answered Rodrigo. "Treat her kindly, and give her food,if she can eat such as we poor people have; and take care she does notescape, or we shall lose our reward--remember that."
"Ay, ay, we are to have gold, are we? then I will take care she does notget away," returned the hag, glancing at her with her baneful eyes.
"I have said, no harm shall happen to you, lady, so cease crying," saidthe bravo, turning to Clara; and, whispering a few words in his mother'sear, he quitted the house, locking the door behind him, and taking awaythe key.
The old woman followed her son's directions, without addressing a wordto her prisoner; but, weak and faint as Clara was, she could not, as maybe supposed, partake of the fare placed before her. Her witch-likehostess then supported her to a rough couch in a corner of the room, onwhich, more in a state of fainting than sleeping, she forgot, for atime, the horrors of her situation, though her brain yet retained aconfused impression of the terrific sounds and dreadful scenes she hadencountered.
It was daylight before the bravo returned, bringing a basket of delicateprovisions already cooked and prepared with care, which he placed on thetable, without addressing Clara, and withdrew in haste, merely noddingto his mother as he passed out, again locking the door behind him. Afew hours' rest had partially restored Clara's strength, and enabled herto take a little refreshment; but to all her questions the old woman wasas uncommunicative as her son, pretending entire deafness, to escapebeing troubled with further ones. Her manner was, however, sufficientlyrespectful, and she was attentive to her prisoner's wants; but herbehaviour was actuated, evidently, more by the hopes of gain than by anyfeminine or kindly feeling. As she moved about the room, at her work,muttering curses, she would every now and then cast suspicious glancestowards the fair girl; but whenever a slight shock of the earthquake wasfelt, she would fall down on her knees and kiss and fondle the image ofa saint, the only ornament the room possessed: as soon, however, as ithad passed away, she would again rise and pursue her former occupations.On these occasions, Clara could not avoid trembling with alarm, as shesaw the fragile building vibrating with the shock, expecting everyinstant to be overwhelmed in its ruins; but the earthquakeprovidentially did no further damage than cause pieces of mortar to fallfrom the ceiling, or the walls, till at last she learned no longer todread it.
Clara had remained many hours in a dreadful state of doubt anduncertainty, not only as to her own future fate, but as to that of Luis,whom she had last beheld in the power of the ruffians; and of herfather, for she could not tell if he had escaped the destruction, whichappeared to her universal, though she was unconscious of the horrors ofthe commencement; when the door of the room was opened from without, anda tall figure entered, wrapped in a large cloak, so as completely toconceal his person, a black mask covering his features. He bowedrespectfully towards her as he entered, and then advanced close to whereshe was seated, her lovely head bent down, and her face hidden in herhands.
"Lady!" said the stranger, "I have been deputed hither by one who adoresyou to distraction, and who has heard with deep concern of the violencewhich has been offered to you; but he has taken measures to prevent thereturn of the ruffian who brought you here, and if you will accept of myescort, I will conduct you to a place of greater security."
Clara started at the first sound of that voice, which made her tremblewith fear, for the tones seemed familiar; but then she thought she musthave been mistaken, yet she mistrusted the speaker.
"I can trust myself with no one who requires a mask to conceal hisfeatures," she answered; "yet let me know to whom I am indebted forassistance, and I may be grateful."
"Circumstances prevent my declaring myself, lady, at present," returnedthe stranger; "but confide in my honour, and I will escort you from thiswretched hovel to an abode, which, though unworthy to receive you, isyet equal to any the city, in its present ruined state, can afford."
"Pardon me, senhor, that I hesitate," said Clara; "for I dare notconfide in one unknown; but if you will carry the information to myfather that I am here, I shall be deeply grateful."
The stranger listened to this answer with signs of impatience.
"I would do what you wish, fair lady, but I grieve to say your father,if, as I believe, you are the daughter of Goncalo Christovao, fell avictim to the destroying earthquake."
