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ovelette,
VOLUME IV.—NUMBER 10.
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
“' [Drawn and eagraved uxpressly for The Weekly Novelette.]” RESCUE OF DONNA TE&RESSA BY THE BLACK KNIGHT.
{Entered according to Act of Congresa,in the Clerk’s Office of
the District Court of Massachuvetts.] .
THe BRAGK MIG:
—OR, THE—
WANDERING BOHEMIAN.
A ROMANCE OF THE DAYS OF CHIVALRY.
BY DR. J. H. ROBINSON.
[concLupEp.|
CHAPTER XIU.
DONNA MARIA. LARA. THE INTERVIEW.
‘We return to Donna’ Maria. ‘ When we left her, the
Knight Nugnez de Lara was bearing her away through
the dark night. Befure morning he drew rein at the
rains, Dismounting, he wound a small horn which he
had worn at his helt since he had changed his minstrel
garb for warrior harness. A short pause ensued. The
tramp of armed men was heard who filed rapidly into
the court, , -
“T would see your leader,” said Lara.
The athletic villain with whom the palmer had fonght,
stepped forward. Rude greetings passed between them.
“What wouldst thou, noble Lara?” asked the bandit
captain. ‘“ All here is at thy service, as thou well
~ Knowest.”’
“T would have thy best accommodations for this fair
lady, who mach needeth rest and food.”
“‘Fo:low then to the home of the fearless and free.”
Half fainting with fear, the fair lady was half led,
half borne, through 2 narrow wav which seemed to
wind downward without end. They reached at length
the bandit home. It consisted ot one capacious apart-
ment, and several smaller ones, variously disposed.
One of the lesser compartments was assigned to Matia.
“Tet her be attended to the best of thy ability, as be-
fits her rank ; and, dost hear? let her be well guarded,
for she came not altogether by her own. will,” said
are. *
“Thy wishes shall be obeyed. She shall have the
best the castle affords, and one of my knaves shall keep
guard atthe door. I perceive thou hast lost nothing
of thy gallantry, noble Lara. I foresee that thou hast
agreeable business onthy hands. I wish thee success,”
replied the bandit.
Refreshments were brought to Donna Maria by a
withered beldame, but she put them from her, saying,
“Leave me. - Since thou canst not give me liberty, I
want nothing else. I would be alone.”
Solitude brought troubled thoughts, but even these
were less painful than when in the presence of Lara.
The indifference which she had hitherto felt towards
him, had within the last few days ripened into positive
aversion. She knew him to be headstrong and violent,
and knew not to what extremity he might proreed.
She was tow among creatures of his own, completely
in his power, with little to hope, everything to fear.
One thing, however, she was resolyed upon—never to
become his wife, and never to survive ker honor. - She
drew a dagger from beneath her mantle, where she had
placed it previous to her meeting with Lara, and plac-
ing it in her bosom, she said, “This shall serve me in
the hour of need.”
The night was spent in_mournful anticipations of
what the light might bring. The next sun might set
upon her a shamed and dishonored thing. ‘And with
these reflections was mingled a thought of the gallant
youth who knelt at her feet on a bright summer day,
ong, long ago; and she wandered away over burning
sands and swelling waters to Palestine, and saw him
kneeling at the Saviour’s shrine, and then doing deeds
of arms in the battle field upon the bodies of the Infidel
Moors.. The vision went still farther: she saw the
youth who had kneeled at her fect on a bright summer
day, wounded to the death, bleeding and dying, and
trodden to the dust by the iron loofs of barded steeds ;
and she wept for her lost love whv perished in holy
land. Incomprehen-ibly blended with these reminis-
cences and thoughts, was the knight of Calatrava. Her
love had been given to another, and still her heart told
er she was not indifferent to him of the Iron Crest.
How was this? The question was vain—the matter
[See page 117.}
quite inexplicable. She found herself utterly incapable
of explaining the exact state of her feelings. .
Early in the morning she was notified by the old bel-
dame, that Lara would visit her. This was no agree-
able information. She was not kept long in suspense.
He scon made his appearance., Maria stood face to
face with the only being in the world she detested.
“A good morning to thee, fair lady,” said Lara,
bowing.
“Nay, it is the foulest morning that ever dawned up-
on me,” replied the donna, with disdain.
“Say not thus, queen of my soul,” responded the
knight, fervently.
“T repeat it a thousand times.
foul a morn on Maria de Guziman.”
“Then listen to me, and to morrow thou shalt say,
‘Never a fairer sun hath risen upon me, for it hath nev-
er before risen upon me the lady of Lara.’”
“Were Ithe lady of Lara the false knight, and I
should say what thou hast said, I shou'd utier a most
foul falsehood. To be the lady of the craven heart
thou hast named, wonld be to become more wretched
than now,” answered Donna Maria, with spirit.
“Why wilt thou drive me to extremities with thy
scorn? I willask thee once more, and ‘for the last
time, wilt thou become my wife?”
Lara spoke in a deep and meaning tone.
“* And once more, and for the last time, I will not be
thy wife. And now I will ask thee a question, and see
that thou answer it, for it may he. for the last time—
wilt thow take me hence, and to my father’s castle?”
“And Tanswer thee again, and for the last time, I-
will not, save as my lady.” é
“Then I shall never leave this fearful place. Thou
hast my answer, why then shouldst thou persist?”
“Hear me, Donna Maria, and mark me well: thou
shalt be mine—by fair or foul means, as thou wilt. I
have spoken thee fairly, but thou hast forced me to be
cruel ”
“Thou speakest falsely. I have entreated thee to be
merciful.”
“Then first show mercy to me.”
“Thou profanest the term in the sense thou dost use
it. Thou dost not ask mercy, buf Joye, and I cannot
give it thee, Be content’? ~
Never dawned £0 .