ly.
"Now we are all within, pray give me the key and show us the road to the
Queen's apartments."

"Two women!" grumbled the poor old creature, whose mind appeared to be
somewhat unhinged; "that will never suit her Royal Highness the Regent,
especially if they are young and well-looking. She loves not such, any
more than I love the hussy of the pork-shop. Though, indeed, my man hath
not the roving eye in his head as her Senor Munoz hath. Ah, the saints
have mercy on all poor deserted women! But what am I saying? If the
Lady Cristina heard me speak ill of him, she would set my poor old neck
in the garrote. Then--crack--all would be over!"

The party now advanced towards the palace, which in the gloom of a
starless night was still entirely hidden from their sight, save as a
darker mass set square against the black vault of heaven.

By this time Concha and La Giralda had taken the trembling portress by
the arms, and were bringing her along in the van, whispering comfort in
her ears all the way. The sergeant and Rollo came next, with Mortimer
and Etienne behind, a naked blade in the hand of each, for Rollo had
whispered the word to draw swords. This, however, El Sarria interpreted
to mean his faithful Manchegan knife, to which he trusted more than to
any sword of Toledo that ever was forged.

At any other time they could not have advanced a score of yards without
being brought to a stand-still by the challenge of a sentry, the whistle
of a rifle bullet, or the simultaneous turning out of the guard. But now
no such danger was to be apprehended. All was still as a graveyard
before cock-crow.

It is hard, in better and wiser days, when things are beginning to be
traced to their causes, to give any idea of the effect of the first
appearance of Black Cholera among a population at once so simple and so
superstitious as that of rural Spain. The inhabitants of the great
towns, the Cristino armies in the field, the country-folk of all
opinions were universally persuaded that the dread disease was caused by
the monks in revenge for the despites offered to them; especially by the
hated Jesuits, who were supposed to have thrown black cats alive into
rivers and wells in order to produce disease by means of witchcraft and
diabolical agency.

So universal was this belief that so soon as the plague broke out in any
city or town the neighbouring monasteries were immediately plundered,
and the priors and brethren either put to death o