r her reply.

Florida felt the greatest vexation and sorrow imaginable; and love,
meeting with opposition, began to put forth its mighty strength. She
perceived that she had been in the wrong, and wrote continually to
Amadour entreating him to return, which he did after a few days, when
his anger had abated.

I cannot undertake to tell you minutely all that they said to each other
in order to destroy this jealousy. But at all events he won the victory,
and she promised him that not only would she never believe he loved
Paulina, but that she would ever be convinced he found it an intolerable
martyrdom to speak either to Paulina or to any one else except to do
herself a service.

When love had conquered this first suspicion, and while the two lovers
were beginning to take fresh pleasure in conversing together, news came
that the King of Spain was sending all his army to Salces. (11)

11 Salces, a village about fifteen miles north of Perpignan,
noted for its formidable fortress, still existing and
commanding a pass through the Corbiere Mountains, which in
the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries separated France from
Roussillon, then belonging to Spain. The French burnt the
village and demolished the fort of Salces in 1496, but the
latter was rebuilt by the Spaniards in the most massive
style. The walls of the fort are 66 feet thick at the base
and 54 feet thick at the summit. When Queen Margaret
returned from Spain in 152,5 she reached France by the pass
of Salces. (See vol. i. p. xlvi.).--Ed.

Amadour, accustomed ever to be the first in battle, failed not to seize
this opportunity of winning renown; but in truth he set forth with
unwonted regret, both on account of the pleasure he was losing and
because he feared that he might find a change on his return. He knew
that Florida, who was now fifteen or sixteen years old, was sought in
marriage by many great princes and lords, and he reflected that if she
were married during his absence he might have no further opportunity of
seeing her, unless, indeed, the Countess of Aranda gave her his wife,
Avanturada, as a companion. However, by skilful management with his
friends, he obtained a promise from both mother and daughter that
wherever Florida might go after her marriage thither should his wife,
Avanturada, accompany her. Although it was proposed to marry Florida
in Portugal, it was nevertheless resolved that Avantura