THE TAILOR’S STORY. 207

when the window opened, and a lady appeared, whose beauty
dazzled me. She cast her eyes on me, and watering the flowers
with a hand whiter than alabaster, she looked at me with a
smile, which inspired me with as much love for her as I had
hitherto felt aversion towards the rest of her sex. After having
watered her flowers and bestowed on me another look which
completed the conquest of my heart, she shut the window, and
left me in a state of uncertainty which I cannot describe.

“I should have remained thus a considerable time, had not
the noise I heard in the street brought me to my senses again.
I turned my head as I got up, and saw that it was one of the
first cadis of the city, mounted on a mule, and accompanied by
five or six of his people: he alighted at the door of the house
where the young lady had opened the window, and went in,
which made me suppose he was her father.

“ ] returned home in a state very different from that in which
I had left it; I went to bed with a raging fever, which caused
great affliction in my household. My relations, who loved me,
alarmed by my sudden indisposition, came quickly to see me,
and importuned me to acquaint them of the cause, but I was
very careful to keep it secret. My silence increased their alarms,
nor could the physicians dissipate their fears for my safety, be-
cause they knew nothing of my disease, which was only increased
by the medicines they administered.

“My relations began to despair of my life, when an old lady
of their acquaintance being informed of my illness, arrived ;
she considered me with a great deal of attention, and after she
had thoroughly examined me, she discovered, I know not by
what token, the cause of my disorder. She took them aside, and
begged them to leave her alone with me, and to order my
people to retire.

“The room being cleared, she seated herself near my pillow.
‘My son,’ said she, ‘you have hitherto persisted in concealing
the cause of your illness: I have sufficient experience to pene-
trate into this secret. It is love which occasions your indis-
position. I can probably assist your cure, provided you will
tell me who is the lady that has secured your affection.

“ For a long time I said nothing, but at length I broke silence,
and declared to her the cause of my pain. I acquainted her
with the place where I had seen the object that had given birth