-I hoped to get out of his house alive, perhaps I had better
change my tactics, and keep my suspicions to myself, until I should
recover strength. If the man believed that he had convinced me of his
innocence and kindly intentions, he would perhaps think it easier to let
me live than to put me violently out of the way.

I made up my mind to cultivate a more reasonable spirit, until my body
might help me defend other convictions. And one thing gave me courage to
keep the resolution. The fact that my host was not willing yet to
discharge me as cured, argued that there was still a strong motive for
detaining me behind locked doors. The time of which Carmona had spoken in
my dream had not come. He was not married yet, and I said to myself that
he never would be, if it depended on Monica's consent to be his wife.

Since that hour in the cathedral of Seville nothing would make her believe
me disloyal, I thought; therefore nothing could make her disloyal to me.

Knowing little of illness, I trusted that, after all, I had not been put
away here for long. Maybe a few days of fever and delirium would waste the
hands and bleach out the brown stain of sunburn. At the moment, though I
was young, and had been strong, I would have no chance against even an old
man; but if I ate, and could crawl up to take a little exercise, a day or
two ought to make a vast difference.

I was still of this mind when the _capucha_ came back. So softly did he
unlock the door that I did not hear him, but he was not as stealthy about
locking it again. He had brought me a glass of milk; and when I had drunk
it he asked me to get up, and let him judge of my strength.

Weak as I was, I felt that I could have risen, but I determined to fight
him with his own weapons. Making a faint effort, I fell back on the
pillows, and closed my eyes.

"It will take many more glasses of milk before you need again ask 'But
when do I leave you?' " said the voice through the _capucha_.

I agreed, and pleased myself with my strategy after the man had gone out,
until to my alarm I was overcome with sleep.

He had put something into the milk.

XXXVIII

THE FOUNTAIN

The delicate fretwork of the walls was blurred in twilight when I waked
from heavy, irresistible sleep.

I felt dull, but could trace no other bad effect from the drug. Indeed, I
fancied that I was stronger; and very slowly, with occasional rests, I got
upon my