The sun by this time became rather too powerful in the garden, in spite of the shade of the groves, and the coolness of the fountain. The old knight being now tired, and besides quite uneasy to know how his nymph did, resolved to leave the garden, and returned with a slow pace towards the house. The lady, whom I shall in future call my mother, pretended to be still fast asleep when the old man entered her chamber, and as if the noise that he made in coming in awoke her, she complained that he had not the complaisance even to allow her to rest herself for a quarter of an hour. “A quarter of an hour,” cried he. “I swear by your lovely eyes, my darling, that you have been asleep here for at least two hours.” “No, no,” replied she, “I am convinced it cannot be half an hour, for it seemed to me that I was just dozing off. However it may be,” added she, “I feel that I never had more need of rest than at this moment.” She put on a cheerful countenance, however, and assured the old knight that she felt herself much better; which he was exceedingly glad to hear: and finding that the heat had become so excessive that they could not venture out on their journey again, he proposed to his faithful mistress to pass the remainder of the day where she was, and where they had met with so much more attention than they could have anticipated. She consented, provided that the people of the house would but allow of it; and so the old cavalier asked the housekeeper’s permission, who told him that he was perfectly at liberty to make himself quite at home in that house, and that so far from being displeased, her master would be proud of such a favour. Having then resolved to stay, they dispatched one of their servants to the house at Gelvas, to desire the other servants who were already there, to repair to them with a stock of provisions. Whilst the knight was issuing these orders, my father stole out of the house, got on horseback, and returned to Seville, merely to shew himself upon ’Change, and to come back, to sleep, as usual, at St. Juan d’Alfarache. The time appeared to pass but slowly to him; but, as he had no reason to complain of his day’s work, he made more than usual haste to set out on his return home again, where he arrived about six o’clock. His old rival hastened out to meet him, apologizing and requesting to be excused for the liberty he had taken. Compliments passed on both sides, but more particularly on that of my father, whose fine speeches and polished manners, though they cost him nothing, entirely won the old man’s heart, insomuch that he himself conducted him to his lady, who had just entered the garden to enjoy the air, the excessive heat having considerably gone off. The merchant saluted her as if she was entirely unknown to him, and she received him with as much dissimulation, as if she had never in her life seen him before.