The adventures of Alphonso and Marina: An Interesting Spanish Tale Read online

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  The ADVENTURES of ALPHONSO and MARINA;

  An Interesting Spanish Tale.

  Marina, at seventeen, was the most admired beauty in Granada. She was anorphan, and heiress to an immense fortune, under the guardianship of anold and avaricious uncle, whose name was Alonzo, and who passed his daysin counting ducats, and his nights in silencing serenades, nocturnallyaddressed to Marina. His design was to marry her, for the sake of hergreat fortune, to his own son, Henriquez, who had studied ten years inthe university of Salamanca, and was now able to explain Cornelius Nepostolerably well.

  Almost all the cavaliers of Granada were in love with Marina. As theycould obtain a sight of her only at mass, the church she frequented wasfilled with great numbers of the handsomest and most accomplished youthsof the country.

  One of the most distinguished among these, was Don Alphonso, a captainof cavalry, about twenty, not very rich, but of a family of the firstdistinction. Handsome, polite, and witty, he attracted the eyes of allthe ladies of Granada; though he himself paid attention to none butMarina, who, not insensible to his attachment, began, on her part, totake notice of her admirer.

  Two months passed away without the lovers daring to speak; nevertheless,they silently said much. At the end of that time Don Alphonso foundmeans to convey a letter to his mistress; which informed her of what sheknew before. The reserved Marina had no sooner read this letter than shesent it back to Don Alphonso; but, as she possessed an excellent memory,she retained every word, and was able to return a very punctual answer,a week afterwards.

  A correspondence was now settled between the two lovers; but DonAlphonso was desirous to be still more intimate. He had long solicitedpermission to converse with Marina through her lattices. Such is thecustom in Spain, where the windows are of much more use during the nightthan in the day. They are the places of rendezvous. When the street isvacant and still, the lover wraps himself up in his cloak, and, takinghis sword, invokes love and night to favour him, and proceeds to somelow lattice, grated on the side next the street, and secured on theinside by shutters.

  He waits not long before the window opens softly, and the charming maidappears. She asks, in a tremulous voice, if any one is there. Her lover,transported at her condescension, endeavours to dispel her fears. Theytalk in a whisper, and repeat the same thing a hundred times. Day, atlength, approaches, and they must separate.

  Marina's lattice was on the ground floor, and opened into a narrowpassage, where the houses were ill built, and only inhabited by thelower class of people. Don Alphonso's old nurse happened to occupy atenement directly opposite the window of Marina. Don Alphonso, thereforerepaired to his nurse. 'My good woman,' said he, 'I have been much toblame to suffer you to live so long in this miserable habitation; but Iam now determined to make you amends, by giving you an apartment in myown house. Come, and reside in that, and leave me to dispose of this.'

  The worthy woman could not refrain from tears, and, for a long time,refused; but, at last, overcome by his solicitations, she consented tothe exchange, with every expression of gratitude to her benefactor.

  Never did any monarch enter his palace with more satisfaction than DonAlphonso did the hovel of his nurse.

  Early in the evening Marina appeared at her lattice. She promised torepair thither every other night, and she kept her word. Thesedelightful interviews served only to fan the flame of love; and, verysoon, the lovers nights were constantly passed in pleasing conversation,and their days in writing passionate epistles.

  Just at this time, Henriquez, the intended husband of Marina, arrivedfrom Salamanca; bringing with him a declaration of his passion in Latin,which had been written for him by the head of his college.

  The lovers consulted each other on this event at the lattice; but, inthe mean time, the old guardian had drawn up a contract of marriage, anda day was fixed on for the celebration of the nuptials of Marina andHenriquez.

  In these circumstances, the only remedy was to fly into Portugal. Thiswas determined; and it was also settled that the two lovers, on arrivingat Lisbon, should first marry, and afterwards have recourse to the law,against the guardian.

  Marina was to carry with her a box of jewels, which had been left her byher mother. These were very valuable, and sufficient to maintain thehappy pair till the decision of their law-suit. To effect this escape,it was necessary to procure the key of the lattice, and in this Marinasucceeded.

  It was resolved also, that the next night, at eleven, Don Alphonso,after having appointed horses to wait without the city, should come andfetch Marina; who should descend from the window, into the arms of herlover, and immediately set off for Portugal.

  Don Alphonso spent the whole day in preparations for his departure.Marina, on her part, was equally busy, in getting ready the little boxshe was to take with her. She was very careful to secret in it a veryfine emerald, which had been given her by her lover.

  Marina and her box were ready by eight in the evening; and, before ten,Don Alphonso, who had already provided carriages on the road toAndalusia, arrived at the appointed spot: his heart beating withperturbation and hope.

  As he approached the place, he heard persons calling for assistance, andperceived two men attacked by five armed assassins. The brave and humaneAlphonso forgot his own affairs to defend the lives of the assaulted. Hewounded two, and put the other three to flight.

  What was his surprise, on more attentively viewing the persons he haddelivered, to perceive they were no other than Henriquez, and Alonzo,the guardian of Marina. Some desperate young cavalier of the city, whowas in love with Marina, knowing it was intended that Henriquez shouldespouse her, had hired bravoes, to assassinate them; and, had it notbeen for the valour of Don Alphonso, the young scholar and the old miserwould have found it no easy matter to escape.

  Alphonso did his utmost to avoid their grateful acknowledgments, butHenriquez, who piqued himself on having learned politeness at Salamanca,swore he should not leave them that night. Alphonso, in despair, hadalready heard the clock strike eleven. Alas! he knew not the misfortunethat had happened.

  One of the bravoes, whom he had put to flight, had passed muffled up inhis cloak, near the lattice of Marina. The night was extremely dark, andthe unfortunate beauty, having opened the window, imagined him to be DonAlphonso, and presented him the box with joyful impatience: 'Take ourdiamonds,' said she, 'while I descend.'

  At the word diamonds, the bravo suddenly stopped, took the box, withoutspeaking a word, and, while Marina was getting out of the window, fledwith the utmost precipitation.

  Imagine the surprise of Marina, when she found herself alone in thestreet, and saw nothing of him whom she had taken for Don Alphonso. Shethought, at first, he had left her, to avoid raising suspicion or alarm.She, therefore, hastily walked to a little distance, looked round onevery side, and called in a low voice. But no Alphonso could she see; nolover could she hear.

  She was now seized with the most alarming apprehensions. She knew notwhether it were most adviseable to return home, or endeavour to find thehorses and attendants of Don Alphonso, that were waiting without thecity. She continued to walk forwards, in the utmost uncertainty anddistress, till she had lost herself in the streets; while her fears wereaugmented
by the darkness and silence of the night.

  At length she met a person, whom she asked if she were far from the gateof the city. The stranger conducted her thither; but she found nobodywaiting as she expected.

  She dared not yet accuse her lover of deceiving her: still she hoped hewas at no great distance. She proceeded, therefore, along the road,fearful of every bush, and calling Don Alphonso at every step; but thefarther she walked the more she was bewildered; for she had come out ofthe city on the side opposite to the Portugal road.

  In the mean time Don Alphonso found himself unable to get away from thegrateful Henriquez and his father. They would not suffer him to leavethem for a moment, but obliged him to enter the house with them; towhich Alphonso, fearful of betraying his intent, and frustrating hisdearest hopes; and imagining too that Marina might be soon acquaintedwith the reason of his delay, most reluctantly consented.

  Alonzo hastens to the chamber of his ward, to inform her of the dangerhe had escaped. He calls, but receives no answer; he enters herapartment, and