“Listen to my history of José Maria. A robber, elegant, heroic, a gentleman, gallant, and distinguished, is a fruit which can grow only on our soil. You foreigners may have many dukes of Albe, but assuredly you cannot have a single José Maria.”
“What say you?” interrupted the marchioness, “that foreigners may have many Dukes of Albe? Yes, then, it is an easy thing! Listen, Don Frederico: When the pious King Ferdinand was before the walls of Seville, seeing that the siege was prolonged, he proposed to the Moorish king—”
“Who was named Axataf,” interrupted Raphael.
“His name is of no consequence,” continued the marchioness. “He then proposed to him, as I said, to decide the fate of the besieged city by a singular combat—a duel—between the two monarchs. The Moorish king had the shame to refuse the defiance. King Ferdinand had concealed from everybody his resolution, and when the designated hour arrived, he went out of his camp alone, and wended his way towards the place designed for the combat. A soldier of his guard who saw him depart, had some suspicions of his plan; fearing that the king might fall into an ambuscade, he armed himself, and followed at a distance. When the monarch arrived at the spot which is called to this day the King’s Fountain, and which was then a desert spot, he stopped, waiting the approach of the Moor. But while he waited for his enemy, the Moor had no thought of presenting himself at the rendezvous. Ferdinand passed the night there: at the dawn of the day he arose to retire, when he heard a noise among the foliage.
“ ‘Who are you?—show yourself!’ he cried out.
It was the soldier;—he obeyed.
“ ‘What are you doing here?’ demanded the king.
“ ‘Sire, I saw your Majesty leave the camp, and I divined your intention. I feared a snare, and I am come to defend you.’
“ ‘Alone?’