FormanymonthsweheardnomoreofdeGarciaorofIsabelladeSiguenza。
　　Bothhadvanishedleavingnosign，andwesearchedfortheminvain。
　　AsformeIfellbackintomyformerwayoflifeofassistanttoFonseca，posingbeforetheworldashisnephew。
　　Butitcameaboutthatfromthenightofmyduelwiththemurderer，mymaster’shealthdeclinedsteadilythroughtheactionofawastingdiseaseoftheliverwhichbaffledallskill，sothatwithineightmonthsofthattimehelayalmostbedriddenandatthepointofdeath。
　　Hismindindeedremainedquiteclear，andonoccasionshewouldevenreceivethosewhocametoconsulthim，recliningonachairandwrappedinhisembroideredrobe。
　　Butthehandofdeathlayonhim，andheknewthatitwasso。
　　Astheweekswentbyhegrewmoreandmoreattachedtome，tillatlength，hadIbeenhisson，hecouldnothavetreatedmewithagreateraffection，whileformypartIdidwhatlayinmypowertolessenhissufferings，forhewouldletnootherphysiciannearhim。
　　Atlengthwhenhehadgrownveryfeebleheexpressedadesiretoseeanotary。
　　Themanhenamedwassentforandremainedclosetedwithhimforanhourormore，whenheleftforawhiletoreturnwithseveralofhisclerks，whoaccompaniedhimtomymaster’sroom，fromwhichIwasexcluded。
　　Presentlytheyallwentaway，bearingsomeparchmentswiththem。
　　ThateveningFonsecasentforme。
　　Ifoundhimveryweak，butcheerfulandfulloftalk。
　　’Comehere，nephew，’hesaid，’Ihavehadabusyday。
　　Ihavebeenbusyallmylifethrough，anditwouldnotbewelltogrowidleatthelast。
　　DoyouknowwhatIhavebeendoingthisday？’
　　Ishookmyhead。
　　’Iwilltellyou。
　　Ihavebeenmakingmywill——thereissomethingtoleave；notsoverymuch，butstillsomething。’
　　’Donottalkofwills，’Isaid；’Itrustthatyoumayliveformanyyears。’
　　Helaughed。
　　’Youmustthinkbadlyofmycase，nephew，whenyouthinkthatIcanbedeceivedthus。
　　Iamabouttodieasyouknowwell，andIdonotfeardeath。
　　Mylifehasbeenprosperousbutnothappy，foritwasblightedinitsspring——nomatterhow。
　　Thestoryisanoldoneandnotworthtelling；moreover，whicheverwayithadread，ithadallbeenonenowinthehourofdeath。
　　Wemusttravelourjourneyeachofus；whatdoesitmatteriftheroadhasbeengoodorbadwhenwehavereachedthegoal？
　　Formypartreligionneithercomfortsnorfrightensmenowatthelast。
　　Iwillstandorfallupontherecordofmylife。
　　IhavedoneevilinitandIhavedonegood；theevilIhavedonebecausenatureandtemptationhavebeentoostrongformeattimes，thegoodalsobecausemyheartpromptedmetoit。
　　Well，itisfinished，andafteralldeathcannotbesoterrible，seeingthateveryhumanbeingisborntoundergoit，togetherwithalllivingthings。
　　Whateverelseisfalse，Iholdthistobetrue，thatGodexistsandismoremercifulthanthosewhopreachHimwouldhaveustobelieve。’
　　Andheceasedexhausted。
　　OftensincethenIhavethoughtofhiswords，andIstillthinkofthemnowthatmyownhourissonear。
　　AswillbeseenFonsecawasafatalist，abeliefwhichIdonotaltogethershare，holdingasI
　　dothatwithincertainlimitsweareallowedtoshapeourowncharactersanddestinies。
　　ButhislastsayingsIbelievetobetrue。
　　Godisandismerciful，anddeathisnotterribleeitherinitsactorinitsconsequence。
　　PresentlyFonsecaspokeagain。
　　’Whydoyouleadmetotalkofsuchthings？
　　TheywearymeandIhavelittletime。
　　Iwastellingofmywill。
　　Nephew，listen。
　　ExceptcertainsumsthatIhavegiventobespentincharities——notinmasses，mindyou——IhaveleftyouallI
　　possess。’
　　’YouhaveleftittoME！’Isaidastonished。
　　’Yes，nephew，toyou。
　　Whynot？
　　IhavenorelationslivingandI
　　havelearnedtoloveyou，IwhothoughtthatIcouldnevercareagainforanymanorwomanorchild。
