"
The imminent risk they ran of being pursued and taken, gave
supernatural strength to their limbs; they flew, rather than ran. The
day had dawned; the crimson streaks on the edge of the horizon gave
tokens of the approaching sunrise; already the light clouds that
floated in the western sky were tinged with gold and purple; though
the broad plain of the Vega, which now began to open upon their view,
was covered with the dark haze of morning. As yet they only passed a
few straggling peasants on the road, who could have yielded them no
assistance in case of their being overtaken. They continued to hurry
forward, and had gained a considerable distance, when the strength of
Inez, which had only been sustained by the fever of her mind, began to
yield to fatigue: she slackened her pace, and faltered.
"Alas!" said she, "my limbs fail me! I can go no farther!"
"Bear up, bear up," replied her companion, cheeringly; "a little
farther, and we shall be safe: look! yonder is Granada, just showing
itself in the valley below us. A little farther, and we shall come to
the main road, and then we shall find plenty of passengers to protect
us."
Inez, encouraged, made fresh efforts to get forward, but her weary
limbs were unequal to the eagerness of her mind; her mouth and throat
were parched by agony and terror: she gasped for breath, and leaned
for support against a rock.
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