'You are courteous for a foreigner.' 'How do you know me to be a foreigner, senor ?' I asked, surprised out of my caution.
'If I had not guessed it before, I should know it now,' he answered, smiling gravely.

'Your Castilian tells its own tale.' I bowed, and was about to pass on, when he addressed me again.
'What is your hurry, young sir?
Step in and take a cup of wine with me; it is good.' I was about to say him nay, when it came into my mind that I had nothing to do, and that perhaps I might learn something from this gossip.
'The day is hot, senor, and I accept.' He spoke no more, but rising, led me into a courtyard paved with marble in the centre of which was a basin of water, having vines trained around it.

Here were chairs and a little table placed in the shade of the vines.

When he had closed the door of the patio and we were seated, he rang a silver bell that stood upon the table, and a girl, young and fair, appeared from the house, dressed in a quaint Spanish dress.
'Bring wine,' said my host.
The wine was brought, white wine of Oporto such as I had never tasted before.
'Your health, senor ?' And my host stopped, his glass in his hand, and looked at me inquiringly.
'Diego d'Aila,' I answered.
'Humph,' he said.

'A Spanish name, or perhaps an imitation Spanish name, for I do not know it, and I have a good head for names.' 'That is my name, to take or to leave, senor ?'--And I looked at him in turn.
'Andres de Fonseca,' he replied bowing, 'a physician of this city, well known enough, especially among the fair.