In this fragrant and friendly cloud we will leave them, and return for a few minutes to the house of General Trednoke.
It will be remembered that something was said of Grace being privy to the nocturnal advances of Senor de Mendoza.

We are not to suppose that this implies in her anything worse than an aptness to indulge in romantic adventure: the young lady enjoyed the mystery of romance, and knew that serenades, and whisperings over star-lit balconies, were proper to this latitude.

It may be open to question whether she really was much interested in De Mendoza, save as he was a type of the adoring Spaniard.

That the scene required: she could imagine him (for the time-being) to be the Cid of ancient legend, and she herself would enact a role of corresponding elevation.

Grace would doubtless have prospered better had she been content with one adorer at a time; but, while turning to a new love, she was by no means disposed to loosen the chains of a former one; and, though herself as jealous as is a tiger-cat of her young, she could never recognize the propriety of a similar passion on the part of her victims.