“But if again thou meetest him, thou dost promise to slay him—without mercy? Slay him,” she said again, as if to herself, and turned away without waiting for his reply.
As she turned, a trumpet sounded near at hand.
A herald appeared, and brought Maurico a scroll from the rebel chief, in whose ranks he and his people now fought. The stronghold, Castellor, had been wrested from the royalists, and Maurico was ordered to take its command. The scroll also incidentally mentioned that the Lady Leonora, believing in Maurico’s death in the late fight, was about to take the veil in a neighboring convent.
The gipsey-mother saw him turn, and quickly fling his cloak about him, and place his helmet on his head.
“Whither goest thou?”
“To duty.”
“I command thee, stay.”
“But my general commands me.”
“And thy wound! thou must not leave me. It may open again; and if I am not near thee, son, thou mayst die; therefore thou shalt not go.”
For answer, he wrapt his cloak more closely about him.