carriage was overturned.  No injury was sustained either by me or the others inside, and the door being forced open without much difficulty, we were let out.  One of my captors kept near me, while the other lent his assistance to the coachman to set the carriage to rights.  It proved, however, to be so much damaged, that it could not proceed; and, after considerable delay, my conductors ordered the coachman to remain with it till further assistance could be sent; and, taking the horses, one of them, notwithstanding my resistance, placed me beside him, and galloped off.  Having ridden about five miles, we crossed an extensive common, and passed an avenue of trees, which brought us to the entrance of an old house.  Our arrival seemed to be expected; for the instant we appeared, the gate was opened, and the old woman you have just seen, and who is called Mrs. Carteret, together with a dumb African, named Hassan, appeared at it.  Some muttered discourse passed between my conductors and these persons, which ended in my being committed to the care of Mrs. Carteret who led me upstairs to a richly-furnished chamber, and urged me to take some refreshment before I retired to rest, which, however, I declined.”

“Still, you saw nothing of Sir Paul Parravicin?” asked Leonard.

“On going downstairs next morning, he was the first person I beheld,” replied Nizza.  “Falling upon his knees, he implored my pardon for the artifice he had practised, and said he had been compelled to have recourse to it in order to save me from the king.  He then began to plead his own suit; but finding his protestations of passion of no effect, he became yet more importunate; when, at this juncture, one of the men who had acted as my conductor on the previous night suddenly entered the room, and told him he must return to Oxford without an instant’s delay, as the king’s attendants were in search of him.  Casting a look at me that made me tremble, he then departed; and though I remained more than two months in that house, I saw nothing more of him.”

“Did you not attempt to escape during that time?” asked Leonard.

“I was so carefully watched by Mrs. Carteret and Hassan, that it would have been vain to attempt it,” she replied.  “About a week ago, the two men who had conducted me to my place of captivity, again made their appearance, and told me I must accompany them to London.  I attempted no resistance, well aware it would be useless; and as the journey was made by by-roads, three days elapsed before we reached the capital.  We arrived at night, and I almost forgot my own alarm in the terrible sights I beheld at every turn.  It would have been useless to call out for assistance, for there was no one to afford it.  I asked my conductors if they had brought me there to die, and they answered, sternly, ’It depended on myself.’  At Ludgate we met Chowles, the coffin-maker, and he brought us to this house.  Yesterday, Sir Paul Parravicin made his appearance, and told me he had brought me hither to be out of the king’s way.  He then renewed his odious solicitations.  I resisted him as firmly as before; but he was more determined; and I might have been reduced to the last extremity but for your arrival, or for the terrible disorder that has seized me.  But I have spoken enough of myself.  Tell me what has become of Amabel?”