"In what way came this young stranger to speak of De Saldos' sister at all? Had they eloped together? If so," thought the padre, "then Heaven help the Englishman, for his doom is sealed!" "I am ill--ill, padre--ill in body and sick at heart!" said Quentin faintly, as Florez, watch in hand, felt his pulse. "You appear to have been poisoned, my poor boy," said he. "Poisoned?" repeated Quentin, as a terrible fear and suspicion of Isidora's revengeful pride rushed upon him. "Yes--beyond a doubt." "Shall I die, padre?" he asked in an agitated voice. "Oh no, my son, there is no fear of that--I shall cure you by a few simple remedies." Quentin felt greatly relieved in mind on hearing this; but at present thirst was his chief merit, with an internal heat and pain that gave him no rest. "Of what were you partaking last night?" "Of wine only--champagne, which I found in a cabinet of the comedero (dining-room)." "There is but one crystal cup remaining here unbroken." "From that I drank it," said Quentin, who, in his delirium, had smashed a supper equipage of his own collecting. It was a large goblet of Venetian crystal, studded with brilliantly-coloured stones. The Padre Florez looked at the dregs and shook his white head. "This wine has been drugged--there is a fresh mystery here! And Donna Isidora de Saldos was with you last night--you are assured of that?" "As sure as that I live and breathe, Senor Padre." "Alone?" continued the priest, with knitted brows. "Alone." "How came it to pass that her brother entrusted her with you?" asked the padre, suspiciously. Quentin was too ill to explain that she had been sent with him in disguise, as the mother of the guerilla Trevino; and Padre Florez, who naturally conceived the idea that they had eloped as lovers, and had quarrelled, to prevent a great tragedy, set about curing him. He compelled him to drink quantities of new milk and salad oil, both of which he procured from the muleteers who were bivouacking on the terrace; after this, he gave him warm water mixed with the same oil, and fresh butter, to provoke intense sickness, to destroy the acrimony of the poison, and to prevent it doing injury to the bowels. "If the pain continues, Ramon, we shall have to kill a sheep," said the padre, "and apply its intestines, reeking hot, to the stomach of the patient; 'tis a remedy I have never known to fail in allaying spasms there, especially if the sheep be a moreno."