favourable omen from his sudden evanishment, slowly turned to depart with
the rest, a young man, plainly dressed, touched him on the shoulder.

"You are Senior Don Martin Fonseca?"

"The same."

"Follow me, if it please you, senor, to my master, Lou Roderigo
Calderon."

Fonseca's face brightened; he obeyed the summons; and in another moment
he was in the cabinet of the Sejanus of Spain.




CHAPTER II.

THE LOVER AND THE CONFIDANT.

Calderon received the young soldier at the door of his chamber with
marked and almost affectionate respect. "Don Martin," said he, and there
seemed a touch of true feeling in the tremor of his rich sweet voice, "I
owe you the greatest debt one man can incur to another--it was your hand
that set before my feet their first stepping-stone to power. I date my
fortunes from the hour in which I was placed in your father's house as
your preceptor. When the cardinal-duke invited you to Madrid, I was your
companion; and when, afterwards, you joined the army, and required no
longer the services of the peaceful scholar, you demanded of your
illustrious kinsman the single favour--to provide for Calderon. I had