OR, WEEKLY THE VISITOR. FOR THE USE AND AMUSEMENT OF BOTH SEXES. ཡ VOL. XIII.] Saturday, October 12,.....1811. THE SPANIARD; OR, THE PRIDE OF BIRTH. A Tale. The first object which fixed his attention was a handsome and well dressed cavalier by the side of a lady of the most ravishing beauty; the former of whem instantly approached, and took him by the hand, with the most familiar and cordial expression of freindship: the lady also flew and placed herself at his side, and both together led the astonished barber to a table, on which was spread an elegant collation, composed of all the delicacies that luxury assisted by [NO. 25. let cheerfully to his lips: the lady and cavalier then placed him betwixt them, and pressed them to eat.Pedrosa is ranked amongst the number of my friends, said, the cavalier, and therefore I expect that he will lay aside all restraint in my company; this lady will also join with me in my regard to you, we have both obligations to you and must certainly repay them.' Pedrosa was struck with astonishment, but he doubted the reality of his good fortune, and was afraid to enquire. You shall no more return to your loathsome prison, resumed the cavalier; nay do not start, my good friend Pedrosa nothing I hope is more certain: you have suffered a great wealth could procure. Here Pe-deal--you have a great debt upon drosa,' said the cavalier; as he poured out the most delicious wine in a golden goblet, let us now drink to the continuance of our future friendship: the lady also stretched out her hand to Pedrosa, who, though he could not comprehend the meaning of all this, bowed and kissed it most respectfully. His recent misfortunes made the soothing tones of friendship coms with an additional charm to his heart, and he raised the gob. fortune which she is now going to pay-to be more explicit, you now see before you Don Juan de Salvedra and Donna Lucinda de Valerda, two people who by your means have become the happiest of mortals. Heaven bless your honor's said Pedrosa, and retider you as happy as I wish you! but all this is a riddle to me, nor can I comprehead how your honor's becamo acquainted with my story. That is what I am going to ex ་ that it was actually the last letter I have received from Donna Lu cinda. This billet, I knew, had left in the pocket of the Franciscan habit, which I had worn, as a disguise, that night in which I was attacked by four armed raffians, whu, I supposed, tntended to assassinate me and whic I left in the street to facilitate my escape. My curiosity, however, was not suffi. plain to you, returned Don Juan. stimulated to probe to the bottom of this affair; a new and more powerful interest had taken possession of my heart I was on the point of obtaining all my soul held dear in this world, the adorable Lucjada; and I flew to my uncle, the chief corregidor of Madrid, to relate to him my happinees, and sanction it by his consent. When I arrived at the palace of more; come to me in the after-that respectable magistrate, I noon; and I will accompany you to Donna Lucinda.' Overjoyed at what I heard, and without troubling myself to enquire the manner in which he had discovered the abode of my beloved and the illustrious dignity of her birth, to which I was certsin she herself had hitherto been a stranger, I fell on my knees, and with the most passionate expressions told him he had made me the happiest of men. He had scarcely taken his leave, when one of my servants entered, with a letter which he said he believed father Jerome to have dropped in the portico of my palace; looking upon the address, I perceived that it had been directed to me, and found him busily employed in the examination of an old woman and two ruffians, who had been apprehended in endeuvouring to break open a house, which, from the description, I discovered to be that of Don Alphonso, grandfather of my Lucinda; it appeared that the old woman had been a domestic of this gentleman, and by what she related concernig a person, who had come in a disguise of a Franciscan to attend the dying moments of her maater, and who had been af terwards taken up the officers of of the Inquisition, I was no longer at a loss for the source of father Jerome's intelligence, nor for the manner in which he had come the possession of Donna Lucinda's billet, and was convinced that whoever was the persons whose unlucky stars had thus involved imparted my scheme to Donna Lu- should have retired to a country seat of his, at some distance from the capital, we should do every thing in our power to effectuate him in so much perplexity, he could have only procured my disguise by picking it up from the spot where I had dropped it. Af ter obtaining the consent of myun-yourdeliverance your jailor inform-· cle to my happiness, I accompanied us of this concealed passage, was a which had originally constructed ed Don Jerome with rapture to for some reason or other,as a comthe house which contained the treasure of my soul; in his premunication betwixt the prisons and sence we exchanged mutual vows the palace of the grand inquisitor. of fidelity, and it was agreed upon This man, who we make no doubt that after the funeral obsequies of has a powerful reason for wishing Don Alphonse should be solemnito withdraw himself from Spain, zed, we should be united for ever readily promised for a sum of mo at the altar of our holy religion; ney to deliver you into our hands; after which Donna Lucinda should he has made good kis agreement, be introduced at the court in a manand we believe will never more be heard of. Come, Pedrosa, we ner suitable to her rank, and the virtuous of the noble family she give you joy of your liberty,though descended from. In the it must be at the expence of, permean time, the grand inquisitor haps, never more beholding your offered my intended bride an native country, in a few hours you must set off, and I will engage partment in his palace, with full permission for me to pass as great that by the evening of to-morrow a part of my time in her company your wife and family will nearly o as I pleased. I still, however, vertake