The Last Look | Page 5

watched him at a distance, and an
expression denoting angry jealousy came over his countenance as he
saw the intimate terms which existed between the two. He little
dreamed, however, of the cause of the earnest love which one felt for
the other: it was the pure holy faith which both enjoyed, the same
common trust, the same hope, the same confidence in the one
ever-loving Saviour. They believed that they were to be united, not

only for a time, but for eternity. Their acquaintance had commenced
during a visit Dona Leonor had paid to some relatives residing in the
town of Toro, of which place Antonio Herezuelo, the young man who
has been described, was an advocate. It soon ripened into affection. No
barrier existed between them, for the acute lawyer had already been
converted to the truth, and, head and heart alike convinced, held firmly
to it as the anchor of his soul. Dona Mercia did not oppose their union,
for she perceived that Antonio Herezuelo possessed courage,
determination, and a superior intellect, beside a gentle and loving
disposition--qualities calculated to secure her daughter's happiness, and
which would enable him to protect her during the troublous times
which she feared might be coming on Spain. She knew well what had
happened, and what was occurring in the Netherlands, as did all the
educated persons in Spain; but that did not prevent those who had the
Gospel offered to them from accepting its truths, or from endeavouring
to make them known among their companions. Those who were in the
Church, and whose position enabled them to preach, promulgated
Gospel truth openly, while laymen spoke of it to their friends in private,
or addressed small assemblies of persons who appeared disposed to
receive it.
CHAPTER THREE.
A NARROW ESCAPE.
The young couple, now formally betrothed, appeared everywhere
together in public, and it was understood that before long their marriage
would be solemnised. Many of the places, however, frequented by
people of their rank, they avoided--the bull-fights and the religious
spectacles-- the one tending to brutalise the people, the other to foster
the grossest superstition. Among the houses at which they visited at
Seville was that of the widow Dona Isabel de Baena. Her guests,
however, it was understood, only came by invitation. Most of them
approached her house cautiously--sometimes alone, or only two or
three together--generally when it grew dusk, and muffled in their cloaks
so that their features could not be discerned. Often there was a large
assemblage of persons at Dona Isabel's house thus collected, though the

spies of the Inquisition had not observed them assembling. Though
sedate and generally serious in their manner, they were neither sad nor
cast down; indeed, a cheerfulness prevailed among the company not
often seen in a Spanish assembly. Dona Leonor was there with her
mother. Don Antonio Herezuelo set out from his lodgings with the
purpose of going there also. He had not gone far when, suddenly
turning his head, he found that he was closely followed. Under ordinary
circumstances this would have caused him little concern, but at present
he knew the importance of being cautious. He remembered that by
going down a lane near at hand he might return home again. This he
did, and walking on rapidly, got rid, as he supposed, of his pursuer.
After remaining a short time he again sallied forth, and taking a
circuitous way to Dona Isabel's house, arrived there safely, and, as he
hoped, without being observed. Leonor had become anxious about him.
She told him so when he arrived.
"Do not on similar occasions fear, my beloved," he answered, with that
brave smile which frequently lighted up his countenance. "God protects
those who put their whole trust in Him--not a half trust, but the whole
entire trust."
"Yes, I know, and yet surely many of those who were tortured and
suffered in the flames in the Low Countries put their trust in Him,"
answered Leonor. "I shudder when I think of the agonies those poor
people must have endured."
Again that smile came over Herezuelo's countenance. "Sometimes He
requires those whom He loves best, and who love Him, to suffer for
Him here, that He may give them a brighter crown, eternal in the
heavens-- the martyr's crown of glory," he answered.
"Ah, yes, I know that thought should sustain a person," she remarked;
"yet all tortures must be hard for poor, frail human bodies to bear."
"Yes, if people trust to their own strength and courage they will mostly
shrink at the time of trial, but if they trust to the strength God gives
them, they will as surely bear with fortitude whatever He may allow to
be layed on them," was the answer. "Not one, but a hundred such

assurances He gives