you trust her?"

"What could I do?" rejoined Nizza. "To stay was as bad as to fly, and
might have been worse. At all events, I had no distrust. My companion
opened the gate, and called to some person without. It was profoundly
dark; but I could perceive a carriage, or some other vehicle, at a
little distance. Alarmed at the sight, I whispered my fears to my
companion, and would have retreated; but she laid hold of my hand, and
detained me. The next moment I felt a rude grasp upon my arm. Before I
could cry out, a hand was placed over my mouth so closely as almost to
stifle me; and I was forced into the carriage by two persons, who seated
themselves on either side of me, threatening to put me to death if I
made the slightest noise. The carriage was then driven off at a furious
pace. For some miles it pursued the high road, and then struck into a
lane, where, in consequence of the deep and dangerous ruts, the driver
was obliged to relax his speed. But in spite of all his caution, one of
the wheels sunk into a hole, and in the efforts to extricate it, the
carriage was overturned. No injury was sustained either by me or the
others inside, and the door being forced open without much difficulty,
we were let out. One of my captors kept near me, while the other lent
his assistance to the coachman to set the carriage to rights. It proved,
however, to be so much damaged, that it could not proceed; and, after
considerable delay, my conductors ordered the coachman to remain with it
till further assistance could be sent; and, taking the horses, one of
them, notwithstanding my resistance, placed me beside him, and galloped
off. Having ridden about five miles, we crossed an extensive common, and
passed an avenue of trees, which brought us to the entrance of an old
house. Our arrival seemed to be expected; for the instant we appeared,
the gate was opened, and the old woman you have just seen, and who is
called Mrs. Carteret, together with a dumb African, named Hassan,
appeared at it. Some muttered discourse passed between my conductors and
these persons, which ended in my being committed to the care of Mrs.
Carteret who led me upstairs to a richly-furnished chamber, and urged me
to take some refreshment before I retired to rest, which, however, I
declined."

"Still, you saw nothing of Sir Paul Parravicin?" asked Leonard.

"On going downstairs next morning, he was the first person I beheld,"
replied Nizza. "Falling upon his knees, he