you; Holland or England could not fully enjoy my happiness must be the future place of your a without being concerned for the bode and in order to place you fate of him whose misfortune I, in above the necessity of seeking for some measure, owned it. Ithought | your food by labour, in a strange it but justice not to relax any endeavours of mine to rescue hiru from his fate which awaited him. I therefore, by his assistance of a bribe, tampered with the person whom I knew to be a jailor of the Inquisitorial prison, and soon learned your name and situation. I land, here is a bond, payable at an eminent banker's in Amsterdam, which shall entitle you to 8 hundred ducats annually. And let me, interrupted Donna Lucinda have the pleasure of presenting you with this purse, to defray the expences of your journey. Pedrosa picked up in the streets of Madrid; the simple and uncultivated harmony of which not a little emertained Donna Lucinda. accepted of both the presents with drank to the health of his patrons, tears in his eyes; variety of emotions in several flowing bumpers; and oppressed his agitated bosom, and being willing to let slip no oppor only the joyful thoughts of seeing tunity to improve the harmony of bis wife and children calmed the the hour, he seized a guitar which turbulence of his feeling. 'Come,' lay on an adjoining table,& with no said Don Juan, as he poured out a indifferent voice sung the followgoblet of wine, courage,my friending little ballad, which he had Pedrosa! every country is the same to a man, who, like you, is possesed of a good conscience.' Pedrosa expressed his acquiescenee to this sentiment, and endeavoured all in his power to become cheerful; melancholy had never found a suitable habitation in the bosom of this simple and good-natured fellow: "he himself now in the company of who, though far exhalted abovehim in rank, endeavoured to sooth and eliven him. Their efforts were not thrown away; he in a short time became gay & animated, and giving way to his usual loquacity, cheerfulness began to eliven all his features; he forgot all that be had Don Antonio lov'd a maiden,~ Fair and bloming as the morn ́s At her windows sill he'd languish,' Mark how quick her colour fled. Grief o'erspread her languid charms: suffered; the horrors of the Inquisi-Ah" she cried, and must I lose him? tion and the grand inquisitor vanished from his mind; he forgot "all the restraint which the idea of the superior dignity of his companions had at first imposed upon him, and a thousand witticisms escaped from his fertile imagination. His ideas which were entirely new to Donna Lucinda, afforded her inexpresibe entertainment; and Don Juan felt himself for the time more amused by the untutored1emarks of Pedrosa than he would have been in the midst of the most brilliant circle at court. Then sunk into-Antonio's arms. Forgive, he cried, this fond deceiving Tortur'd love had taught me art; Ever to this bosom cleaving, Thou art dearest to my heart." Then what pleasure past expressing, Raptur'd youth, was his to prove, When he heard her sweet confessing, Yes-Antonio—you I love." Don Juan and Donna Lucinda felt themselves every moment more and more delighted with their guest, and obligingly re newed their professions of friend The gay and animated barber "ship to him. Donna Lucinda en ⚫quired particularly the number of his family,a thing in which Pedrosa was no less eager in satisfying her he related with peculiar emphasis all the boyish pranks of his eldest son Stephano, who was about thirteen years of age, expatiated largely upon the many notable qualities of Lisetta his daughter, who was about a year and a half older, and whose character he summed up by observing, that she was, every way like her mother, but above all,' added he, if your. excellanzes saw my little Pedro, it is impossible to say how much you would be delighted with him, he is not yet four years old, and he can say almost all the Legend of St. Anthony by heart, be is a little bashful, and I can't get him to talktbefore strangers, but if your excellenzas were only to be hid in the dark corner of my little shop, you would doubtless be surprised at his judgement.' I make no doubt of it,' replied Don Juan, ' and it engages me more in your favour to see you take so much interest in your children, I believe I cannot do a more acceptable service to you than to forward them in the world; and if you choose in a short time to place your eldest son Stephano in the army, I can en than those who embrace the profession under less fortunate auspices.' And I,' said Donna Lucinda, take upon myself the care me, as for little Pedro, it is impossible to determine any thing certain concerning him only take care to procure for him such aneducation as may qualify him at a future period to profit by our.. friendship. The tears ran plentifully from Pedrosa's eyes, but they were the tears of joy and grattitude. Don Juan saw that he was to much moved, therefore began a merry subject of conversation, and again cheerfulness smiled upon the party. Pedrosa told a thousand little stories, some of which he had narrated already, but his noble auditors had the good nature again. to be pleased, and again to laugh at them, he sung all the songs over to them, and it was with regret that Don Juan recollected that the hour was hastening on, in which it was necessary that. Pedrosa should take his departure. I hope it will noɩ,' said he, moving to the window, be regarded as diminution of respect for my friend, if I warn him that the time has arrived in which alone he can withdraw with safety.' I am sorry of it,' said Donna Lucinda, I have been so much delighted in his company.' Pedrosa arose, and with the melancholy countenance, again expressed his acknowledg * ་ sure him a more rapid promotionments. Write to us often,' resumed Donna Lucinda, and emember that at least in two years after this date I expect the arrival of your daughter.' The poor barber was too much oppressed to return any other answer than by his looks.... of the fortune of Lisetta, when she iş about a year older send her to |