 under an unlucky star. Had
she made her application to the marquis but one day sooner, received as his
niece, and placed at the head of his family, she would have escaped all the
misfortunes with which she was now threatened. Raymond had always intended to
execute this plan: but first, his hopes of making the proposal to Elvira through
the lips of Agnes, and afterwards his disappointment at losing his intended
bride, as well as the severe illness which for some time had confined him to his
bed, made him defer from day to day the giving an asylum in his house to his
brother's widow. He had commissioned Lorenzo to supply her liberally with money.
But Elvira, unwilling to receive obligations from that nobleman, had assured him
that she needed no immediate pecuniary assistance. Consequently the marquis did
not imagine that a trifling delay on his part would create any embarrassment;
and the distress and agitation of his mind might well excuse his negligence.
    Had he been informed that Elvira's death had left her daughter friendless
and unprotected, he would doubtless have taken such measures as would have
ensured her from every danger. But Antonia was not destined to be so fortunate.
The day on which she sent her letter to the palace de las Cisternas, was that
following Lorenzo's departure from Madrid. The marquis was in the first
paroxysms of despair at the conviction that Agnes was indeed no more: he was
delirious; and, his life being in danger, no one was suffered to approach him.
Flora was informed that he was incapable of attending to letters, and that
probably a few hours would decide his fate. With this unsatisfactory answer she
was obliged to return to her mistress, who now found herself plunged into
greater difficulties than ever.
    Flora and Dame Jacintha exerted themselves to console her. The latter begged
her to make herself easy, for that as long as she chose to stay with her she
would treat her like her own child. Antonia, finding that the good woman had
taken a real affection for her, was somewhat comforted by thinking that she had
at least one friend in the world. A letter was now brought to her, directed to
Elvira. She recognized Leonella's writing, and, opening it with joy, found a
detailed account of her aunt's adventures at Cordova. She informed her sister
that she had recovered her legacy, had lost her heart, and had received in
exchange that of the most amiable of apothecaries, past, present, and to come.
She added, that she should be at Madrid on the Tuesday night, and
