Here Don _Antonio_ told Don _Henrique_, That he had not acted honourably; That he had betray’d him, and robb’d him at once both of a Friend and Mistress. To which t’other returned, That he understood his Meaning, when he proposed a particular Discourse about this Affair, which he now perceived must end in Blood: But you may remind your self (continued he) that I have kept my Promise in delivering her to you. Yes, (cry’d _Antonio_) after you had practis’d foully and basely on her. Not at all! (returned _Henrique_) It was her Fate that brought this Mischief on her; for I urged the Shame and Scandal of Inconstancy, but all in vain, to her. But don’t you love her, _Henrique_? (the other ask’d.) Too well, and cannot live without her, though I fear I may feel the cursed Effects of the same Inconstancy: However, I had quitted her all to you, but you see how she resents it. And you shall see, Sir, (cry’d _Antonio_, drawing his Sword in a Rage) how I resent it. Here, without more Words, they fell to Action; to bloody Action. (Ah! how wretched are our Sex, in being the unhappy Occasion of so many fatal Mischiefs, even between the dearest Friends!) They fought on each Side with the greatest Animosity of Rivals, forgetting all the sacred Bonds of their former Friendship; till Don _Antonio_ fell, and said, dying, ‘Forgive me, _Henrique_! I was to blame; I could not live without her:--I fear she will betray thy Life, which haste and preserve, for my sake--Let me not die all at once!--Heaven pardon both of us!--Farewel! Oh, haste! Farewel! (_returned Don +Henrique+_) Farewel, thou bravest, truest Friend! Farewel thou noblest Part of me!--And Farewel all the Quiet of my Soul.’ Then stooping, he kissed his Cheek; but, rising, he found he must retire in time, or else must perish through Loss of Blood, for he had received two or three dangerous Wounds, besides others of less Consequence: Wherefore he made all the convenient Haste he could to the Coach, into which, by the Help of the Footmen, he got, and order’d ’em to drive him directly to Don _Richardo’s_ with all imaginable Speed; where he arriv’d in little more than half an Hour’s Time, and was received by _Ardelia’s_ Father with the greatest Confusion and Amazement that is expressible, seeing him return’d without his Daughter, and so desperately wounded. Before he thought it convenient to ask him any Question more than to enquire of his Daughter’s Safety, to which he receiv’d a short but satisfactory Answer, Don _Richardo_ sent for an eminent and able Surgeon, who probed and dress’d Don _Henrique’s_ Wounds, who was immediately put to Bed; not without some Despondency of his Recovery; but (thanks to his kind Stars, and kinder Constitution!) he rested pretty well for some Hours that Night, and early in the Morning, _Ardelia’s_ Father, who had scarce taken any Rest all that Night, came to visit him, as soon as he understood from the Servants who watched with him, that he was in a Condition to suffer a short