AN ADVENTURE IN THE PYRENEES. 463 



I regained my senses, my companions of the previous night, 

 were bending anxiously over me ; I lay by the side of the bear, 

 and my knife was buried to the hilt in its breast ; it was dead, 

 and I was saved, though bruised and torn severely. I looked 

 around for Nino I wanted to curse the coward. He was 

 not of the party ; and when I inquired for him they said they 

 had not seen him since the night before. When I told them 

 how he had acted, they threatened to punish him for his 

 cowardice. 



" The bear was mine, of course. But I gave my companions 

 some of its flesh for conveying myself and it back to the inn. 

 For some months afterwards, Nino dared not show his face. 

 When he did make his appearance, he kneeled at my feet and 

 begged my forgiveness, saying that his panic was altogether 

 unaccountable to himself, and that he would do anything I 

 might command to test his courage and affection. He seemed 

 sincere, and I forgave him. From inquiries made after my 

 bear adventure, I was induced to believe that bolder men than 

 Nino had occasionally been seized with a panic. We cannot 

 account for the freaks of poor human nature." 



The story of Vasquez de Cando was listened to with much 

 interest. Narciso thought it worth another bottle. After 

 this had been drained, and the conversation had become some- 

 what confused, the party retired for the night. Early the 

 next morning Donna Costanza and Narciso resumed their 

 journey. 