"Oh! say you do not speak the truth; you surely must have beenmistaken," she exclaimed; "my father cannot be among the dead!"
"It is but too true, lady," was the answer; "and I fear you have few orno friends who have escaped it."
On hearing this sad assertion, Clara bent down her head and sobbedviolently, while the stranger stood by, beholding her in silence forsome minutes, when she suddenly looked up. "I pray Heaven you may havebeen deceived in the account you give," she said; "but if not, as youare a man, and, as I believe, from your air, of gentle birth, I entreatyou to discover one who has already risked his life to save mine, and inwhom I may place entire confidence--Don Luis d'Almeida. Go, senhor,inform him that I am here, and he will strive to show his gratitude toyou."
Clara, in the innocence of her heart, referred naturally to the personon whom all her thoughts and feelings centred; but her words seemed togive anything but satisfaction to her hearer. He stamped vehemently onthe ground, as he answered, between his closed teeth,--"Know you not,lady, that you speak of one who is the murderer of your brother? and he,surely, is not a fit guardian for you."
She was no longer deceived in the speaker's voice. She rose calmly fromher seat:--"Count San Vincente," she said, "the disguise you wear cannotconceal you from me; nor do I believe your words; for I feel firm in theconviction that Don Luis could not have slain my brother. I knew noteven that he was reported to have been killed; nor do I believe, fromyour assertion, that such is the case. Now, leave me, senhor; for Iknow full well you dare not venture to use violence towards a noblemaiden. Find means to inform my friends of my situation, and I will notbreathe my suspicions; if not, dread the consequences of this outrage."
"You mistake, fair lady; I am not the person you suppose," answered thestranger; "and though I am unwilling to use threats to compel you to dowhat I would wish you to perform of your own accord, you must rememberthat you are completely in my power, and that I fear not the vengeanceof your friends; for none will know that you were not lost in the ruinsof the convent, till he who seeks to wed you thinks fit to produce youas his bride. Will you now consent to accompany me?"
"Never!" answered Clara, firmly; "I would rather trust myself to thecommon ruffian who brought me hither, than to one who is capable ofdeceit and treachery so vile to gain his wishes. Hear me! Whateverbetide, I will never become the bride of the Conde San Vincente, and himI know that I see before me!"
"You will gain little by your resolution, lady, which, like women ingeneral, you will be glad to break on the first occasion," answered thestranger. "I leave you now to reflect on my words; and remember, thateven if Don Luis survives, which I know not he does, you cannot wed himwho has slain your brother; and that such is the case, is well-known byall. Farewell, lady; I trust that, by to-morrow, you will haveconsidered the subject more calmly, when I will again visit you."Saying which, the stranger, bowing low, quitted the cottage, withouteven deigning to regard the old woman; but Clara was confirmed in herpersuasion that he was a principal person concerned in the outrageoffered to her, by hearing him again lock the door and withdraw the key,as the keeper of her prison.
For the remainder of the day she was unmolested by further visits; butif she even attempted to approach the window, the old beldame followedher closely, to prevent her, in case she should make any signal forassistance to those passing by; a chance not likely to occur, seeingthat the cottage stood in a lane but little frequented at any time, andone end of it being now completely blocked up with ruins.
On the morning of the second day, a knock was heard at the door, towhich the old woman went directly, when a hand was thrust in with abasket of provisions, as before, and immedi
ately withdrawn. About twohours afterwards, the tall masked stranger returned, again bowingprofoundly, as he advanced towards Clara.
"Lady, I trust that a night's rest has enabled you to perceive your truecondition more clearly than you did yesterday," he began. "Pardon methat I appear importunate; but though, as I before assured you, I shouldbe unwilling to force your inclinations, yet I must insist on youraccompanying me, without resistance, from this wretched hovel, which isnot fit to be honoured: by your presence."
"Neither my opinion of my gaoler, nor my feelings, have changed sinceyesterday," replied Clara; "nor is the treatment I have received at alllikely to alter them; and, as I have before declared, I will not quitthis house, unless in the