CONTENTS.
| CHAP. | PAGE. | |
| I.— | [Gone Astray.] | 1 |
| II.— | [Guided Right.] | 10 |
| III.— | [A Dialogue which explains much.] | 24 |
| IV.— | [Stony Hearts.] | 35 |
| V.— | [Labor, and a Landscape with Figures.] | 52 |
| VI.— | [Absurdities.] | 62 |
| VII.— | [More Absurdities.] | 73 |
| VIII.— | [And yet more.] | 84 |
| IX.— | [The Brothers Golfin.] | 98 |
| X.— | [Nobody's Children.] | 117 |
| XI.— | [The Patriarch of Aldeacorba. ] | 124 |
| XII.— | [Doctor Celipin.] | 136 |
| XIII.— | [Between two Baskets.] | 144 |
| XIV.— | [How the Virgin Mary appeared to Nela. ] | 151 |
| XV.— | [The Three Children.] | 164 |
| XVI.— | [The Vow. ] | 172 |
| XVII.— | [A Fugitive.] | 179 |
| XVIII.— | [Nela decides that she must go. ] | 192 |
| XIX.— | [Nela is Tamed.] | 201 |
| XX.— | [A New World.] | 220 |
| XXI.— | [Eyes that Kill.] | 234 |
| XXII.— | [Farewell.] | 260 |
MARIANELA.
[CHAPTER I.]
GONE ASTRAY.
The sun had set. After the brief interval of twilight the night fell calm and dark, and in its gloomy bosom the last sounds of a sleepy world died gently away. The traveller went forward on his way, hastening his step as night came on; the path he followed was narrow and worn by the constant tread of men and beasts, and led gently up a hill on whose verdant slopes grew picturesque clumps of wild cherry trees, beeches and oaks.—The reader perceives that we are in the north of Spain.
Our traveller was a man of middle age, strongly built, tall and broad-shouldered; his movements were brisk and resolute, his step firm, his manner somewhat rugged, his eye bold and bright; his pace was nimble, considering that he was decidedly stout, and he was—the reader may at once be told, though somewhat prematurely—as good a soul as you may meet with anywhere. He was dressed, as a man in easy circumstances should be dressed for a journey in spring weather, with one of those round shady hats, which, from their ugly shape, have been nicknamed mushrooms (hongo), a pair of field-glasses hanging to a strap, and a knotted stick which, when he did not use it to support his steps, served to push aside the brambles when they flung their thorny branches across so as to catch his dress.
He presently stopped, and gazing round the dim horizon, he seemed vexed and puzzled. He evidently was not sure of his way and was looking round for some passing native of the district who might give him such topographical information as might enable him to reach his destination.