"Let him come," said Isabella. "Let this reputed Ganymede, this counterfeit Adonis, come, and give me his hand as a husband, free and unrestrained, for here am I expecting him, firm as a rock whereon the sea waves break, but cannot move."
Andrew Marulo entered: he had already heard in his father's house of the stranger lady's illness, and of her expecting him to give the sign and expel the demon. The young man was discreet, and already prepared by the letters Isabella had written to him at Salamanca, for the part he was to play when he arrived at Lucca. So without changing his travelling dress he hurried to the inn where Isabella was, and entering her apartment, like one half mad or crazed, he cried, "Avaunt, avaunt, avaunt; begone, begone, begone, for here cometh the valorous Andrew, the great commander, and lord of hell." Those who knew the state of the case were greatly amused by all this tumult and outcry; but the physician, and even his own father, said, "Why this man is as much possessed as Isabella herself;" and the uncle said, "We expected this young man would come to help us, and do good, and I think he is come to do more harm."
"My son," cried his father, "be composed, calm yourself; you are like a madman."
"He will not be mad long," said Isabella, "if he will come to me. Am not I the centre where all his wishes and thoughts rest? am not I the goal he desires to reach?"
"Assuredly thou art," said Andrew; "thou art the mistress of my heart, my life, and my soul. Give me thy hand, and be my wife, O lady mine, and release me from the thraldom under which I labour, to chain me in thy fetters, and make me submissive to thy yoke; once more I say give me thy hand, beloved one, and exalt the humble Andrew Marulo to the high rank of Isabella Castrucho's husband. May every evil demon who would hinder this sweet union, fly hence for ever, and let not man divide those whom God has joined together."
"You speak well, Señor Andrew," said Isabella, "and that no plans, machinations, or treachery may intervene, give me your hand as my husband, and receive mine as your wife." Andrew put forth his hand to take hers, and Auristella raised her voice and said, "It is good, it should be so given that they may be made one."
Astonished and stupified, Isabella's uncle seized the hand of Andrew, and said, "Sir, what means this? Is it the custom in this country for one devil to marry another?"
"No, truly," said the physician, "this must needs be a joke to make the devil go; it is impossible that this case now happening could be foreseen by human understanding."
"Nevertheless," said Isabella's uncle, "I desire to know from their own lips, what this marriage means, a jest, or a truth."
"A truth," said Isabella, "for neither is Andrew mad, nor I possessed. I have chosen him, and prefer him as my husband, if he loves, and chooses me as a wife."