“What is wonderful,” went on Peter, scorning to take note of this interruption, “is that she could consent to kiss the man at all. The double-dealing scoundrel! Has Inez told you how he treated her? The very thought of it makes me ill.” “Well, Peter, he didn’t ask you to kiss him, did he? And as for the wrongs of Inez, though doubtless you know more about them than I do, I think she has given him an orange for his pomegranate. But look, there is the Alcazar in front of us. Is it not a splendid castle? You know, it was built by the Moors.” “I don’t care who it was built by,” said Peter, “and it looks to me like any other castle, only larger. All I know about it is that I am to be tried there for knocking that ruffian on the head—and that perhaps this is the last we shall see of each other, as probably they will send me to the galleys, if they don’t do worse.” “Oh! say no such thing. I never thought of it; it is not possible!” answered Margaret, her dark eyes filling with tears. “Wait till your marquis appears, pleading the case against us, and you will see what is or is not possible,” replied Peter with conviction. “Still, we have come through some storms, so let us hope for the best.” At that moment they reached the gate of the Alcazar, which they had approached from their prison through gardens of orange-trees, and soldiers came up and separated them. Next they were led across a court, where many people hurried to and fro, into a great marble-columned room glittering with gold, which was called the Hall of Justice. At the far end of this place, seated on a throne set upon a richly carpeted dais and surrounded by lords and counsellors, sat a magnificently attired lady of middle age. She was blue-eyed and red-haired, with a fair-skinned, open countenance, but very reserved and quiet in her demeanour. [Illustration: ] A magnificently attired lady of middle age “The Queen,” muttered the guard, saluting, as did Castell and Peter, while Margaret curtseyed. A case had just been tried, and the queen Isabella, after consultation with her assessors, was delivering judgment in few words and a gentle voice. As she spoke, her mild blue eyes fell upon Margaret, and, held it would seem by her beauty, rested on her till they wandered off to the tall form of Peter and the dark, Jewish-looking Castell by him, at the sight of whom she frowned a little. That case was finished, and other suitors stood up in their turn, but the queen, waving her hand and still looking at Margaret, bent down and asked a question of one of the officers of the court, then gave an order, whereon the officer rising, summoned “John Castell, Margaret Castell, and Peter Brome, all of England,” to appear at the bar and answer to the charge of murder of one Luiz of Basa, a soldier of the Holy Hermandad. At once they were brought forward, and stood in a line in front of the dais, while the officer began to read the charge against them.