And now my mistress will not stir! All her things are
ready--clothes, money, jewels; and for the last hour we have been
urging her to come out, but nothing will serve. She will not see you,
senor."
"Is Don Hilario in the house?"
"No, he is out--could anything have been better? But it is useless,
she has lost heart and will not come. She only sits crying in her room,
saying that she cannot look on your face again."
"Go and tell her that I am here with the horses waiting for her," I
said.
"Senor, she knows you are here. Santos watched for you and hastened
in to inform her of your arrival. Now she has sent me out only to say
that she cannot meet you, that she thanks you for all you have done,
and begs you to go away and leave her."
I was not greatly surprised at Demetria's reluctance to meet me at the
last moment, but was determined not to leave without first seeing her
and trying to change her mind. Securing the horses to a tree, I went
with Ramona to the house. Stealing in on tiptoe, we found Demetria in
that room where she had received me the evening before in her quaint
finery, lying on the sofa, while old Santos stood by her the picture
of distress. The moment she saw me enter she covered her face with her
hands and turned from me. Yet a glance was sufficient to show that
with or without her consent everything had been got ready for her
flight.
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