saw him making an attempt to break the object of his vis -"no business, please your reverence, while at dinner Let us enjoy our meal at present; and when we have dis cussed the Olla, the capon, and a bottle of Yepes, it wil be time enough to turn to the cares of life." The ecclesiastic's full face had never beamed with more glee, at the collation on Christmas eve, when, by the indulgence of the church, the fast is broken at sunset, instead of continuing through the night, than it did now under the influence of Don Julian's good humor and heart-cheering wine. Still it was evident that some vehement and ungovernable wish had taken possession of his mind, breaking out now and then in some hurried motion, some gulping up of a full glass of wine without stopping to relish the flavor, and fifty other symptoms of absence and impatience, which, at such a distance from the cathedral, could not be attributed to the afternoon bell. The time came, at length, of rising from table; and in spite of Don Julian's pressing request to have another bottle, the dean, with a certain dignity of manner, led his good-natured host to the recess of an oriel window, looking upon the river. "Allow me, dear Don Julian," he said, "to open my heart to you; for even your hospitality must fail to make me completely happy till I have obtained the boon which I came to ask. I know that no man ever possessed greater power than you over the invisible agents of the universe. I die to become an adept in that wonderful science; and if you will receive me for your pupil, there is nothing I should think of sufficient worth to repay your friendship."—" Good sir,” replied Don Julian, "I should be extremely loath to offend you; but permit me to say, that, in spite of the knowledge of causes and effects which I have acquired, all that my experience teaches me of the heart of man is not only vague and indistinct, but for the most part unfavorable. I only guess; I cannot read their thoughts, nor pry into the recesses of their minds. As for yourself, I

am sure you are a rising man, and likely to obtain the first dignities of the church. But whether, when you find yourself in places of high honor and patronage, you will remember the humble personage of whom you now ask a hazardous and important service, it is impossible for me to ascertain." 66 Nay, nay," exclaimed the dean; “but I know myself, if you do not, Don Julian. Generosity and friendship (since you force me to speak in my own praise) have been the delight of my soul even from childhood. Doubt not, my dear friend (for by that name I wish you would allow me to call you), doubt not, from this moment, to command my services. Whatever interest I may possess, it will be my highest gratification to see it redound in favor of you and yours." My hearty thanks for all, worthy sir," said Don Julian; "but let us now proceed to business; the sun is set, and, if you please, we will retire to my private study."

Lights being called for, Don Julian led the way to the lower part of the house; and dismissing the Moorish maid near a small door, of which he held the key in his hand, desired her to get two partridges for supper, but not to dress them till he should order it: then unlocking the door, he began to descend by a winding stair-case. The dean followed with a certain degree of trepidation, which the length of the stairs greatly tended to increase; for, to all appearance, they reached below the bed of the Tagus. At this depth a comfortable, neat room was found; the walls completely covered with shelves, where Don Julian kept his works on magic; globes, planispheres, and strange drawings, occupied the top of the book-cases. Fresh air was admitted, though it would be difficult to guess by what means, since the sound of gliding water, such as is heard at the lower part of a ship when sailing with a gentle breeze, indicated but a thin partition between the subterraneous cabinet and the river. "Here, then," said Don Julian, offering a chair to the dean, and drawing

