He now left the city behind, and, passing through the suburbs of Belem, directed his course to the Quinta of the Marquis of Tavora. He came under a garden-wall, in which was a window, and out of the window a pair of sparkling black eyes were gazing. He kissed his own hand, for he could not reach that of the lady, and she kissed hers in return; so he went and stood as near her as he could get.
“Oh! my pretty Margarida, how I love you!” he began. At which words, the eyes sparkled even more brightly than before. “I have many wishes, and the first is, that I was on the other side of the wall.”
“Hush! senhor, you must not say that; at least, not so loudly,” softly murmured Margarida; “some one will hear you, for people are passing constantly this way; but the window is not so very high from the ground.”
“Ah, dear one! I could leap up in a moment, if you do not run away,” said the gallant Cobbler.
“Oh! no, no, senhor! some one would see you to a certainty, while it is light,” answered the coy Senhora Margarida.
“I have many things to say to you, pretty one. When will you like to hear them?” asked Antonio.
“Cannot you say them now, senhor?”
“Some one will hear me, you know. Wait till the evening, and then nobody will see me jump in at the window. Remember to leave it open.”
“I will forget to shut it,” innocently answered Margarida. “But tell me, senhor, are you really a fidalgo?”
“I will tell you all about it, with my other secrets, when I come at night. Remember to forget to shut the window; and do not forget to come yourself, Adeos for the present, my pretty charmer! I see some one coming.” And Antonio walked away, humming a tune, while the pair of black eyes disappeared from the garden window.