company of friends in whom I can confide.Force, I think, you would scarcely dare exert, and it would defeat yourown purpose."
"Trust not to such fallacious hopes, lady," answered the stranger,fiercely; "you know not to what lengths your coldness will drive one wholong has lived but in thinking of your charms! By a fortunate chanceyou were placed in my power, and, believe me, I value you too much toallow you to escape. You understand not my character when you thusventure to trifle with my feelings, for I am one whom the fear ofconsequences never daunts in the pursuit of my aims; threats cannotterrify me, and all laws I despise, or can elude. Yes, Donna Clara, Iwill not deny it is of myself I speak. I would woo you as a humblesuitor for your hand; but, if you spurn my love, I have the power, andwill exert it, to command you as a master; ay, and I will so tame thatproud spirit, that you will crave as a boon what you now so haughtilyrefuse."
"Never!" exclaimed Clara, with energy; for all the lofty feelings of hernoble race were aroused within that bosom, by nature so gentle, andformed for love. "I fear not your unworthy threats. Sooner, farsooner, would I die, than yield to your wishes; for each word you havespoken has but increased the hatred and contempt I have from the firstfelt for you."
"Ah! is it so, lady?" said the stranger, his voice trembling with rage."You will find yourself miserably deceived. Hear me for the last time.I have determined to try what leniency will effect in your sentiments;but, if you still refuse to listen to reason, you will lament theconsequences of your folly. Do not suppose that you can escape fromhence; for you are here as securely guarded as within one of thedungeons of the Jungueira; so build no hopes on that account. But Iwill not attempt to persuade you further. I now again quit you, toreturn but once more, when a priest will be in readiness to unite yourfate with mine; and be assured that my impatience will brook but shortdelay. Till then, Donna Clara, farewell!" He bent low, and attemptedto take her hand, but she hastily withdrew it. "Well, well, lady," headded, in a scornful tone, "to-morrow, methinks, you will actdifferently;" and, as on the former occasion, he bowed, and quitted thecottage. When, no sooner had he gone than the fair girl'sself-possession gave way, and she burst into a flood of tears.
Volume 2, Chapter XVII.
Sad was the change which three days of intense anxiety and suffering hadworked on the fair cheek of the still lovely Clara. She might have beencompared to the fresh-blown rose, drooping beneath the hot blast of thesirocco, yet still retaining its fragrance and beauty, and which thebalmy dews of evening would quickly restore to health and vigour. Theold hag had never for an instant quitted her, nor had she been able toextract a single sentence from her, even to learn in what part of thecity she was imprisoned. Her thoughts all the time dwelling on the tooprobable loss of her father, and brother, and of one who she could nothelp confessing was even dearer than either, yet she did not rely on herinformer's declaration of their deaths; and she endeavoured so to nerveher courage, as to resist every attempt he might make to compel her tobecome his bride. Though he had spoken in a feigned voice, and she hadnot seen his features, she had no doubt as to the identity of hergaoler; and she felt assured that terror of the law would prevent himfrom perpetrating any violence,--the abduction only of the daughter of afidalgo being punishable by death, with confiscation of property;though, had she known the disorganised state of society since theearthquake, her alarm would have been far greater. Since the maskedstranger had visited her, no one had appeared, and she was now, withdread and agitation, looking forward to his return. She heard footstepsapproaching--her heart beat quick--they stopped at the cottage-door,against which a single blow was struck; but the old woman paid noattention to it. It was again repeated, with the same result. Severallouder knocks were then heard, when the hag approached the door, andplaced her ear against it, in the act of listening.
"Who is there?" she asked, in a voice like the croaking of a raven. "Goaway, and leave an aged lone woman in quiet."
"Open the door first, and we will not harm you," said a voice.
"I cannot open the door, for my son has gone away, and taken the key:you must wait till he returns," answered the hag.
"We should have to wait long enough," muttered some one outside.
