recognize the place, but gazed on it steadfastly, with
no kindly feeling. "Edom is exalted. He hath made his habitation in
the clefts of the rock. He sayeth in his heart, who shall bring me
down?" But presently he distinguished the peculiar aqueduct, and his
eye roving westward, was struck by the familiar outline of _Serra
D'Ossa_.

"We have lost our road," said Lady Mabel, "and found our way back to
Elvas;" and, laughing merrily, she shot ahead, leaving Moodie too much
angered and mortified to enjoy the relief of his anxieties.

On reaching his quarters he went straight to his bed, to sleep off his
fatigue, his chagrin, and the good wine which had befriended yet
beguiled him.

CHAPTER XIV.

It snowed in his house of meat and drink,
Of all dainties that men could of think;
After the sundry seasons of the year,
So changed he his meat and soupere.
Full many a fat patriarch had he in mew,
And many a breme and many a luce in stew;
Wo was his cook, but if his sauce were
Poignant and sharp, and ready all his gere,
His table dormant in his hall alway,
Stood ready covered all the long day.

_Prologue to Canterbury Tales_.

Three days had gone by since the return of the party from Evora. The
ladies had gotten over their fatigue, talked over their travels, and
wondered at seeing nothing of L'Isle. He had merely sent to inquire
after their health, instead of coming himself, as in duty bound. Lady
Mabel had confidently looked for him the first day, asked about him
the next, and on the third, feeling hurt at this continued neglect,
concluded that she had had enough of his company of late, and it did
not matter should she not see him for a month.

Meanwhile, what was L'Isle doing? He was busy reforming himself and
his regiment. On his return to Elvas he had met with several little
indications of relaxed discipline, and somewhat suddenly remembered
that he had not come out to Portugal to ride about the country,
escorting young ladies in search of botanical specimens, picturesque
scenes, and fragments of antiquity. He, the most punctilious of
martinets, had been sadly neglecting his duties, and had used the
invalid's plea until it was worn threadbare long ago. He was
dissatisfied with himself, and, of course, more dissatisfied with
other people.

From the day he came back he was constantly in the midst of his
regiment. He showed himself, too, at the head of the mess