As I told the wretched story in as few and as bald words as possible, Pilar sat grave-eyed, tense-lipped as Portia in the Court of Justice before her turn to plead. When I finished she was silent for a moment, I thought because, after all, she found herself with nothing to say. But, when her father in his compassion would have begun some murmur of consolation, she broke out quickly, “I suppose she is engaged to the Duke, or she wouldn't have said so.”
“Not much doubt of that,” I assented.
“Nor any doubt of her real feelings. Poor little girl, I know she's wishing she could die to-night. Those devils! Yes, I will say it, Papa. I shall be forgiven, for they are. They've told her some hateful lie, and made her so desperate she was ready to do anything. Why, it's just come to me; there's only one thing that would make a girl who loves a man do what she's done.”
“What?” I broke in, breathless; for Pilar's fire had flamed into my blood now, and I waited for her answer as a man waits for an antidote to poison.
“Believing he's in love with someone else.”
“How could she believe that? Who is there—” I stopped. My eyes met Pilar's, and she blushed, stammering as she hurried bravely on. “The greatest nonsense, of course. But—but—oh, don't you remember how she looked that evening at Manzanares when we saw her last? So wistful, as if there were something on her mind she mustn't tell? I caught her looking at me once or [pg 231]twice as if she were wondering—they must have begun, even then, to upset her mind, poor, lonely child; but the worst hadn't happened; she was only a little doubtful. If you could have spoken to her, or if I—”
“I did write,” I said, “though I've always been afraid something went wrong with that letter.”
“Ah!” Pilar caught at this, and would have the whole story with every detail. I even found myself confessing my old presentiment, the fancy that Monica was calling for me to help her.
“I believe she was, calling and praying. Of course she never got the letter. What was in it? If you don't mind my asking?”
“I said, a crisis seemed to be coming, and she must make up her mind to let me take her away.”