The fair Isabella made haste to assume the part of a possessed one again, and her four new friends to support her by confirming the idea of her illness, and that she was verily possessed by an evil spirit; and truly love was such, since it could make a woman seem a demoniac.

Things were in this state, and evening coming on, when the physician returned to pay a second visit, and by chance he brought with him Juan Baptista Marulo, father of Andrew, the lover. As they entered the sick room, he said, "Look at this young lady, Señor Juan Baptista; is it not a pity that a demon should have possession of so fair a body, but we console ourselves with one hope, and that is, that the evil spirit said he would go away when your son Andrew should arrive, and we are expecting him every instant."

"So I have heard," said the Señor Juan Baptista, "and I should rejoice if anything of mine were to be the harbinger of such good news."

"Thanks to me and my diligence," cried Isabella, "but for that he might be still at Salamanca doing the Lord knows what. The Señor Juan Baptista, who is here present, may believe me when I tell him he has a son who is more handsome than holy, and not so studious as he is gallant. Evil betide the fine ornaments and gay attire of those youths who commit such havoc in the republic; and ill betide the spurs that are not sharp, and the mules that do not bestir themselves."

Thus she ran on, stringing together all kinds of dubious words, such as might convey two meanings to those who were in the secret, and the bystanders in general. These interpreted them as they were meant. Those considered them as incoherent nonsense.

"Where did you see my son Andrew, lady?" asked Marulo; "was it at Madrid, or Salamanca?"

"It was at Illescas," said Isabella: "he was gathering cherries on the morning of St. John at day-break; but if I must speak the truth, and it is a marvel if I do so, I see him everywhere, and carry him ever in my heart."

"Better to be gathering cherries than catching fleas," replied Marulo, "for that is the common occupation of the students."

"Those creatures," she replied, "are bold, and will enter the stocking of a prince as freely as the blanket of a? hospital."

"You know everything, evil one," said the doctor; "it seems clear that you are an old hand." He spoke this to the devil, who, as he imagined, was inhabiting Isabella's body.

And now, just as if Satan had ordained it, the old uncle of Isabella entered with every mark of the greatest joy, crying out, "A reward! my niece, my beloved child; a reward for the news I bring. The Señor Andrew Marulo, son of this gentleman, Señor Juan Baptista, is just arrived; and now Heaven grant that we may see the promise accomplished, which you gave of being freed from the evil spirit at the sight of him."

Accursed demon, vade retro, exi foras, and never think of returning to this dwelling, which thou shalt see purged and purified.

"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 ............