"Yesterday."
"You spoke of a diligence. You must have come from Barcelona by train."
"Of course."
"Then that must have been the train that stopped over there."
"Yes; the train stopped. I understood that it was not going on any farther for a long time, for that the track was torn up. A diligence was prepared for those pa.s.sengers who were anxious to go on immediately, and I was most eager to proceed without delay, so as to get to my home as soon as possible. So, early this morning, we left, and came, without any incident of any kind until we reached a place about five miles away. There we were stopped and robbed. I believe all the pa.s.sengers were detained and held as prisoners--at least I myself was. I was handed over to the care of a peasant woman, who took me to a cottage. About two hours ago she came to me and told me that I might go, and urged me to fly at once. I could not understand her very well, for I know very little Spanish indeed, but I could see that she was sorry for me, and offered me this chance of escape. It was also quite evident that she considered me in great danger, and was frightened about me. I felt deeply grateful, and offered her a gold locket which had escaped the notice of the robbers, but she refused it. So then I started off. I"ve come along the road ever since, and have seen no one except yourself. And now, sir," continued the lady, looking at the priest with intense earnestness, "can you help me? Will you? Oh, for the love of--"
Here the priest interrupted her. The lady had spoken in a low voice, which had a very mournful cadence, and besides this there were signs of deep emotion in the tremulous tones and the agitated manner. Her flight had been a long and a hurried one; the exertion had been severe; her strength had been put forth to the utmost; she was on the verge of utter exhaustion. Everything in her appearance, voice, and manner combined to inspire pity and sympathy. The good priest had seemed not unmoved as she was speaking, and now he interrupted her, raising his hand, and speaking in a very gentle voice.
"Ah, now," said he, "come--none of that! Do you think me a savage, that you must pray to me for mercy? Help you!" he repeated, in stronger tones. "Ay, madame, that will I, and with the last drop of my heart"s-blood and to my life"s end. There, is that strong enough?
Help you!"--and he gave a short laugh--"that"s good, too! Why, what else have I been thinking of ever since I met you? What else can you suppose that I intend to do? Isn"t it enough for me to see your distress? But come--it isn"t quite so safe as it might be, and enemies may be lurking near. We must first find a place of retirement, where we can decide on what is best to be done."
The tones of the priest"s voice were now totally different from those which he had employed hitherto. These were harsh, dry, indifferent, almost mocking; but now they were full of sincere feeling and unmistakable truth. Their effect upon the lady was very marked and strong. She clasped her hands, bowed her head, and in her weakness was unable to bear up under this new revulsion of feeling; so she burst into tears and stood there weeping.
At this the priest was not a little embarra.s.sed. For a moment he seemed about to try to soothe her; but be checked this impulse, and looked away, whistling softly to himself. After a few moments he went on, speaking in a gentle voice:
"I"ve been going along alone easily enough, but now, if you will come with me, I shall have to make some changes in my plans. You see, two cannot travel so easily as one; and then you are a lady, and an English lady too, which in these parts means a wealthy foreigner--an object of plunder. You, as an English lady, run an amount of risk to which I, as a Spanish priest, am not at all exposed. So you see we can no longer remain in so public a place as this high-road. We must seek some secure place, at least for the present. You don"t seem able to go much farther. This moonlight night is just the time for flight, but you need rest now, and unless you get that first you won"t be able to escape at all. And so--what do you say to my hunting up a hiding-place for the night?"
As the priest began to speak, the lady had made a violent effort to recover herself and had succeeded well enough to listen attentively, only showing by an occasional sigh or sob that her distress had not yet pa.s.sed away altogether. At the priest"s question she paused thoughtfully for a short time, and then said,
"My being with you will make a great difference to you?"
"Oh yes," said the priest.
"It will perhaps endanger your safety," continued the lady, anxiously.
"Oh, that is nothing," said the priest; "that is my normal state. I am always in danger."
"Still, I should be sorry to add to your danger," she said, hesitatingly; "and if--if--"
"Well," said the priest, sharply, "if what?"
