rough an antechamber,
across a spacious hall, and along a corridor; all was silent; the
household was yet locked in sleep. They came to a door, to which the
unknown applied a key. Inez's heart misgave her; she knew not but some
new treachery was menacing her; she laid her cold hand on the
stranger's arm: "Whither are you leading me?" said she. "To liberty,"
replied the other, in a whisper.

"Do you know the passages about this mansion?"

"But too well!" replied the girl, with a melancholy shake of the head.
There was an expression of sad veracity in her countenance, that was
not to be distrusted. The door opened on a small terrace, which was
overlooked by several windows of the mansion.

"We must move across this quickly," said the girl, "or we may be
observed."

They glided over it, as if scarce touching the ground. A flight of
steps led down into the garden; a wicket at the bottom was readily
unbolted: they passed with breathless velocity along one of the
alleys, still in sight of the mansion, in which, however, no person
appeared to be stirring. At length they came to a low private door in
the wall, partly hidden by a fig-tree. It was secured by rusty bolts,
that refused to yield to their feeble efforts.

"Holy Virgin!" exclaimed the stranger, "what is to be done? one moment
more, and we may be discovered."

She seized a stone that lay near by: a few blows, and the bolt flew
back; the door grated harshly as they opened it, and the next moment
they found themselves in a narrow road.

"Now," said the stranger, "for Granada as quickly as possible! The
nearer we approach it, the safer we shall be; for the road will be
more frequented."

The imminent risk they ran of being pursued and taken, gave
supernatural strength to their limbs; they flew, rather than ran. The
day had dawned; the crimson streaks on the edge of the horizon gave
tokens of the approaching sunrise; already the light clouds that
floated in the western sky were tinged with gold and purple; though
the broad plain of the Vega, which now began to open upon their view,
was covered with the dark haze of morning. As yet they only passed a
few straggling peasants on the road, who could have yielded them no
assistance in case of their being overtaken. They continued to hurry
forward, and had gained a considerable distance, when the strength of
Inez, which had only been sustained by the fever of her mind, began to
yield to fatigue: she slackened her pace