Once she was at your side, no light, whether of sun or moon or lantern, was needed, nor that small instrument which is said to guide a man aright in the desert, even in the darkest night--let him that can believe such a thing!" "Yes, happy for me," I returned.

"I am filled with remorse that it was all through my fault that the poor child was exposed to such weather." "O senor," he cried airily, "let not that distress you! Rain and wind and hot suns, from which we seek shelter, do not harm her.

She takes no cold, and no fever, with or without ague." After some further conversation I left him to steal away unobserved on his own account, and set out for a ramble in the hope of encountering Rima and winning her to talk to me.
My quest did not succeed: not a glimpse of her delicate shadowy form did I catch among the trees; and not one note from her melodious lips came to gladden me.

At noon I returned to the house, where I found food placed ready for me, and knew that she had come there during my absence and had not been forgetful of my wants.

"Shall I thank you for this ?" I said.