"If I am a source of danger," said the lady, calmly, "I should prefer going on alone, just as I was; and I shall only ask you to tell me what is the nearest town, and to give me generally the direction to it."
"Oh, you will, will you?" said the priest, in the mocking tone which he had previously used. "Well, then, madame, I shall only ask you to do as I say, and ask no questions. I know the country--you don"t. I have registered a vow in heaven to save you, and save you I will, even in spite of all your teeth. I swear it in the name of the great Jehovah and the Continental Congress!"
At these strange words the lady was silent for a few moments, and then said, in a tremulous voice,
"I"ll do anything that you wish me to do."
"Furthermore, my hearer," continued the priest, suddenly a.s.suming and immediately dropping the whine of a rustic preacher, "mark this--I don"t mind saying a few words to ease your scruples: you cannot make my position any more dangerous than it is already. I carry my life in my hand all the time."
"Still," said the lady, "you can easily take care of yourself; but what a terrible thing it would be if you should get into trouble on my account!"
"Well, I"ll ask only one question--what is your calling in life?"
"I have no calling. I"m a lady--"
"Spinster?" said the priest, in a mild voice.
"Yes," said the lady, gravely, and with deep sadness. It seemed to the priest that he had unwittingly touched upon a tender point.
"Pardon me," said he, "this is all I wish to get at. You are not a politician, not a political agent, not a spy?"
"Certainly not."
"Nor a newspaper correspondent?"
"No."
"Not even an artist?"
"No; nothing but a simple English lady, and only anxious to get back home."
"Very well--very good!" said the priest, approvingly. "And you shall go home, too; but remember what I said, and trust in me. And now let us see what we had better do. I"ve been here before, all through and through this country, and know it like a book. Now just over there, a little to the west, there is an old unoccupied castle, which is in very good condition, considering that it"s a thousand years old. It is just the place for us. Unfortunately, there may be others in it, for it is held from time to time by the one or the other of the fighting factions; yet, even in that case I know of an odd corner or two where we can elude observation for the present; for it is a very--a monstrously large castle, and I happen to know the ins and outs of it pretty well. I can a.s.sure you a good night"s rest there."
"It is not inhabited, you say."
"No, not as a general thing."
"I"m sorry for that. If it were, the people would perhaps give us shelter and food, and help us on our way."
"The people would perhaps give us more shelter than we might care for. But come--we ought to be off, for you need rest, and that soon."
The lady said nothing, but walked along with the priest. For about a quarter of a mile they followed the road, and then turned away to the left over the country. Here their pathway lay over the flank of the mountain, and traversed open fields which were used for pasture. The moon shone brightly, illuminating the scene, and the priest walked with the a.s.sured air of one who knew his way thoroughly.
The lady, who all along had seemed much fatigued, now began to give more evident signs of distress. The priest made her take his arm: she did so, and for a time was relieved. He sought to cheer her with encouraging words. She responded n.o.bly, and certainly made all the effort in her power; but her strength had that day been too sorely tasked, and threatened to fail her utterly. At last she sank to the ground, and sat there, while the priest waited patiently.
"Courage!" said he. "Cheer up! We shall soon be there now."
After a short rest the lady recovered a little, and made a final effort. They walked on as before, the lady holding the priest"s arm, and moving forward by dint of desperate exertions. So they went until at last there appeared immediately ahead a ma.s.sive tower, which seemed to arise from behind some trees.
"There it is," said the priest. "One more effort."
But the lady could go no farther. She sank down on the ground once more, with something like a groan.
"I can go no farther," said she, in a faint voice.
The priest made no reply, but stood for some time in silence watching her. It was evident that he hoped for another rally of her powers, but he was disappointed; for the lady sat with her head bowed down, trembling, weeping, and all unnerved. Time pa.s.sed, and there was no revival of strength.
"Madame!" said the priest at length, in a harsh and constrained voice.
At this the lady gave a sigh, and tried to raise herself, but without success. After a useless effort she sank down again.
"Madame," said the priest, "to stay here is out of the question. We have not much farther to go; the place of our destination is not far off, and I am going to carry you there."
"No," said the lady, "you must not. I--I--"