Roland passed with some
haste through the Palace, and emerged into the grounds behind it:
grounds delightfully umbrageous, and of an extent surprisingly large,
surrounded by a very high wall of stone, so solidly built that it might
successfully stand a siege.
Roland found the girl sauntering very slowly along one of the most
secluded alleys, whose gravel-path lay deeply in the shade caused by the
thick foliage of over-hanging trees, which made a cool, green tunnel of
the walk. Her head was slightly bowed in thought, her beautiful face
pathetic in its weariness, and the young man realized, with a pang of
sympathy, that she was still to all intents and purposes a prisoner,
with no companions but venerable people. She could not, and indeed did
not attempt to suppress an exclamation of delight at seeing him,
stretching out both hands in greeting, and her countenance cleared as if
by magic.
"I was thinking of you!" she cried, without a trace of coquetry.
"I judged your thoughts to be rather gloomy," he said, with a laugh, in
which she joined.
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