scarcely had our devout pilgrims set foot on one of the two entrances that lead to the valley, which is formed and enclosed by the lofty mountains of guadaloupe, than at each fresh step they found new subjects of admiration; but their admiration reached the highest possible point when they saw the noble and sumptuous monastery, the walls of which contain the blessed image of the queen of heaven; that blessed image, which gives freedom to the captive, cleanses his sins, and relieves his distress; that blessed image, which gives health to the sick, comfort to the afflicted, which is a mother to the orphan, and a defence from all misfortune. they entered the church, and where they expected to find walls adorned with the tyrian purple, the damask of syria, the brocades of milan, in their place they saw, crutches left by the cripple, wax eyes that had belonged to the blind, arms hung there by the maimed, shrouds cast aside by the dead, all, who after having been cast down by misery, now living, healthy, free and happy, loudly return thanks to the mother of mercies, who in this small space, makes intercession with her blessed son for his infinite mercy.
so strong an impression was made upon the hearts of the devout pilgrims by all these miracles, that they gazed around them, fancying that they saw in the air the captive in his chains, coming to hang them up on the holy walls. the lame and infirm trailing their crutches along with them, the dead corpse its winding-sheet, seeking where to place them, and not finding space left, so great was the number those walls already held.
this sight, which had never been seen before by periander, auristella, ricla, constance, or the young antonio, filled them with awe and wonder; and they were never tired of gazing, nor of admiring; so with devout and humble minds they knelt down to adore the saviour, and implore the intercession of his holy mother. but what most deserved notice was, that feliciana, on bended knees, and with clasped hands, pressed to her breast, whilst tears of tender sorrow bathed her cheeks, almost without appearing to move her lips, or make any sign of being a living creature, raised her voice, and sang some verses which she knew by heart, and which afterwards she gave them in writing. her sweet and most melodious singing enchanted the senses of all her hearers, and well proved that she had not praised her own voice too highly, fully satisfying the strong wish of all the pilgrims to hear her.
she had sung about four stanzas, when some strangers entered the church, who knelt down, as they were induced to do both by custom and devotion. they were also struck by the voice of feliciana, who went on singing; and one among them, who seemed rather advanced in years, turning to the person nearest him, said, "either that is the voice of some angel in heaven, or it is that of my daughter feliciana." "who can doubt it?" replied the other. "there she is, but there she shall not be long, if my arm can strike a sure blow;" so saying, he grasped his poignard, and with hurried steps, white with passion, he was approaching the spot where feliciana knelt. the venerable old man followed, and drawing him back hastily, said, "this is no place, my son, for punishment. take time, for now this traitress cannot escape from us, and do not, in seeking to chastise the fault of another, bring down a judgment upon thine own head."
these words, and the disturbance altogether, had stopped the mouth of feliciana, and put the pilgrims into some consternation, and also every one else in the church. they were not able to prevent the father and brother of feliciana from dragging her out of the church into the street, where they were very soon joined by a crowd of people, with the officers of justice, who released her from the grasp of those who seemed more like executioners than father or brother.
things being in this confusion, the father demanding his daughter, and the brother his sister, whilst the magistrate refused to give her up to them until he could learn the state of the case, a little party of horsemen entered on one side of the open place, two of whom were immediately recognised by most of the persons present, as don francisco pizarro, and don juan de orellana. they came up to the spot where the tumult was, and another gentleman with them, whose face was covered with a veil of black taffeta, and inquired the cause of all this disturbance. they were told that nobody knew what was the matter, except that the officers of justice were defending a pilgrim, whom two men, calling themselves her father and brother, wanted to kill. don francisco and don juan were listening to this account, when the muffled cavalier, leaping from his horse, drew his sword, and uncovering his face, placed himself at feliciana's side, and cried aloud, "it is from me, sirs, that you must take the satisfaction that you desire for feliciana's fault, if it be a fault that deserves death for a lady to marry against her parents' consent. feliciana is my wife, and i am rosanio, as you see, not so humble in condition as to be undeserving that you should give me openly that which i chose secretly. i am of noble birth, of which i can show you the proofs: i am rich enough to support her as my wife; i do not think it right that what i have gained by good fortune should be taken from me by louis antonio, at your pleasure; and if you think i have offended you by that which i have done without your consent, pardon the fault, which was caused by the all-powerful force of love, and the finding you already so well inclined towards louis antonio, which made me forget the duty i owed you, for which once more i entreat your pardon."
whilst he spoke thus, he held feliciana clasped close round the waist, all trembling and full of terror, but still all beautiful. before her father or brother could speak a word, don francisco embraced the former, and don juan the latter, who were their intimate friends. don francisco said to the father, "where is your prudence gone, senor don pedro tenorio? is it possible that you desire to do what is so much against your own interests? do not you see that this offence brings its own excuse along with it? what is there in rosanio undeserving of feliciana, or what will become of her in future if she loses rosanio?"
the same or similar arguments were used by don juan with the brother, adding more, for he said, "don sancho, passion never ends well, and an angry spirit rarely hits correctly: your sister chose a good husband for herself; you would do ill to take vengeance, because they failed in the proper ceremony and respect that was due to you.
"look you, don sancho, i have in my house at home, a nephew of yours you cannot disown, unless you disown yourself, he is so like you."
the answer of the father was to go to his son and take away the poignard from his hands, after which he embraced rosanio, who fell at the feet of his father-in-law and embraced them a thousand times. feliciana also fell on her knees, half fainting, at her father's feet, amid a flood of tears and sighs.
the bystanders were delighted; the father got credit for his conduct: the son also, and the two friends, for their prudent advice. the corregidor invited them all to his house; the prior of the monastery showed them great hospitality; the pilgrims visited all the relics, which are very numerous, holy, and rich. they confessed themselves, received the sacrament, and during the time they stayed, don francisco sent for the child, which the shepherd's sister had brought him, and which was the same that rosanio delivered to periander. it was so lovely, that the grandfather, when he saw it, forgetting all his cause for anger, exclaimed, "a blessing on the mother who bore thee, and on thy father also;" and taking it into his arms, he covered it with kisses and tears.
feliciana, with her father, brother, and husband, returned home, taking the child with them, all well pleased with the happy conclusion of the business.
the pilgrims stayed four days at guadaloupe, during which they began seeing the monastery. i say they began to see it, because, to come to the end of seeing its many wonders, would be impossible. they next went to truxillo, where they met with a most friendly reception from the two noble gentlemen, don francisco pizarro and don juan de orellana. there, the story of feliciana was again discussed, and her voice and conduct met with due praise, as well as the kind behaviour of her father and brother. from truxillo they went, after about two days' stay, to talavera, where they found preparations making to celebrate the great feast of the world, whose origin began many years before the birth of christ, and which christians have brought to so good a conclusion, that what the heathens did in honour of the goddess venus, is now devoted to celebrate the praise of the blessed virgin. they would much have liked to see this, but not wishing for any delay, they went on without satisfying their desire.
(note.) there are here three chapters omitted, chap. 6, 7, and 8, in order to shorten the story a little, and not possessing much interest or merit.
