The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 348: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BANDITTV’S TOWER 331 looking person, but one who could no doubt display a courageous resolution in the moment of emergency. ~ Ramon de Collantes addressed the English gentleman in the Spanish tongue first, but finding that it was little under- stood by the traveller, he proceeded to speak in French. In this language the captive was proficient, and the discourse therefore flowed on easily. The brigand-chief assured Mr. Forester — for such the gentleman’s name appeared to be, according to his passport and letters of credit — that he need be under no apprehension in respect to his hfe nor of ill-treatment provided he would consent to purchase his liberty; and that during the interval which must elapse ere the ransom-money could be obtained from Madrid, he should experience as much attention and as good accommodation as under circumstances might be afforded. Mr. Forester — whom the reader will recollect as having been Wilham Deveril’s second in the duel with Lord Harold Staunton — saw no alternative but to accept the proposition. He found himself a prisoner in the midst of a wild region, at the mercy of a lawless band; and he was compelled to subdue his pride for his own personal convenience. It is true that he was only travelling for his pleasure, being of no profession and possessing a handsome independent income, but still, though his time was so completely his own, it appeared to him by no means agreeable to pass more of it than was absolutely necessary in the quarters of a bandit horde. He therefore, though not without reluctance, consented to the terms laid down by Ramon de Collantes. But now arose some little difficulty. This was not a mere matter of presenting a cheque at a banker’s in any city or town more or less remote, and which could be accom- plished by any one of the men suitably apparelled in a simple citizen’s garb for the purpose, but it was to obtain cash on a letter of credit which by rights should be presented at the Madrid banker’s by the individual in whose favour it was drawn. It was therefore a proceeding that required tact and management, and Ramon de Collantes saw no alternative but to undertake the business himself. At the first thought he did not much relish the idea of leaving his wife, whom he really loved, alone for ten days or a fortnight at the tower, during the very first period of her residence there, and when her impatient spirit ought to be checked by all his power CORNICE DOOKS (C(O)