and modest loveliness, add increase of honor to thy husband.  Ha! what says Gonzalo de Lara?” he added, as his eye glanced over another paper—­“’Tumults in Sicily—­active measures—­Senor Stanley—­enough on which to expend his chivalric ardor, and evince his devotedness to Ferdinand; but Sicily quieted—­supposed the king will still grant his request—­assign him some post about his person, be at hand for military service against the Moors.’  Good! then the war is resolved on.  We must bestir ourselves, dearest, to prepare fit reception for our royal guests; there is but brief time.”

He embraced and left her as he spoke; and for several minutes Marie remained without the power even to rise from her seat:  one pang conquered, another came.  Arthur’s recall appeared determined; would it be so soon that he would join this sovereigns before they reached Segovia?  She dared not think, save to pray, with wild and desperate fervor, that such might not be.

Magnificent, indeed, were Don Ferdinand’s preparations for the banquet with which he intended to welcome his sovereigns to Segovia.  The castle was to be the seat of their residence, and the actual locale of their court; but it was at his own private dwelling he resolved, by a sumptuous entertainment, to evince how deeply and reverentially he felt the favor with which he was regarded by both monarchs, more especially by Isabella, his native Sovereign.

In the many struggles which were constantly occurring between the Spaniards and Moors, the former had become acquainted with the light yet beautiful architecture and varied skill in all the arts peculiar to the latter, and displayed their improved taste in both public and private buildings.  Morales, in addition to natural taste, possessed great affluence, which enabled him to evince yet greater splendor in his establishment than was usual to his countrymen.

There was one octangular room, the large panels forming the walls of which were painted, each forming a striking picture of the principal events in the history of Spain, from the descent of Don Palayo, and the mountaineers of Asturias, who struck the first blow for Spanish freedom, to the accession of Ferdinand and Isabella.  The paintings were not detached pictures, but drawn and colored on the wall itself, which had been previously prepared for the reception of the colors by a curious process, still in use among the Orientals.[A] The colors, when dry, were rubbed, till the utmost brilliancy was attained; and this, combined as it was with a freedom and correctness of drawing, produced an effect as striking then as it would be novel to modern eyes.  One side, divided into three compartments, contained in one a touching likeness of the young Alfonso.  His figure, rather larger than life, was clothed in armor, which shone as inlaid with gold.  His head was bare, and his bright locks flowed over his shoulders as he wore them in life.  His brilliant eye, his