they advised me to go to Madrid and 
offer my congratulations to the new king, as one of his 
former acquaintances, with the merit of having rendered 
him even such services as the great are apt to reward 
more willingly than some which are performed with 
cleaner hands. " For my part," said Don Alphonso, " I 
have no doubt but they will be liberally acknowledged : 
Philip the Fourth is bound in honour to pay the Prince of 
Spain's debts."  "I consider the affair just in the same 
light as you do," said Don Cesar; *' and Santillane's 
visit to court will doubtless prove the occasion of his 
arriving at the very first employments." 

" In good truth, my noble friends," exclaimed I, " you 
do not consider what you are talking about. It should 
seem, were one to give ear to the soothing words of 
you both, as if I had nothing to do but to show my face 
at Madrid, and receive the key of office, or some foreign 
government, for my  ; but you are egregiously mis- 
taken. I am, on the contrary, well persuaded that the 
king would pass me over as a stranger, were I to throw 
myself in his way. 1 will make the experiment, if you