ely enough to die if he did grant it," replied Torres;
"but luckily there is no chance of his doing so."

"We will see that," said Herrera, impatiently. "This is idle talk and
waste of time. You are not my friend, Mariano, thus to detain me. The
five minutes have twice elapsed. Take me at once to the general."

"I will take you to him, if you insist upon it," answered Torres. "Hear
me but one minute longer. What will be said to-morrow, when we move
forward to meet the enemy, and it is found that Luis Herrera is wanting
at his post; when it is known that he has left the camp in the
night-*time, on his own private business, only a few hours before a
battle, which all agree will be a bloody and perhaps a decisive one? His
advancement, although nobly deserved, has been rapid. There are many who
envy him, and such will not fail to attribute his absence to causes by
which his friends well know he is incapable of being influenced. It will
be pleasant for those friends to hear slanderous tongues busy with his
good name."

Mariano had at last touched the right chord, and this, his final
argument, strongly impressed Herrera. What no consideration of personal
danger could accomplish, the dread of an imputation upon his honour,
although it might be uttered but by one or two enemies, and disbelieved
by a thousand friends, went far to effect. Moreover, during the quarter
of an hour passed with Torres, his thoughts had become in some degree
collected, and the truth of the aide-de-camp's observations as to the
Quixotism and utter madness of his scheme began to dawn upon him. He
hesitated, and remained silent. Torres saw his advantage, and hastened
to follow it up.

"Hear me, Luis," said he. "You have ever found me willing to be guided
by your opinion, but at this moment you are not in a state of mind to
judge for yourself. For once then, be guided by me, and return to your
squadron. To-morrow's fight will make a mighty difference. If we gain
the day, and we are sure of it, we shall advance to Pampeluna, and you
will be at a comparatively short distance from the convent where your
mistress is detained. Then, indeed, when the Carlists are scattered and
dispirited after their defeat, the scheme you have in view may be
executed, and then, but only then, are you likely to get permission to
attempt it. I will accompany you if you wish it, and we will get some
guerilla leader, skilled in such hazardous expeditions, to join us with
his ban