another for himself towards a small, round table, “w have only to choose among the elementary works of the science for which you long. Suppose we begin to read this small volume." The volume was laid on the table, and opened at the first page, containing circles, concentric and eccentric, triangles with unintelligible characters, and the well-known signs of the planets. "This," said Don Julian, "is the alphabet of the whole science. Hermes, called Trismegistus —” The sound of a small bell within the chamber, made the dean almost leap out of his chair. "Be not alarmed," said Don Julian; "it is the bell by which my servants let me know that they want to speak to me." Saying thus, he pulled a silk string, and soon after a servant appeared with a packet of letters. It was addressed to the dean. A courier had closely followed him on the road, and was that moment arrived at Toledo. "Good Heavens!" exclaimed the dean, having read the contents of the letters; "my great uncle, the archbishop of Santiago, is dangerously ill. This is, however, what the secretary says, from his lordship's dictation. But here is another letter from the archdeacon of the diocese, who assures me that the old man was not expected to live. I can hardly repeat what he adds. Poor dear uncle! may Heaven lengthen his days! The chapter* seem to have turned their eyes towards me, and-pugh! it cannot be-but the electors, according to the archdeacon, are quite decided in my favor." "Well," said Don Julian, "all I regret is the interruption of our studies; but I doubt not that you will soon wear the mitre. In the mean time, I would advise you to pretend that illness does not allow you to return directly. A few days will surely give a decided turn to the whole affair; and, at all events, your absence, in case of an election, will be

* The ecclesiastical body to which the right of electing a bishop belongs.

construed into modesty. Write, therefore, your despatches, my dear sir, and we will prosecute our studies at another time."

Two days had elapsed since the arrival of the messenger, when the verger of the church of Santiago, attended by servants in splendid liveries, alighted at Don Julian's door with letters for the dean. The old prelate was dead, and his nephew had been elected to the see, by the unanimous vote of the chapter. The elected dignitary seemed overcome by contending feelings; but, having wiped away some decent tears, he assumed an air of gravity, which almost touched on superciliousness. Don Julian addressed his congratulations, and was the first to kiss the new archbishop's hand. "I hope," he added, "I may also congratulate my son, the young man who is now at the university of Paris; for I flatter myself your lordship will give him the deanery, which is vacant by your promotion." "My worthy friend, Don Julian," replied the archbishop elect, "my obligations to you I can never sufficiently repay. You have heard my character; I hold a friend as another self. But why would you take the lad away from his studies? An archbishop of Santiago cannot want preferment at any time. Follow me to my dioI will not for all the mitres in Christendom forego the benefit of your instruction. The deanery, to tell you the truth, must be given to my uncle, my father's own brother, who has had but a small living for many years; he is much liked in Santiago, and I should lose my character if, to place such a young man as your son at the head of the chapter, I neglected an exemplary priest, so nearly related to me." "Just as you please, my lord," said Don Julian; and began to prepare for the journey.

cese.

The acclamations which greeted the new archbishop on his arrival at the capital of Galicia were, not long after, succeeded by a universal regret at his translation to

the see of the recently-conquered town of Seville. "I will not leave you behind," said the archbishop to Don Julian, who, with more timidity than he showed at Toledo, approached to kiss the sacred ring in the archbishop's right hand,* and to offer his humble congratulations; “but do not fret about your son. He is too young. I have my mother's relations to provide for; but Seville is a rich see; the blessed King Ferdinand, who rescued it from the Moors, endowed its church so as to make it rival the first cathedrals in Christendom. Do but follow me, and all will be well in the end." Don Julian bowed with a suppressed sigh, and was soon after on the banks of the Guadalquivir, in the suite of the new archbishop.

Scarcely had Don Julian's pupil been at Seville one year, when his far-extended fame moved the pope to send him a cardinal's hat, desiring his presence at the court of Rome. The crowd of visitors who came to congratulate the prelate, kept Don Julian away for many days. He at length obtained a private audience, and, with tears in his eyes, entreated his eminence not to oblige him to quit Spain. "I am growing old, my lord," he said: "I quitted my house at Toledo only for your sake, and in hopes of raising my son to some place of honor and emolument in the church; I even gave up my favorite studies, except as far as they were of service to your eminence. My son-" "No more of that, if you please, Don Julian," interrupted the cardinal. "Follow me you must; who can tell what may happen at Rome? The pope is old, you know. But do not tease me about preferment. A public man has duties of a description which those in the lower ranks of life cannot either weigh or comprehend. I confess I am under obligations to you, and feel quite disposed to reward your services; yet I must not have my creditors knocking

* Catholic bishops wear a consecrated ring, which is kissed, with a bending of the knee, by those who approach them.