days, she had not
been left a moment alone, and every instrument of death had been
carefully removed from her reach. The attentive services of Roque partly
reconciled her to her dreadful situation; for it is consoling, even in
the lowest depths of affliction, to meet with _one_ sympathising being,
however humble his station, however weak and limited his means to
afford comfort and redress. In the midst of her barbarous enemies, she
was permitted the attendance of a Christian, and this circumstance,
trifling as it was, imparted some solace to her oppressed spirit.
Besides, Caneri had abstained from importuning her with his loathsome
protestations of love. This forbearance of the Moor arose from the
renegade having stipulated, that in engaging the affections of Theodora,
he should resort to no violence in her present sorrowful condition.

Thus Caneri had limited his addresses to a bare manifestation of
respectful regard, foreign indeed to his nature, and borrowed only from
the necessity of acquiescing with the wishes of the renegade, who had
boldly declared he would oppose any violence employed against Theodora.
This favorable disposition of the renegade was a source of astonishment
to the object of his solicitude, for she could not forget that he had
been the principal agent in the completion of her misery. Did Bermudo
intend by these seeming kind offices to secure the prey to himself? or
was it really a sentiment of pity that impelled him to the
manifestation of this solicitude? Could heavenly pity dwell in that
darksome abode, where the most fiendish passions kept a constant
habitation? How were such opposite guests to be reconciled?

These surmises kept the mind of Theodora in a state of continual
excitement, but as day after day passed, and the renegade, instead of
exhibiting the least mark of enamoured sentiments, seemed to grow more
respectful in his attention, those doubts began to wear away, and
Theodora concluded that some mystery enveloped his proceedings, which
she was unable to unravel, and which time alone could clear up.

In pursuance of the injunctions of El Feri, his brother chief, Caneri,
had established his head quarters at Alhaurin, where his party was daily
increasing by the Moors who came to join his standard. Caneri himself
had arrived three days before, having left to the renegade the charge of
Theodora, who could not be supposed to travel with equal expedition.

Bermudo, therefore, with a few