and Alvar Fañez there is a duel pending, of which I was the occasion; promise me not to take up this quarrel."

"If he does not attempt it," said Bernardo, "it shall never be renewed by me; for besides that the king anticipated me in this, I think that I have taken sufficient satisfaction in the encounter I had with him in the lists."

"Then here my fears cease," said Edelfrida, "and my hopes revive."

“Farewell, then, my beloved," said Bernardo. "Why do you go?" said Edelfrida.

"It is the same whether I go or stay," replied Bernardo, "for my soul remains with you." "Heaven restore you soon to my eyes!" added Edelfrida.

"I live in their light," rejoined Bernardo, and parting from her he went to seek Bayardo, whom a page was holding for him at the entrance of the palace. Our hero leaped upon him, and directing his way towards one of the gates of the city, where he went the reader will see in the following chapter.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE advice of the Count Fernan Ramirez had contributed essentially to place Bernardo in his present prosperous situation; and as he was accustomed to communicate to so good a friend his griefs, it was not strange that he should wish to make him a sharer of his joys. It seemed to him that, as long as he neglected to do so, his happiness was imperfect, and he was wanting in the sacred duties of gratitude. On this account, and in order to forewarn Fernan Ramirez against the anger of Don Alfonso, he mounted his horse, on leaving Edelfrida, and directed his steps towards the valley of Miduerna.

A knight, mounted upon Bayardo, with no other company than his thoughts, and no other defence than his sword Belisarda, he set out on his journey, at the time when night had just withdrawn her starry mantle, to yield the dominion of nature to the new day, which was beginning to appear between the variegated and gorgeous clouds that skirted the horizon. As he wished to reach his destination before the sun should attain the end of his career, he applied

the spur from time to time to the flanks of his horse. But notwithstanding the swiftness with which he travelled, he was still at some distance from his journey's end, when the shades of night returned to veil the heavens, and Bernardo, to his great confusion, found that he had wandered from the road. Wishing to remedy his mistake, he retraced his steps to some distance; but the variety of paths that opened to him caused him to deviate still more; so that, having entirely lost his way, he knew not how to proceed.

Meanwhile, night had shut in; impenetrable obscurity reigned, and a fresh wind was sweeping mountain and valley, whose roarings, joined with the hoarse voice of the distant thunder, announced the confusion of the elements, and an approaching tempest. In a short time, the rain fell in such torrents that heaven seemed to have opened its cataracts to deluge the earth anew. The murmur of the thunder increased every moment, and the vivid and frequent flashes of lightning illuminated the firmament from one extremity to the other, adding new horrors to the night.

Bernardo was so disturbed and confused that he did not attempt to go forward or back for fear of falling into some unseen hole, or stumbling against an obscure rock. Bayardo shook his mane, and with neighings and pawings manifested his impatience. In this situation, the mo

mentary flashes of lightning, which followed each other in quick succession, discovered to our knight a hill not far distant, whose side was covered with trees and shrubs. Determining to seek a shelter there, he dismounted from his horse, and, leading him by the bridle, he went carefully along, till he came to the wood. The same light that had guided him to this spot enabled him to see a cavern, whose dark mouth, while it inspired terror, seemed to offer him shelter. Bernardo was about to enter, when the consideration of the danger to which he was exposing himself made him pause. What security had he that that cave was not a den of wild beasts or the dwelling of banditti? Who could tell what might happen to him there? But, meanwhile, must he remain exposed to the inclemencies of a tempestuous sky? Such were the doubts that harassed him. At last his natural valour, and the necessity of making some effort to improve his situation, determined him to enter, and, unsheathing his sword, our knight passed on.

No obstacle impeded his taking possession of the cavern: silence and obscurity were the only inhabitants of this dismal mansion; the rough walls were damp and cold, and on the ground was a quantity of dry leaves, which, under present circumstances, must supply the want of a bed. Before committing himself to such a hard