Elvira asked the meaning of these words, and Daraxa answered, “I have sent word to Don Jaymé that his mistress can no longer endure his absence, and must fall a prey to _ennui_, if she do not find relief where she expects it.” The most attached friends generally behave in this manner towards each other when they are rivals in love. The letter was faithfully delivered to Ozmin, who was the more rejoiced at its receipt as he had up to that moment employed in vain all Orviedo’s ingenuity to discover what was going on at Don Lewis’s: and as one happy event never occurs, according to the proverb, without another treading on its heels, it happened, two days after this, that Orviedo appeared before him dressed like a labourer. Ozmin did not recognize him at first, but shortly afterwards asked him the reason for this disguise. “I will tell you,” replied Orviedo. “I equipped myself in this manner for the purpose of perambulating the Marquis de Padilla’s house, in the hope of meeting one of Daraxa’s Moorish women, or of scraping acquaintance with some one of Don Lewis’s servants. I chanced to stop before a particular part of the garden, where several workmen were engaged in repairing the wall. The master-mason seeing me very attentive to their work, took me for one of his own trade: ‘My good friend,’ said he to me, ‘I am in want of labourers to finish this job, are you inclined to lend a hand?’ I replied, that I was employed elsewhere, but that I had a comrade who was out of work, and would be glad to make himself useful to him. ‘Send him to me,’ said the master-mason, ‘if he only knows how to wheel a barrow, he will be of service, and I will pay him well.’ Upon this I left him,” added Orviedo, smiling, “to propose this fine job to you, which love presents to make you pass your time more agreeably.” Ridiculous as such an undertaking appeared to Ozmin, he was too much enamoured of Daraxa to reject this opportunity of seeing her. He accepted the employment, dressed himself like a workman, and followed Orviedo, who said to the master-mason, “_Senor Maestro de obra_, this is my comrade Ambrosio, an unfortunate soldier, who after having been four years a prisoner among the Moors, is reduced to labour for his subsistence.” The bargain was soon struck, and Ambrosio hired to begin his work the next morning. Our new workman, to shew that he had his work at heart, was up betimes to attend his new master, who led him into the garden, and putting the wheelbarrow into his hands, told him what he was to do. Ambrosio took to his work as readily as if he had been all his life-time in the trade: at which his master was so much satisfied, that he praised him exceedingly, assuring him that he would, in time, make an excellent workman.