The young Spanish girl caught the fiery enthusiasm of her lover, and nerved herself for the struggle, and for their consequent separation; but Domingo had once more to examine the ground and so many points were to be considered, that day began to brighten on the Pico del Puerto and the Sierras of Gredos and Gata, before Grant mounted his horse; and by that time, the French drums had beaten _reveille_, and the whole battalion was under arms at its alarm-post, a greensward behind the tile-works. Juanna and her lover parted with promises of mutual regard and remembrance until they met again. "When will it be--oh, when will it be?" she moaned. "In God's appointed time--quando Dios sera servido," replied Grant. "Farewell, Juanna mio, a thousand kisses and adieux to you." "Bueno--away!" said Domingo, taking Grant's horse by the bridle--"away before day is quite broken!" As they hurried off, Juanna threw herself on her knees in the thicket, and prayed to God and Madonna for her lover. She covered her beautiful head with that thick mantle usually worn by the women of Leon, to shut out every sound; but lo! there came a loud, yet distinct shout from the river's bank, and then a confused discharge of firearms that rang sharply in the clear morning air. "O Madonna mia!" exclaimed the Spanish girl, and with a shriek she threw herself upon her face among the grass. Meanwhile Grant had proceeded in rear of the tile-works, close by where the French regiment was paraded in close column at quarter distance, and so near was he, that he could hear the sergeants of companies calling the roll; but a group of peasants assembled by Domingo, remained around his horse, with their broad sombreros and brown cloaks, to conceal it from the French, along _whose front_ he had to pass to reach the ford. From the gable of a cottage, he had a full view of the latter--the Tormes brawling over its bed of rocks and pebbles, with the open plain that lay beyond, and the two French videttes, helmeted and cloaked, with carbine on thigh, patrolling to and fro, to the distance of three hundred yards apart, but meeting at the ford. "Their figures seem dark and indistinct, in the starry light of the morning," said Grant. "But we know them to be dragoons," said Domingo. "Si, senores," added the brother of Manrico el Barbado; "from this you may perceive that their helmets and horses are afrancesado." "Frenchified--yes; now when I whistle, let go my horse's head, and do you, my good friends in front, withdraw to give me space, for now the videttes are about to part, and I must make at dash at it!"