He never had much to say and even in these stirring times told of a fine harvest; of that brilliant weather which marked the year of the Napoleonic downfall.
"And Juanita ?" inquired Sarrion at length.
"Is at Pampeluna.

They cannot get her away from there without my knowing it.

She is well ...

and happy." "You have not written to her ?" "No," answered Marcos.
"We must remember," said Sarrion, with a nod of approval, "that we are dealing with the cleverest men in the world, and the greediest----" "And the hardest pressed," added Marcos.
"But you have not written to her ?" "No." "Nor heard from her ?" "I had a note from her at Saragossa, before they moved her to Pampeluna," answered Marcos with a smile.

"It was rather badly spelt." "And... ?" asked Sarrion.
Marcos did not reply to this comprehensive interrogation.
"You have come to some decision ?" Sarrion suggested.
"I have come to the usual decision that you are quite right in your suspicions.