"Ingratitude, Señor." And pointing to the copse of bramble and fern, she added: "It was in that direction."
She went up to the highest spot at hand to see farther into the distance. "Quite out of sight!" she said with a sigh.
"Quite," said the surgeon laughing. "Don Manuel told me that you were devoting yourself to collecting butterflies. They are ungrateful creatures indeed not to wish to be caught by you."
"It is not that—I will tell you all about it if you are going to Aldeacorba."
"I was not going, as I have just come away, fair damsel; but if you will tell me all about it—be it what it may—I will go back again. I am all ears for your story."
[CHAPTER XVIII.]
NELA DECIDES THAT SHE MUST GO.
Nela wandered about alone all day, and at night she prowled round the house at Aldeacorba, creeping as near to it as she dared without running the risk of being discovered; whenever she heard footsteps she stole away like a thief. Then she went down into the crater of La Terrible, whose grewsome aspect somehow suited her gloomy mood; she lingered there some time looking up at the stone giants that stood round it, and then she climbed up one of them to see the lights of Aldeacorba. There they were, sparkling above the slopes of the mine against the dark background of earth and sky. After gazing at them for a while as if her hungry eyes had never seen lights before, she quitted La Terrible and went towards La Trascava. But before she reached it she heard footsteps, and turning round, she saw Master Celipin coming along the path at a brisk determined pace. He had a small bundle hanging from a stick over his shoulder, and his step, as well as his air and attitude, announced a full determination never to stop till he should have paced the whole circumference of the globe.
"Celipe!—Where are you going?" cried Nela, detaining him.
"Nela ... you out here! We thought you were with Señorita Florentina, eating ham, and turkey, and partridges all day long, and drinking lemonade and syrups. What are you doing here?"