　　Iamgratefultoyou，whohaveprovedtomethatmyheartisnotdead，takewhatIgiveyouasamarkofmygratitude。’
　　NowIbegantostammermythanks，buthestoppedme。
　　’Thesumthatyouwillinherit，nephew，amountsinalltoaboutfivethousandgoldpesos，orperhapstwelvethousandofyourEnglishpounds，enoughforayoungmantobeginlifeon，evenwithawife。
　　IndeedthereinEnglanditmaywellbeheldagreatfortune，andIthinkthatyourbetrothed’sfatherwillmakenomoreobjectiontoyouasason-in-law。
　　Alsothereisthishouseandallthatitcontains；
　　thelibraryandthesilverarevaluable，andyouwilldowelltokeepthem。
　　Allislefttoyouwiththefullestformality，sothatnoquestioncanariseastoyourrighttotakeit；indeed，foreseeingmyend，Ihaveoflatecalledinmymoneys，andforthemostpartthegoldliesinstrongboxesinthesecretcupboardinthewallyonderthatyouknowof。
　　ItwouldhavebeenmorehadI
　　knownyousomeyearsago，forthen，thinkingthatIgrewtoorichwhowaswithoutanheir，Igaveawayasmuchaswhatremainsinactsofmercyandinprovidingrefugeforthehomelessandthesuffering。
　　ThomasWingfield，forthemostpartthismoneyhascometomeasthefruitofhumanfollyandhumanwretchedness，frailtyandsin。
　　Useitforthepurposesofwisdomandtheadvancingofrightandliberty。
　　Mayitprosperyou，andremindyouofme，youroldmaster，theSpanishquack，tillatlastyoupassitontoyourchildrenorthepoor。
　　Andnowonewordmore。
　　Ifyourconsciencewillletyou，abandonthepursuitofdeGarcia。
　　TakeyourfortuneandgowithittoEngland；wedthatmaidwhomyoudesire，andfollowafterhappinessinwhateverwayseemsbesttoyou。
　　WhoareyouthatyoushouldmeetoutvengeanceonthisknavedeGarcia？
　　Lethimbe，andhewillavengehimselfuponhimself。
　　Otherwiseyoumayundergomuchtoilanddanger，andintheendloselove，andlife，andfortuneatablow。’
　　’ButIhavesworntokillhim，’Ianswered，’andhowcanIbreaksosolemnanoath？
　　HowcouldIsitathomeinpeacebeneaththeburdenofsuchshame？’
　　’Idonotknow；itisnotformetojudge。
　　Youmustdoasyouwish，butinthedoingofit，itmayhappenthatyouwillfallintogreatershamesthanthis。
　　Youhavefoughtthemanandhehasescapedyou。
　　Lethimgoifyouarewise。
　　Nowbenddownandkissme，andbidmefarewell。
　　Idonotdesirethatyoushouldseemedie，andmydeathisnear。
　　IcannottellifweshallmeetagainwheninyourturnyouhavelainasIlienow，orifweshapeourcoursefordifferentstars。
　　Ifso，farewellforever。’
　　ThenIleantdownandkissedhimontheforehead，andasIdidsoI
　　wept，fornottillthishourdidIlearnhowtrulyIhadcometolovehim，sotrulythatitseemedtomeasthoughmyfatherlaytheredying。
　　’Weepnot，’hesaid，’forallourlifeisbutaparting。
　　OnceI
　　hadasonlikeyou，andourswasthebitterestoffarewells。
　　NowI
　　gotoseekforhimagainwhocouldnotcomebacktome，soweepnotbecauseIdie。
　　Good-bye，ThomasWingfield。
　　MayGodprosperandprotectyou！
　　Nowgo！’
　　SoIwentweeping，andthatnight，beforethedawn，allwasoverwithAndresdeFonseca。
　　Theytoldmethathewasconscioustotheendanddiedmurmuringthenameofthatsonofwhomhespokeinhislastwordstome。
　　Whatwasthehistoryofthisson，orofFonsecahimself，Ineverlearned，forlikeanIndianhehidhistrailasstepbystephewandereddownthepathoflife。
　　Heneverspokeofhispast，andinallthebooksanddocumentsthatheleftbehindhimthereisnoallusiontoit。
　　Once，someyearsago，IreadthroughtheciphervolumesofrecordsthatIhavespokenof，andofwhichhegavemethekeybeforehedied。
　　TheystandbeforemeontheshelfasI
