As good luck would have it, I happened to become acquainted with an Italian, captain of a Neapolitan galley, who by order of the Court had come to Malaga to carry the Bishop of that city to Naples; but that prelate not being ready to embark, he had come to Seville in the hopes of meeting with merchandize to freight his vessel for Italy. I met him by chance one day at a merchant’s house, and was delighted in having found a man who spoke Italian as well as myself. He was on his side equally pleased, and we became very intimate. I invited him to my house, and introduced him to my wife, who did not fail to charm him. He made me some trifling presents, which would have been more considerable if his affairs would have permitted him to remain any longer at Seville: but as he could not make the bishop wait for him, and could not bear the idea of parting from my wife, he found means to conciliate his love with his duty, by persuading her to desert me, and fly with him into Italy. After all, I believe that he did not find it a very difficult matter to prevail upon her, for she had been long out of humour with me, and hated my mother more and more every day; so that we had not an hour’s quiet for her. However that might be, I cared but little about it; and, indeed, thought myself happy and rich in having got rid of her, notwithstanding she had taken her jewels and every thing of value about the house with her; in which the captain had very honestly assisted her, before I had the least suspicion of their intentions. CHAP. LII. _Guzman, after his wife’s elopement, resides for some time with his mother; but at length enters into the service of a lady of quality._ I was prudent enough to keep this affair secret, knowing that all the scandal of it would be reflected upon me. I sold what remained of my property, which consisted only of some of the worst of the furniture and moveables, which my wife had condescended to leave behind, and employed the money in making merry with my friends. My mother accommodated herself as long as she could to the life I led, but at last growing tired of it, she returned to the house where she had left Petronilla, telling me that she could now live more at her ease with her, than she could expect to do with me. I offered no opposition to her plans, and we parted again in perfect good will towards each other.