They had already commenced the ascent of the Pincian Hill, when Antonina
stopped abruptly, and turned to look behind her. Many people yet
thronged the street below; but her eyes penetrated among them, sharpened
by peril, and instantly discerned the ample robe and the tall form,
still at the same distance from them, and pausing as they had paused.
For one moment, the girl's eyes fixed in the wild, helpless stare of
terror on her father's face; but the next, that mysterious instinct of
preservation, which is co-existent with the instinct of fear--which
gifts the weakest animal with cunning to improve its flight, and takes
the place of reason, reflection, and resolve, when all are banished from
the mind--warned her against the fatal error of permitting the pursuer
to track her to her home.
'Not there! not there!' she gasped faintly as Numerian endeavoured to
lead her up the ascent. 'She will see us as we enter the doors!--
through the streets! Oh, father, if you would save me! we may lose her
in the streets!--the guards, the people are there! Back! back!'
Numerian trembled as he marked the terror in her looks and gestures; but
it was vain to question or oppose her.
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