7. VII.
Urraca immediately retired, first to her own, and
then, by a secret passage, to the chamber of Zitta, who
was there in readiness, awaiting her. Carefully concealing
herself in a closet, she impatiently waited for
the coming of Amri. Nor had she long to wait. Before
his departure he came, as had long been his custom
previously, to the chamber of the slave, with whom
he was now more than ever anxious for an opportunity
of speech. Urraca soon had damning confirmation of
all that Zitta had informed her, and a sufficient overthrow
of her own hopeful doubts in the cruel words
which her ears were now compelled most painfully to
hear, from the lips of one to whom all her hopes had
been too readily confided.
“Thou art slow, Zitta,” he said, impatiently. “Hast
thou no desire for thy freedom?”
“Canst thou ask, Amri? I long for my liberty even
as the caged bird for the sweet air and the wide forests.”
“Wherefore does she live, then? I know that thou
couldst not have given her the drug, for it is fatal.
Never yet, when it once found its way into the human
frame, has it been known to fail. Thou hast not given
it to Urraca—she lives—she has not been affected?”
“I have not yet prepared it, Amri, for she has refused
her cup since I had the poison from thee.”
“Ha! Why has she refused? Does she doubt?
does she suspect thee?”
“No! but all the day she has been sick, and she desired
not wine, nor took it from any hands. I proffered
it to her at morning, as was my custom, and she then
declined it.”
“Yet was she free to take wine to-night: and never,
for a while, did her spirits seem more gay, or her looks
more lovely.”
“Yes—she grew well as the evening came on,” replied
Zitta.
“Thou must be better advised against the morrow;
and, hear me, it is not needful that wine be employed—
thou shalt mix the drug with the bread, with the soup,
with whatsoever her appetite may crave whose colour
may disguise it from her sight. Thou must give it her
to-morrow, Zitta, if thou canst—let there be no delay.
Fear nothing. When it is done, thou art free, and I
will myself take thee to Merida.”
“It shall be done, Amri,” was the assurance of the
slave, “if she be not again unmindful of the cup or of
food. She retired for the night, and her pulse was fevered,
and she complained much of vexing indisposition.
But 'twill pass away, I doubt not, with her sleep.”
“Do what thou canst, Zitta—if thou canst not to-morrow,
let not the third day pass upon thy unperformance.
Much depends on thy speedy work in this.”
“It does—I know it does, Amri. Hold it done ere
the third day. I promise thee it shall.”
“It is well! I trust to thy assurances, Zitta. I will
come to-morrow night as she commanded me, but I
hope not to find her all-powerful to command either
thee or me again. Remember, Zitta—thy freedom and
mine thou hast in keeping! It is in thy strength, thy
courage, thy skill, thy firm resolve for the good which
thou hast promised, and for the performance which thou
hast sworn to do, that thy hope, not less than mine, is
warm and apprehensive—it is upon these that I rely!
Let not thy heart fail thee, as thou hopest for its future
joy—and be thy hand strengthened to the task, as thou
wouldst lift it from the shackles of the slave. Thou
hast no hope but in this, for she is stubborn against thy
prayer and mine.”
Again she promised him; and, satisfied that she
would not fail during the day following to execute successfully
the dreadful commission which he had assigned
her, he hurried away for the night. Zitta immediately
ran to the closet where Urraca lay concealed, and in
which she had distinctly heard the whole conversation.
“Give me thy arm, Zitta,” said Urraca, “and help
me to seek my chamber.”
The woman did as she was commanded, and assisted
her mistress, who seemed no longer to possess the necessary
powers of life, to her apartment, whence Urraca
soon dismissed her, preferring at that time to be alone
with her own sad thoughts and solemn meditations.
