"ThatIcannottellyoueither," saidtheservant, "forIhavenotseenherfacealltheway: Ihaveindeedheardhersighmanytimesanduttersuchgroansthatsheseemstobegivinguptheghosteverytime; butitisnowonderifwedonotknowmorethanwehavetoldyou, asmycomradeandIhaveonlybeenintheircompanytwodays, forhavingmetusontheroadtheybeggedandpersuadedustoaccompanythemtoAndalusia, promisingtopayuswell."
"Andhaveyouheardanyofthemcalledbyhisname?" askedthecurate.
"No, indeed," repliedtheservant; "theyallpreserveamarvelloussilenceontheroad, fornotasoundistobeheardamongthemexceptthepoorlady'ssighsandsobs, whichmakeuspityher; andwefeelsurethatwhereveritissheisgoing, itisagainstherwill, andasfarasonecanjudgefromherdresssheisanunor, whatismorelikely, abouttobecomeone; andperhapsitisbecausetakingthevowsisnotofherownfreewill, thatsheissounhappyassheseemstobe."
"Thatmaywellbe," saidthecurate, andleavingthemhereturnedtowhereDorotheawas, who, hearingtheveiledladysigh, movedbynaturalcompassiondrewneartoherandsaid, "Whatareyousufferingfrom, senora? Ifitbeanythingthatwomenareaccustomedandknowhowtorelieve, Iofferyoumyserviceswithallmyheart."
Tothistheunhappyladymadenoreply; andthoughDorothearepeatedheroffersmoreearnestlyshestillkeptsilence, untilthegentlemanwiththeveil, who, theservantsaid, wasobeyedbytherest, approachedandsaidtoDorothea, "Donotgiveyourselfthetrouble, senora, ofmakinganyofferstothatwoman, foritisherwaytogivenothanksforanythingthatisdoneforher; anddonottrytomakeheranswerunlessyouwanttohearsomeliefromherlips."
