Saragossa has a playful way of sacking religious houses, which the older-world city of Navarre would never permit.

In Pampeluna the religious habit is still respected, and a friar may carry his shaven head high in the windy streets.
Pampeluna, it was known, might at any moment be in danger of attack, but not of bombardment by the Carlists, who had many friends within the walls.

Juanita was as safe perhaps in Pampeluna as anywhere in Northern Spain.

So Marcos went back to Torre Garda and held his valley in a quiet grip.

The harvests were gathered in, and starvation during the coming winter was, at all events, avoided.
The first snow came and still Marcos had no news of Juanita.