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The distance between his castle and that of Don Roderick was not

more than six miles. The latter had long felt the necessity of

keeping on good terms with such a neighbour, and had proffered

his services, and entitled himself to the same sort of

friendship, as the rest; he was however, careful to conceal the

nature and strictness of the union between them. Don Roderick

liked to play the tyrant, but not openly; tyranny was with him a

means, not an end; he wished to live at ease in the city, and

enjoy the advantages, pleasures, and honours of civilised life.

To insure this, he was obliged to exhibit management, to testify

a great esteem for his relations, to cultivate the friendship of

persons in place, in order to sway the balance of justice for his

own peculiar purposes.