Page:History of Nicolas Pedrosa, and his escape from the Inquisition in Madrid.pdf/10



When this letter, which I end by Nicolas Pedroa, hall reach your hands, you hall know that I am afely delivered of a lovely boy after a dangerous labour, in conideration of which, I pray you to pay to the aid Nicolas Pedroa the um of twenty gold pitoles, which um his excellency———

"Hold", cries the inquiidor general, tarting hatily from his eat, and natching away the letter, there is more in this than meets the eye: "break up the court; I mut take an examination of this prioner in private."

As oon as the room was cleared, the inquiidor general beckoning to the prioner to follow him, retired into a private cloet, where throwing himelf carelesly into an arm chair, he turned a gracious countenance upon the poor affrighted accoucheur, and bidding him it down upon a low tool by his ide, thus accoted him: "Take heart, enor Pedroa, your imprionment is not likely to be very tedious, for I have a commiion you mut execute without los of time: you have too much conideration for yourelf to betray a trut, the violation of which mut involve you in inevitable ruin, and can in no degree attaint my character, which is far enough beyond the reach of malice; be attentive, therefore to my orders; execute them punctually, and keep my ecret as you tender your own life: dot thou know the name and condition of the lady whom thou hat delivered?" Nicolas aured him he did not, and his excellency proceeded as follows:———"Then I tell thee, Nicolas, it is the illutrious Donna Leonora de Caafonda; her huband is the president of Quito, and daily expected with the next arrivals from the South-Seas; now, though meaures have been taken for detaining him at the