Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Era su nombre dona Mencia. Sobrina del conde de Cabra, se habia criado en la casa de aquel ilustre procer. Apasionadamente enamorada del gentil caballero don Jaime, venido de Aragon a ponerse al servicio del conde, y muy senalado ya por su habilidad y su brio en todos los ejercicios caballerescos, por sus notables proezas y, hasta por su talento y maestria en el gay saber, el conde no tuvo que oponer razon alguna contra la boda, y consintio en que don Jaime y dona Mencia se casasen, dando en dote a la doncella el dominio y la alcaidia del castillo de que voy hablando. Sin duda para mostrarse mas digno de su encumbramiento, don Jaime acometio la arriesgadisima empresa que causo su muerte. Diecisiete anos acababa de cumplir dona Mencia cuando se quedo viuda. Amarga y desconsoladoramente lloro la muerte de su gentil e idolatrado esposo. Vistio severisimo luto, hizo una vida retirada, y en los veinte anos que se siguieron hasta el dia en que empieza esta historia, no salio del castillo sino para dar solitarios paseos.

Juanita La Larga (1896), the third of Juan Valera's eponymous novels with a female protagonist, unfolds in a small town in nineteenth-century Spain and tells the story of a young girl's romance with a wealthy widower many years her senior. In addition to their substantial difference in years and class, the lovers must contend with the indignation of his imperious married daughter, the public rebuke of a churchman, and the strictures of society. As the novel opens, readers are introduced to Juanita in the exuberance of youth. We witness her maturation into a young woman and along the way we watch as she learns to deal with humiliation, anger, jealousy, and a pride that makes for bittersweet moments. Juanita reveals a cunning personality that is complemented by a dogged determination and an iron will; once she realizes what she wants in life neither the fear of reprisal nor the prospect of ostracism deters her. Other well-conceived, well-delineated characters are Juana, Juanita's mother and village do-it-all; Dona Ines, the haughty, sanctimonious daughter of the widower Don Paco who falls head over heels in love with Juanita and wants to marry her; Don Alvaro Roldan, Dona Ines's dissolute husband; and Don Policarpo, the town druggist. This charming work appears here for the first time in English and is elegantly translated by Robert M. Fedorchek. ""Juanita la Larga"" gives Valera an opportunity to describe, in loving detail, life in an Andalusian hamlet: its social levels, political intrigues, religious observances, rustic amenities, and hearty fare. But above all it offers a vibrant picture of Juanita, a worthy sister to other Valera heroines like Pepita of ""Pepita Jimenez"" (1874) and Luz of ""Dona Luz"" (1879).