The next instant, a bandage was bound tightly over her eyes, excluding every ray of light, while the strange voice again spoke apologetically, "Pardon, lady, but it is my orders! I am commanded to treat you with every respect, but not to let you see where you are borne to." "By what right does Count L'Estrange commit this outrage!" began Leoline, almost as imperiously as Miranda herself, and making use of her tongue, like a true woman, the very first moment it was at her disposal.
"How dare he carry me off in this atrocious way?
Whoever you are, sir, if you have the spirit of a man, you will bring me directly back to my own house." "I am very sorry, lady, but I have received orders that must be obeyed! You must come with me, but you need fear nothing; you will be as safe and secure as in your own home." "Secure enough, no doubt!" said Leoline, bitterly.

"I never did like Count L'Estrange, but I never knew he was a coward and a villain till now!" Her companion made no reply to this forcible address, and there was a moment's indignant silence on Leoline's part, broken only by the dip of the oars, and the rippling of the water.

Then, "Will you not tell me, at least, where you are taking me to ?" haughtily demanded Leoline.
"Lady, I cannot! It was to prevent you knowing, that you have been blindfolded." "Oh! your master has a faithful servant, I see! How long am I to be kept a prisoner ?" "I do not know." "Where is Count L'Estrange ?" "I cannot tell." "Where am I to see him ?" "I cannot say." "Ha!" said Leoline, with infinite contempt, and turning her back upon him she relapsed into gloomy silence.

It had all been so sudden, and had taken her so much by surprise, that she had not had time to think of the consequences until now.

But now they came upon her with a rush, and with dismal distinctness; and most distinct among all was, what would Sir Norman say! Of course, with all a lover's impatience, he would be at his post by sunrise, would come to look for his bride, and find himself sold! By that time she would be far enough away, perhaps a melancholy corpse (and at this dreary passage in her meditations, Leoline sighed profoundly), and he would never know what had become of her, or how much and how long she had loved him.