In his earliest youth he had had cause to consider himself the heir to a wealthy uncle on his mother's side; and with those expectations, while still but a boy, he had been invited to court by the cardinal-duke.

Here, however, the rude and blunt sincerity of his bearing had so greatly shocked the formal hypocrisies of the court, and had more than once so seriously offended the minister, that his powerful kinsman gave up all thought of pushing Fonseca's fortunes at Madrid, and meditated some plausible excuse for banishing him from court.

At this time the rich uncle, hitherto childless, married a second time, and was blessed with an heir.

It was no longer necessary to keep terms with Don Martin; and he suddenly received an order to join the army on the frontiers.

Here his courage soon distinguished him; but his honest nature still stood in the way of his promotion.