Clara's heart throbbed yet quicker; but it was with hopes of liberation;yet she feared to cry out, for the eye of the hag was fixed on her witha malignant glance; and while she held up one finger to impose silence,her other hand clasped the handle of a sharp-pointed knife, with asignificant gesture.
"What is that you say about my son?" she asked, with a startling energy,which made Clara's blood thrill with dread.
"We speak not of your son, old woman," said the voice. "Open the doorquietly, or we shall be obliged to force it, in the name of the King."
"You had better not attempt it," she croaked forth. "My son is not onewho likes to have his house visited in his absence, so go your ways tillhe returns."
"Delay no longer, but force the door!" said another voice, which causeda tumultuous joy in Clara's bosom, for she knew it to be that of Luis.
"First tell me where my son is?" cried the beldame.
"Your son Rodrigo is in prison, where you will join him, if you do notdirectly obey our orders," said the former voice.
"Ah! is it so?" she shrieked. "It shall not be without cause, and Iwill be revenged on you first." Clara uttered a cry of terror--loudblows resounded against the door,--and the vile hag, with her glitteringknife upraised, rushed towards her, her eyes glaring with savage fury;and, with a yell of derisive laughter, she aimed her weapon at the bosomof the fair girl; but her foot slipped, and she fell to the ground. Ina moment she rose again, and pursued her victim, who endeavoured toescape her rage.
"Luis, Luis, save me!" cried Clara, in an agony of fear.
The blows against the door were redoubled. The hag, with franticgestures, followed her. Her last moment seemed come, when the door wasburst open; and, while several men seized the wretched woman--yet notbefore she had plunged the knife into her own heart--Clara, with a cryof joy, fell fainting into her lover's arms.
"Where is my son? you said he was taken," muttered the old woman, as sheforced away the hand of Antonio, who was endeavouring to stanch theblood flowing from her wound.
"By this time he is dangling from one of the new gibbets at the gates ofthe city," answered one of the men.
"Then I will disappoint those of what they would much like to know," shemuttered.
She then suddenly endeavoured to tear herself from the grasp of thosewho held her, uttering shriek upon shriek, mixed with dreadful curses onall around.
"Ay, ay, I see my son in the flames of purgatory, and the devils aredragging me down to him. I will not go yet--I will live to curse thosewho have slain him. May their end be like his, and may they dwell forever in the torments of hell!"
She ceased not uttering exclamations like these till her evil spiritfled its vile tenement.
Luis bore Clara from the dreadful scene, accompanied by Captain Pinto,and followed by the rest of the party, till they reached an open space,where a carriage was in waiting; and, as he placed her in it, and tookhis seat by her side, he caught a glimpse of a tall man, whose featureswere concealed in a cloak, watching them at some distance. Havingreceived the warm congratulations of his friend, who was obliged toreturn to his duty, while Pedro and some of the men prepared toaccompany him as guards, Luis offered a purse of money to Antonio, as arecompense for his exertions.
"No, senhor," he answered, declining it; "I have but performed thecommands of the Minister, and I seek my reward from him alone;" and,bowing profoundly, he took his leave.
We must not attempt to transcribe the conversation of Clara and Luis, asthey slowly proceeded by a long and circuitous road towards theresidence of the old Marchioness. She first asked eagerly for herfather, when Luis assured her that though too unwell to engagepersonally in the search for her, he was in no danger, and that herpresence would soon recover him. Why, we know not, but she did not
evenmention her brother's name. Luis then told her of his wretchedness, andalmost madness, at her loss, and she confessed to have suffered as much,which afforded, doubtless, great consolation to him. Next he told herof all the fruitless endeavours he had made to recover her, which hadworn him nearly to a skeleton; and, in answer, she told him of thevisits she had received from the masked stranger, and of her suspicionsas to who he was; when they both agreed, that, if she was right, theCount had acted so cautious a part, that though he as richly deservedhanging as his assistant Rodrigo, it would be utterly impossible topunish him by any legal means, though Luis vowed internally to take thefirst opportunity of chastising him. Yet they only slightly touched onthese subjects; for there was a far more engrossing one
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