She started in the morning begging me to wait till the evening, and to
travel by night so as to reach Barcelona by day-time. She told me to put
up at the "Santa Maria," and not to call till I had heard from her.

I followed all the directions given me by this curious woman, and found
myself comfortably lodged at Barcelona. My landlord was a Swiss who told
me in confidence that he had received instructions to treat me well, and
that I had only to ask for what I wanted.

We shall see soon what was the result of all this.




CHAPTER VIII

My Imprudence--Passano--I Am Imprisoned--My Departure from
Barcelona--Madame Castelbajac at Montpellier--Nimes--I Arrive at Aix

Although my Swiss landlord seemed an honest and trustworthy kind of man,
I could not help thinking that Nina had acted very imprudently in
commending me to him. She was the viceroy's mistress; and though the
viceroy might be a very agreeable man, he was a Spaniard, and not likely
to be easy-going in his love affairs. Nina herself had told me that he
was ardent, jealous, and suspicious. But the mischief was done, and there
was no help for it.

When I got up my landlord brought me a valet de place, for whose
character he said he could answer, and he then sent up an excellent