ugh, in his
present state of excitement, he fancied it perfectly feasible. He had
determined to proceed at once to the general-in-chief, one of whose
favourite officers he was, to acquaint him with what he had just
learned, and entreat his permission to set out that very night with a
few chosen men on an expedition into the heart of the Carlist country,
the object of it being to rescue Rita from her captivity. For reasons
which will hereafter appear, he had the worst possible opinion of Don
Baltasar, and so shocked and startled was he at hearing that the woman
to whom, in spite of their long separation, he was still devotedly and
passionately attached, was in his power, that for the time he lost all
coolness of judgment and overlooked the numerous obstacles to his
scheme. The rapid pace at which he rode, contributed perhaps to keep up
the whirl and confusion of his ideas, and he arrived at the door of
Cordova's quarters, without the impropriety and positive absurdity of
his application at such a moment having once occurred to him.

The Christino commander had taken up his quarters in the house of one of
the principal inhabitants of Artajona. At the time of Herrera's arrival,
although it was past ten o'clock, all was bustle and movement in and
about the extensive range of building; the stables crammed with horses,
the general's escort loitering in the vestibule, orderly officers and
aides-de-camp hurrying in all directions, bringing reports and conveying
orders to the different regiments and brigades; peasants, probably
spies, conversing in low earnest tones with officers of rank: here a
party of soldiers drinking, there another group gambling, in a third
place a row of sleepers stretched upon the hard ground, but soundly
slumbering in spite of its hardness and of the surrounding din. Pushing
his way through the crowd, Herrera ascended the stairs, and meeting an
orderly at the top, enquired for the general's apartments. Before the
soldier could reply, a door opened, a young officer came out, and,
perceiving Herrera, hurried towards him. The two officers shook hands.
The aide-de-camp was Mariano Torres, who had recently been appointed to
the general's staff, upon which Herrera would also have been placed had
he not preferred remaining in command of his squadron.

"What brings you here, Luis?" said Torres.

"To see the general. I have a favour to ask of him--one which he _must_
grant. Take me to him, Torres, immediately.