Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-05-06

marquis suddenly felt hand pressing him on the
shoulder. He turned, and beheld Young caya-
| lier, of about his own age and size eveino him
/ sternly ="
"Jnan de Mendoza he exclaimed. "I have a
word for you Will it please you to step back
| few PAGES, so can whisper it.''
| with pleasure, marquis returned the other
| leading the way toward the fountain Now
SIR" he exclaimed, pausng, and haughtily
drawing himself up "say it.''
If, said the marquis, you know the use of
tne blade at your side, meet me, with your be It
| friend, at day break to- morrow. under the old
| Clara.'' ~
will meet you there - said Mendaza.
Toledo is built upon rocky hill, nearly envi-
roned by the Tagus, and is encompassed by a
wall fanked with small towers built by the
| MoOrs. The streets are narrow and slopinp in
| their descent towards the river with a steepness
that makes running up a task of fatiguing diff
| Guilty, and running down a matter Of great dan
ger. The summit of the hill is very extensive In
breadth, and is by far the fairest portion of the
| city. There are all the chief public buildings;
| here the gardens and hanging grounds and here
dwell the noblemen and princely merchants and
other opulent citizens Of note the descending
streets being left to the humber classes, who re-
gard with mingled hatred and envy the inhabi-
| tants of the plateau above them. Behind the pla-
teau, or summit, the dark range of the Toledo
mountains forms an imposing backs ground
road to Madrid
On the afternoon of the day of the commence
ment OF this story, the viceroy, small, slender
!
! the cares of office, went ou', after the siesta
/ which commences at two and terminates at four
| O'Clock, during which everybody in Toledo is
supposed to he sleeping off the heat of the SUM- to
| take his usual quiet evening ride. On his return
| which was just as the sun going down be-
| hind the mountain, the horses, startled by the
Tapping of the gray hood of u passing friar, took
| fright and became unmanagCable; plunGin9 for
| waTd with indescTibable fury and swiftRess
| wreDching the carriage almost in pieces; pitch
ing the driver headlong to the earth, and whirl-
tn1an doc
! he was taken out for dead.
On reaching the plaza, the count beheld it
| swdTming with terror stricken runners, who were
! speeding with loud cries in every direction to
avoid an approaching carriage, without postilion
| or footman, borne threateningly along by two cold
! black, high-mettled Arabians, whose flashing
I eyes and bloOd-red nOstrils and foam rec king
! sides announced death to whoever crossed their
path. On they came, with the feetness of the
| wind, their small light hoofs scarcely seeming
to touch the earth, and yet speeding over it with
| the rapidity of light; their manes waving their
necks afched, and their heads proudly tossing in
| the startled air.
Make way. make way -, shouted the thronu .
fleeing to the right and left, and when the vehicle
| had passed by, bringing up behind and following
| after, as they previously had done before it,
Suddenly cry of horror rose from the multi
! tude.
| Having cleared the plaza, the courssrs were
| Plunging down the steep street leading to the
! A few moments, and the steeds and carriage
| would be in the TaSus and uzman the Beloved,
| beyond human reach!
Suddenly, as if by common consent, the specta-
| tors held their breath.
Horses and carriage had reached the foot of the
| hill and only a few yards interviewed between
them and the waters edge. The people were fy-
! ing In all directions, and the Arabians, blind
with their wldness, were rushing forward, with
their precious freight, (whose small form was
seen tossing from side to- side of the vehicle over
the open space, to certain destruction.
An instant, and all would be over. MANY, un-
able to endure the appalling sight, closed their
eyes and turned aside their heads.
\ moment later, faint cheer rose upon the air
Looking down. the throng beheld sweeping down
neighboring street, with the rapidity of fight
solitary horseman, his hat flying far behind him,
and his long, dark hair, like his short shoulder
cloak, streaming behind him, upborne by the
passing breeze. He was evidently aiming to head
on the flying Arabians, whose swiftness scarcely
equalIed that OF his own gallant roam. Both reach
ed the base of the hill together, and only few
yards were Outspread between them. But these
few yards were everything. The rider buried his
spurs in the flank of his steed whom he also
urged on with shrill and exciting cries. But in
vain the few yards still stood between him and
the Arabians, who, like himself, springing
towards the river.
An instant and they were in, and amid cry of
horror from the spell-stricken crowd above and
below, horses and carriage went down beneath
the glitterlng waves whose white foam closed for
moment over them and then glittered evenly as
before.
But they had scarcely settled when the horse
man reached the brink, and suddenly turning the
head of his steed, sprang from the saddle and
shouting "A boat, varlets ;" plunged like diver
after pearls, into the water
The two words he had spoken recalled the
presence of mind of the crews of the adjoining
vessels, and yawls were hurriedly let down from
the shi pS sterns and sides and the oars rapidly
inserted In the row locks, and the boats them
selves well manned, and hastily drawn towards
the spot where the young man had gone down.
Moment after moment went by and he appeared
not, and the hearts of the multitude on the height
shook if with death chill.
The rOwers in the yawls, carefully watching
every sign i'll the waves instinctively formed
large circle around the spot where the Arabians
had sunk, and all breathlessly awaited the re-
suit.
By and by an air bubble was deserted; and the
boats slowly, vet cautiously, closed in; and
brawny sailor, leaning over the gunwale was
ready in each to clasp whatever might happen to
come up.
Suddenly, there was an agitation of the waters
near the centre of the circle, if Herculean ef-
forts for life were being made beneath, by man or
beast.
A moment later, loud shout from the sailors
and OH those on the surrounding piers, rent the
air, and was caught up by the great throng on the
heights, till the arches of the heavens seemed to
ring for the young man, pale as winding sheet,
appeared above the surface, struggling violently
with the viceroy on one arm, and holding up the
other sign for help.
The struggle for his own and another's life
must have been fierce, for on being relieved of
his burden, he gave 4 convulsive thrOe, If the
last spark OF his expiring energy had been con-
suned, and then laid, like one dead, upon the
water.
lie was lifted, with the viceroy, into the boat,
and borne ashore. The latter, though pale, still
breathed, and evidently had become insensible
ere the Arabans had reached the base OF the hill.
In fact, il was question with the crowd wheth-
er, on waking, he would be conscious of having
been in the Tagus at all.
Both of the bodies were conveyed away-the
one to the palace the other TO a neighboring con-
vent, where the young man was soon restored TO
consciousness, when, at his own req uest, he,
though weak and pale, permitted to 90 forth
unattended. He modestly insisted on not giving
his name, selected unfrequented street and
quietly made his way home.
lTo BE CONTINUED IN OUR NExr.l
A LETTER from BARTLETT sars that