The
road now widening, Anthony spurred on his beast by the side of his
companion, who slackened his pace to afford an opportunity for further
parley.
"Whither are we bound?" inquired Anthony.
"Where the children will be well cared for."
A dubious expression of countenance, which Anthony but too well
understood, accompanied these words; and villain was expressed by
indications too unequivocal to be easily mistaken through every change
and inflection of his visage. Anthony, though not of the most unsullied
reputation, and probably habituated to crimes at which humanity might
shudder, pressed the little victim closer to his breast. The prattle of
the babe had won his heart: and the morning scene with Alice had
softened his spirit so that he could have wept when he thought of the
remorseless nature of his comrade, to whose care the children were
entrusted.
The roar of the torrent grew louder. Suddenly they entered upon a sort
of irregular amphitheatre--woods rising above each other to the very
summit of the hills by which they were surrounded. A swollen waterfall
was visible, below which a bare and flattened trunk, whose boughs had
apparently been but just lopped, was thrown across the torrent.
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