interspersed at times with snatches of song, was heard amongst the
soldiery; and in the nobler group that rode with Villena, there was even
less of the proverbial gravity of Spaniards.

"Now, marquess," said Don Estevon de Suzon, "what wager shall be between
us as to which lance this day robs Moorish beauty of the greatest number
of its worshippers?"

"My falchion against your jennet," said Don Alonzo de Pacheco, taking up
the challenge.

"Agreed. But, talking of beauty, were you in the queen's pavilion last
night, noble marquess? it was enriched by a new maiden, whose strange and
sudden apparition none can account for. Her eyes would have eclipsed the
fatal glance of Cava; and had I been Rodrigo, I might have lost a crown
for her smile."

"Ay," said Villena, "I heard of her beauty; some hostage from one of the
traitor Moors, with whom the king (the saints bless him!) bargains for
the city. They tell me the prince incurred the queen's grave rebuke for
his attentions to the maiden."

"And this morning I saw that fearful Father Tomas steal into the prince's
tent. I wish Don Juan well through the lecture. The monk's advice is
like the algarroba;--[The algarroba is a sort of leguminous plant common
in Spain]--when it is laid up to dry it may be reasonably wholesome, but
it is harsh and bitter enough when taken fresh."

At this moment one of the subaltern officers rode up to the marquess, and
whispered in his ear.