　　write，andinthemaremanyhistoriesofshame，sorrow，andevil，offaithdeludedandinnocencebetrayed，ofthecrueltyofpriests，ofavaricetriumphantoverlove，andoflovetriumphantoverdeath——
　　enough，indeed，tofurnishhalfahundredoftrueromances。
　　Butamongthesechroniclesofagenerationnowpastandforgotten，thereisnomentionofFonseca’sownnameandnohintofhisownstory。
　　Itislostforever，andperhapsthisiswell。
　　Sodiedmybenefactorandbestfriend。
　　WhenhewasmadereadyforburialIwentintoseehimandhelookedcalmandbeautifulinhisdeathsleep。
　　Thenitwasthatshewhohadarrayedhimforthegravehandedtometwoportraitsmostdelicatelypaintedonivoryandsetingold，whichhadbeenfoundabouthisneck。
　　Ihavethemyet。
　　Oneisoftheheadofaladywithasweetandwistfulcountenance，andtheotherthefaceofadeadyouthalsobeautiful，butverysad。
　　Doubtlesstheyweremotherandson，butIknownomoreaboutthem。
　　OnthemorrowIburiedAndresdeFonseca，butwithnopomp，forhehadsaidthathewishedaslittlemoneyaspossiblespentuponhisdeadbody，andreturnedtothehousetomeetthenotaries。
　　ThenthesealswerebrokenandtheparchmentsreadandIwasputinfullpossessionofthedeadman’swealth，andhavingdeductedsuchsumsaswerepayablefordues，legacies，andfees，thenotariesleftmebowinghumbly，forwasInotrich？
　　Yes，Iwasrich，wealthhadcometomewithouteffort，andIhadreasontodesireit，yetthiswasthesaddestnightthatIhadpassedsinceIsetfootinSpain，formymindwasfilledwithdoubtsandsorrow，andmoreovermylonelinessgotaholdofme。
　　Butsadasitmightbe，itwasdestinedtoseemyetmoresorrowfulbeforethemorning。
　　ForasI
　　satmakingpretencetoeat，aservantcametomesayingthatawomanwaitedintheouterroomwhohadaskedtoseehislatemaster。
　　GuessingthatthiswassomeclientwhohadnotheardofFonseca’sdeathIwasabouttoorderthatsheshouldbedismissed，thenbethoughtmethatImightbeofservicetoherorattheleastforgetsomeofmyowntroubleinlisteningtohers。
　　SoIbadehimbringherin。
　　Presentlyshecame，atallwomanwrappedinadarkcloakthathidherface。
　　Ibowedandmotionedtohertobeseated，whensuddenlyshestartedandspoke。
　　’IaskedtoseeDonAndresdeFonseca，’shesaidinalowquickvoice。
　　’Youarenothe，senor。’
　　’AndresdeFonsecawasburiedto-day，’Ianswered。
　　’Iwashisassistantinhisbusinessandamhisheir。
　　IfIcanserveyouinanywayIamatyourdisposal。’
　　’Youareyoung——veryyoung，’shemurmuredconfusedly，’andthematteristerribleandurgent。
　　HowcanItrustyou？’
　　’Itisforyoutojudge，senora。’
　　Shethoughtawhile，thendrewoffhercloak，displayingtherobesofanun。
　　’Listen，’shesaid。
　　’Imustdomanyapenanceforthisnight’swork，andveryhardlyhaveIwonleavetocomehitheruponanerrandofmercy。
　　NowIcannotgobackempty-handed，soImusttrustyou。
　　ButfirstswearbythineblessedMotherofGodthatyouwillnotbetrayme。’
　　’Igiveyoumyword，’Ianswered；’ifthatisnotenough，letusendthistalk。’
　　’Donotbeangrywithme，’shepleaded；’IhavenotleftmyconventwallsformanyyearsandIamdistraughtwithgrief。
　　Iseekapoisonofthedeadliest。
　　Iwillpaywellforit。’
　　’Iamnotthetoolofmurderers，’Ianswered。
　　’Forwhatpurposedoyouwishthepoison？’
　　’Oh！Imusttellyou——yethowcanI？
　　Inourconventtherediesto-
　　nightawomanyoungandfair，almostagirlindeed，whohasbrokenthevowsshetook。
　　Shediesto-nightwithherbabe——thus，ohGod，thus！bybeingbuiltaliveintothefoundationsofthehouseshehasdisgraced。
　　Itisthejudgmentthathasbeenpasseduponher，judgmentwithoutforgivenessorreprieve。
　　Iamtheabbessofthisconvent——asknotitsnameormine——andIlovethissinnerasthoughsheweremydaughter。