IN WHICH TWO FUGITIVES HAVE A STARTLING ADVENTURE, NOT WITHOUT PERIL.
Evening came, and Russell, with Rita's assistance, put on the woman's
dress over his general's uniform. The skill of Rita was exerted to
give her companion the appearance of a female somewhat stricken in
years, and her success was marked.
Perhaps it was this very success that affected the soul of Russell;
for no sooner did he look like an old woman than he began to feel and
act like one. Away went all his courage, and he would have drawn back
after all, had not Rita urged and almost forced him away.
"Allarighta," she said. "The men all gone insidar, and so ongry they
think of ony the eaters. So come, my dear. No one shall see. You be
trust to myselfa--an' we go like snake in the grasses."
Russell thus allowed himself to be hurried away by his bolder
companion on the path that led to liberty. Rita led the way out into
the upper hall, and Russell followed, not without great trepidation,
and bitter regret at his rashness, expecting at every step to see
"His Majesty," and of course to be arrested and flung into some deep,
dark dungeon. One or two men were there, who, however, took no notice
of them.
After this they descended the stairs and entered the lower hall.
Here, to the immense dismay of Russell, he beheld what seemed to be
the entire Carlist band. It was their feeding-time. A huge pot was in
the middle of the hall, and these men were dipping out of it their
respective portions of some savory mess whose odor filled the air.
Russell shrunk down almost into his boots at the first sight; but
as Rita walked along, he had no alternative except to follow her.
Little danger was there, however, of his being observed. All the men
were too intent upon their evening meal to notice what seemed like
two very commonplace women who probably belonged to the castle. And
thus Russell, to his unspeakable relief, passed through this ordeal
unquestioned and even unnoticed.
Having passed through the lower hall, they emerged into the outer
court-yard. Here, as he passed through the door, Russell was just
drawing a long breath, and thinking within himself that the worst was
over, when suddenly, without any warning, there approached them no
less a personage than "His Majesty" himself--the very last man, as it
is needless to say, whom Russell would have chosen to meet. At that
sight the soul of Russell, which had been slowly struggling upward,
once more sank down into his boots, carrying down with it all hope,
and all desire, and almost all consciousness.
There was not the slightest chance of avoiding him. He was coming
straight toward them. What was worse, his eyes were fixed upon them.
"Ah, Rita," said "His Majesty" in Spanish, "where are you going in
the dark?"
Bita paused and made a low obeisance. Russell did the same.
"I'm going over there to see about some washing," said Rita.
"Ah ha!" said "His Majesty," "if you only were going alone I should
say that some brave boy was intending to help you at your washing.
But you have a friend with you."
Saying these words, "His Majesty" looked hard at the shrinking
Russell, who now felt his soul all oozing out at the seams of his
boots. He stood trembling, shrinking, expecting the worst.
But Rita was equal to the occasion.
"Oh, this is my aunt," said she, "that I told you about. I asked her
to come here and help me. She's a little rheumatic, being old, but
she can do a good turn at hard work yet; and she's a good cook, too,
and she can spin well--oh, beautifully; and she is a wonder in her
way. Oh, we shall have a better _olla podrida_ than you ever tasted
when the good old aunt goes to work."
"Your aunt--ah!" said "His Majesty," in a tone that savored of
disappointment. "H'm--well, Rita, the next time you want help don't
send for any of your aunts, but send for some one of your nieces.
They will be far more welcome in a lonely place like this. _Olla
podridas_ are all very well, no doubt, but what I should prefer would
be some one who could touch the guitar, and sing a lively song."
And with these words "His Majesty" retired.
"Come," said Rita to the almost senseless Russell. "Come."
Again Russell followed her. She led the way toward an archway in the
wall on one side of the court-yard. Entering this, they found
themselves in an arched room, in which it was difficult to see
through the dim twilight. But to Rita the way seemed quite familiar,
for she walked on and told Russell to follow without fear. At length
she stopped, and as Russell came up to her, she said:
"We descenda--steps does be here--I takes your hand and helps."
She took his hand, and began to descend. With this assistance Russell
was able to follow without much difficulty. Soon it became quite
dark, and continued so for some time, during which Rita led him
onward as quickly as possible. At length she paused.
"You mus' be careful," she said; "here is the steps brokes, an' you
shall go slow--and not slips."
It was so dark here that Russell could see nothing; but he felt that
Rita was descending, so he prepared to follow. The steps here had
been broken in places, leaving a rough, inclined plane, with loose
stones and mortar. There was no great difficulty in descending, but
it was dark, and Russell's long skirts were very much in the way.
However, by moving slowly, and by exercising great caution, he was
able to reach the bottom without any accident.
Here Rita took his hand and again led him on. It now began to grow
lighter, until at last objects were plainly discernible. The light
was caused by the moonbeams, which shone in through a place where the
outside wall was broken away. Looking through the opening, Russell
saw, not far distant, a precipice, with bits of shrubbery here and
there. Soon they came to the opening itself.
He found himself on the verge of a deep chasm, the very one already
mentioned. Above the opening projected part of what had once been a
bridge, but which had long since fallen. On the opposite side was the
tower where Brooke and Talbot had found refuge. The bridge had once
crossed to the tower, and, since it had fallen, this opening had been
made, from which the chasm could be crossed by descending on one side
and ascending the other. The slope was steep and rough. Russell, as
he looked down, could not see any chance of farther progress in this
direction.
"We mus' go down here," said Rita.
"Here?" said Russell. "How? I can't go down!"
"Oh, it is easy; you mus' follow. I show the ways," said Rita; and,
saying this, she stepped down from the opening upon a ledge of rock.
Then turning to the right, she went on for a pace or two and turned
for Russell. Seeing her walk thus far with ease and in safety, he
ventured after her. The ledge was wide enough to walk on without
difficulty; and, although the chasm was deep, yet the side did not
run down steeply enough to make him feel anything like giddiness. The
pathway was easy enough when one had a guide to show the way; and
thus Russell, following closely behind Rita, reached the bottom.
Then, crossing the brook, she led the way up on the opposite side by
the path already mentioned, and at length both reached the tower, and
paused to take breath.
Thus far no alarm had been given in the castle. Every step increased
Russell's confidence, and when he gained the tower he felt sure of
escape. But to wait here long was not to be thought of; so, after a
few moments spent in regaining breath, the two set forth to continue
their flight.
At length, after a fatiguing journey, they reached the main road, and
here they turned toward the south, in which direction they went for
some miles.
They had now been walking for many hours, and Russell, who was quite
unused to any exercise of this sort, was greatly fatigued. Nothing,
indeed, but the dread of capture and the thought of a merciless
pursuer on his track had kept him up so long. He felt that he had
reached the utmost limit of his strength.
At last they caught sight of a windmill in a field on the right. The
sight enlivened him. Here, he thought, they might hide and obtain
rest. He said this to Rita. She acquiesced. To gain the windmill was
now their chief desire.
Nearer they came, and nearer.
But now, just when all seemed gained, they saw a number of armed men
coming toward them, and in a few minutes they were arrested by the
followers of Lopez.