One thing to do would be to get
the robe of a priest, or the dress of one of the bishop's officials."
Herrara thought for some time. "I think that I could do that for you,
O'Connor. Of course I have a good many acquaintances in Oporto, among them
some ladies. I was intending to go across this evening and see some of
them, and implore them to leave the town before it is too late. One of
these friends of mine might buy some robes for me; a woman can do that
sort of thing when a man cannot. She can pretend that she wants to buy the
robe as a present for the parish priest, or her father confessor, or
something of that sort. At any rate, it is worth trying."
"It is, indeed, Herrara, and if you could manage it I should be greatly
obliged to you."
"I will go across at once. I expect Soult will be close up to-morrow
morning, or at any rate the next day. It may be another couple of days
before he gets his whole force concentrated, but in four days anyhow his
shot will be rattling down into the town. I will go and see what I can do.
You had better get one of my troopers to get the boat for you."
Herrara did not return until early on the following morning.
"I have managed it," he said, as Terence, who was getting very anxious
about him, ran forward to meet him.
"There is one family in Oporto whose eldest son is a brother officer of
mine, and I have visited them here with him, and have met them several
times at Lisbon.
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