nvenience of consulting her inclination?--No, Roque; unless some
better plan be instantly devised, I must even resolve upon the convent;
for the time passes rapidly away, and this girl must be disposed of
to-night."

"Could you not contrive to send her to her father?" demanded Roque:
"Poor thing, she is so very unhappy that----"

"Send her to her father!" returned Gomez Arias. "Art thou mad,
Roque?--or is it thy wish that my fortune should be ruined for ever?"

"Neither one nor the other," rejoined the valet; "but it strikes me as
plainly as day-light, that before we contrive to shut up this bird in
the cage, her continual chirping will call some one to the rescue, and
then I do not see any chance of mending our fortune; but, by-the-bye,
talking of mending, I wonder if I am likely to find any for this most
innocent and ill-treated _gorguera_?"

"A thousand curses on thee and on thy _gorguera_!" cried Gomez Arias,
impatiently; then, assuming a calmer tone, he continued--"With regard to
thy fears that she may call for rescue, that inconvenience may be easily
obviated."

"_Santos cielos!_" exclaimed Roque, with visible affright--"You surely
do not mean to cut off her tongue?"

"No," answered Don Lope, "that fate I reserve for yours, unless you
contrive to keep it under better control."--He then added--"By sending
Theodora to some nunnery in a remote city, such as Barcelona or
Saragossa for example,--the air must be sharp, indeed, that can convey
thus far the sound of her complaints."

"But, Senor," asked Roque, "is the young lady to be conducted to the
said remote city by magic, or is she merely to be led in the ordinary
way; for if this last be the case, what deception can you use subtle
enough to lure a bird that has already been caught once in your snares?"

"That is true," replied Gomez Arias, "but I must risk a distant danger,
to ward off a more immediate one. I do not entirely flatter myself that
this unfortunate business will not come to light some time; but if I
cannot avoid the storm, I am anxious that, ere it explode, I should at
least be under good shelter."

"Well, Senor," said Roque, "it is a very delicate piece of business,
and I really cannot harbour the presumption of offering you my advice. I
shall obey your commands, as in duty bound, provided they are not in too
direct an opposition with my conscience and----"

"And what?" inquired Don Lope.

"_Lavabo inter innocentes manus meas_," solemnly