With little effort her father
secured that hand also, which, indeed, was of itself
far too little to serve the purpose of concealment,
and showed her beautiful face, burning with blushes
and covered with tears.
``You, Alcalde, and you, Surgeon,'' he said to
Lawford and Gray, with a foreign action and accent,
``this woman is my daughter, the same Zilia
Mon
ada who is signal'd in that protocol. Make
way, and let me carry her where her crimes may
be atoned for.''
``Are you that person's daughter?'' said Lawford
to the lady.
``She understands no English,'' said Gray; and
addressing his patient in French, conjured her to
let him know whether she was that man's daughter
or not, assuring her of protection if the fact were
otherwise. The answer was murmured faintly,
but was too distinctly intelligible---`` He was her
father.''
All farther title of interference seemed now
ended. The messenger arrested his prisoner,
and, with some delicacy, required the assistance of
the females to get her conveyed to the carriage in
waiting.
Gray again interfered.---``You will not,'' he said,
``separate the mother and the infant?''
Zilia de Monada heard the question, (which,
being addressed to the father, Gray had inconsiderately
uttered in French,) and it seemed as if it
recalled to her recollection the existence of the
helpless creature to which she had given birth,
forgotten for a moment amongst the accumulated
horrors of her father's presence.
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