The feuds ran high; the governor was furious, and swore, rather than
surrender his captive, he would hang him up within the Alhambra, as
a spy caught within the purlieus of the fortress.
The captain-general threatened to send a body of soldiers to
transfer the prisoner from the Vermilion Tower to the city. The
grand inquisitor was equally bent upon dispatching a number of the
familiars of the Holy Office. Word was brought late at night to the
governor of these machinations. "Let them come," said he, "they'll
find me beforehand with them; he must rise bright and early who
would take in an old soldier." He accordingly issued orders to have
the prisoner removed, at daybreak, to the donjon keep within the walls
of the Alhambra. "And d'ye hear, child," said he to his demure
handmaid, "tap at my door, and wake me before cock-crowing, that I may
see to the matter myself."
The day dawned, the cock crowed, but nobody tapped at the door of
the governor. The sun rose high above the mountain-tops, and glittered
in at his casement, ere the governor was awakened from his morning
dreams by his veteran corporal, who stood before him with terror
stamped upon his iron visage.
"He's off! he's gone!" cried the corporal, gasping for breath.
"Who's off- who's gone?"
"The soldier- the robber- the devil, for aught I know; his dungeon
is empty, but the door locked: no one knows how he has escaped out
of it.
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