fect
silence. When, however, the priest addressed her, she answered him
readily, though briefly, but seemed to be totally unconscious of the
presence of any one else. The condition of the unfortunate lady was a
sufficient reason for Father Mendez remaining at Lunnasting; indeed, he
remarked that he should consider himself guilty of the greatest cruelty
should he take his departure till the return of her father and sister.
There was no one besides Hilda of sufficient authority in the castle to
request him to go, so he remained on. No news had been received of Sir
Marcus Wardhill and his daughter, and it was supposed that they were
entirely ignorant of the strange occurrences which had taken place.
Pedro Alvarez likewise continued to live on at the castle; when he had
learned enough English to express himself, he offered several excellent
reasons for remaining. In the first place, he said that Don Hernan had
confided his wife to his charge, as with a prescience of what was to
occur, just before the shipwreck; and that at that awful moment he had
vowed to devote himself to her interests as long as his life should
last. He also frankly confessed that he had no means of returning home;
he had written to Spain for a remittance, as well as to announce the
loss of the corvette, and till his cash arrived he could not go away,
even if he wished to do so. Father Mendez also stated that it was the
wish of his late captain's widow that the lieutenant should continue a
guest at the castle, as long as he found it convenient to remain.

Pedro Alvarez and Lawrence after a time became very great friends. They
boated, and fished, and shot together; and Lawrence assisted him very
much in learning English. When, however, the days grew shorter, and the
nights longer and colder, he shrugged his shoulders, and complained that
the time was very dull. He had, however, by his frank, open, and
unpretending manners, and quiet habits, won very much upon the good
opinion of Bertha Eswick, who declared that she would far rather have
his society at the castle than that of Father Mendez, whose ways and
notions she could by no means understand, although she owned that he
spoke far better English, and that no fault could be found with the
courtesy and gentleness of his manners. Neither of them gave any
trouble. Father Mendez especially was satisfied with the simplest fare.
Plain water formed his beverage, eggs and fish his principal food.
Pedro