'I must set out for Madrid in a few days at the latest,' he said a
few moments afterwards; 'but I shall go against my will, because you
tell me that you and your father will not be coming North until the
spring.'

Estella shook her head with a little laugh. This man was different
from the punctilious aides-de-camp and others who had hitherto
begged most respectfully to notify their admiration.

'And three days ago you did not know of our existence,' she said.

'In three days a man may be dead of an illness of which he ignored
the existence, senorita. In three days a man's life may be made
miserable or happy--perhaps in three minutes.'

And she looked straight in front of her in order to avoid his eyes.

'Yours will always be happy, I think,' she said, 'because you never
seem to go below the surface, and on the surface life is happy
enough.'

He made some light answer, and they walked on beneath the orange
trees, talking of these and other matters--indulging in those
dangerous generalities which sound so safe, and in reality narrow
down to a little world of two.

They were thus engaged when the servant came to announce that the
horse which the General had placed at Conyngham's disposal was at
the door in accordance with the Englishman's own order. He went
away sorrowfully enough, only half consoled by the information that