The conductors of Inez endeavoured to keep
out of observation, and to traverse a gloomy part of the square; but
they were detained at one place by the pressure of a crowd surrounding
a party of wandering musicians, singing one of those ballads of which
the Spanish populace are so passionately fond. The torches which were
held by some of the crowd, threw a strong mass of light upon Inez, and
the sight of so beautiful a being, without mantilla or veil, looking
so bewildered, and conducted by men who seemed to take no
gratification in the surrounding gayety, occasioned expressions of
curiosity. One of the ballad-singers approached, and striking her
guitar with peculiar earnestness, began to sing a doleful air, full of
sinister forebodings. Inez started with surprise. It was the same
ballad-singer that had addressed her in the garden of the Generaliffe.
It was the same air that she had then sung. It spoke of impending
dangers; they seemed, indeed, to be thickening around her. She was
anxious to speak with the girl, and to ascertain whether she really
had a knowledge of any definite evil that was threatening her; but, as
she attempted to address her, the mule, on which she rode, was
suddenly seized, and led forcibly through the throng by one of her
conductors, while she saw another addressing menacing words to the
ballad-singer.
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