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diff --git a/old/41224.txt b/old/41224.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 0931ff9..0000000 --- a/old/41224.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4106 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Sicilian Bandit, by Alexandre Dumas, -pere - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost -no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use -it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Sicilian Bandit - From the Volume "Captain Paul" - -Author: Alexandre Dumas, pere - -Release Date: October 29, 2012 [EBook #41224] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SICILIAN BANDIT *** - - - - -Produced by David Widger - - - - - - - - - - - - - -THE SICILIAN BANDIT - -From the Volume "Captain Paul" - -By Alexandre Dumas, pere - - - - - -CONTENTS - - - -CHAPTER I.--INTRODUCTION--PALERMO. - -CHAPTER II.--BRUNO AND ALI. - -CHAPTER III.--THE FATAL BRIDAL. - -CHAPTER IV.--THE PRINCE AND THE BANDIT. - -CHAPTER IV.--THE ROBBER'S CASTLE. - -CHAPTER VI.--A BANDIT'S GRATITUDE. - -CHAPTER VII.--A BRIGAND'S VENGEANCE. - -CHAPTER VIII.---TREACHERY. - -CHAPTER IX.--THE SIEGE. - -CHAPTER X.--THE CHAPELLE ARDENTE. - -CHAPTER XI.--DEATH OF THE BANDIT. - -CHAPTER XII.--CONCLUSION. - - - - - - - - - - - -CHAPTER I.--INTRODUCTION--PALERMO. - -It is with cities as with men--chance presides over their foundation; -and the topographical situation of the first, and the social position of -the latter, exercise a beneficial or an evil influence over their entire -existence. - -There are noble cities which, in their selfish pride of place, have -refused to permit the erection even of a few humble cottages on the -mountain on which their foundations rested: their domination must be -exclusive and supreme; consequently they have remained as poor as they -are proud. - -There are villages so humble as to have taken refuge in the recesses -of the valley--have built their farmsteads, mills, and cottages on the -margin of a brook, and, protected by the hills that sheltered them from -heat and cold, have passed an almost unknown and tranquil life, like -that of men without ardour and without ambition--terrified by every -sound, dazzled by every blaze of light, and whose whole happiness -consists in shade and silence. - -There are, again, others that have commenced their existence as paltry -hamlets on the sea-shore, and which, by degrees, have seen sailing -vessels succeed the simple boat, and noble ships the tiny barque--whose -modest huts have given place to lordly palaces, while the gold of Potosi -and the wealth of the Indies flow into their ample ports. - -It is for these reasons that we give to cold, inanimate nature epithets -that truly belong to man's nobility alone. Thus we say, Messina the -noble, Syracuse the faithful, Girgenti the magnificent, Trapani the -invincible, and Palermo the blessed. - -If ever there was a city predestined to be blessed--that city is -Palermo. Situated beneath a cloudless sky, on a luxuriously fertile -plain, and sheltered by a belt of mountains, in the centre of a -picturesquely beautiful country, its ample ports open to receive the -gentle flow of the azure sea. - -There is nothing more beautiful than the days at Palermo, except it -be the nights--those eastern nights, so clear and balmy, in which the -murmur of the sea, the rustling of the breeze, and the busy hum of the -town seem like a universal concert of love, during which all created -things, from the wave to the tree, from the tree to man himself, breathe -a mysterious sigh. - -At times, however, the sea suddenly assumes a livid tint; the wind -drops, the noise of the city is hushed; a few bloodied clouds travel -rapidly from the south to the north; these clouds foretell the coming of -the dread sirocco, that scorching blast, borne in the sands of Libya and -carried to Europe by the southerly gales: immediately everything animate -droops and becomes oppressed and suffering, and the whole island feels -as when Etna threatens. Animals and men alike seek shelter, and when -they have found it, they crouch in fear, for the blast has taken away -all courage, paralysed the strength, and deadened every faculty; and -this lasts until a purer air from the Calabrian hills restores the -strength and appears to renew their existence, and on the morrow all -again is pleasure and mirth. - -It was the evening of the month of September, 1803, when the sirocco had -lasted throughout the entire day; but at sunset the sky became clear, -the sea resumed its azure tint, and a few blasts of cool air blew over -the Liparian Archipelago. This atmospheric change had such an influence -on all animated beings, that they gradually revived from their state -of torpor, and you might have imagined you were present at a second -creation, the more so from the fact of Palermo being, as we have already -said, a perfect garden of Eden. - -Among all the daughters of Eve who, in the paradise they inhabit, make -love their principal occupation, there was one who will play a very -important part in the course of this history. That we may direct the -attention of our readers to her, and to the place in which she dwelt, -let them leave Palermo by the San-Georgio gate along with us, leaving -the castle of St Mark on the right, and, reaching the Mole, they will -follow the course of the sea-shore for some distance, and stop before -the delightful villa of the Prince of Carini, the Viceroy of Sicily -under Ferdinand the Fourth, who had just returned from Naples to take up -his abode in it. - -On the first floor of this elegant villa, in a chamber tapestried -with azure-blue silk, the ceiling of which was ornamented with fresco -painting, a female, simply attired in a snow-white morning dress, was -reclining on a sofa, her arms hung listlessly, her head was thrown back, -and her hair dishevelled; for an instant she might have been taken for -a marble statue, but a gentle tremor ran through her frame, colour -gradually came to her cheeks, her eyes began to open, the beautiful -statue became animated, sighed, stretched out its hand to a little -silver bell placed on a table of peliminta marble, rang it lazily, and, -as if fatigued with the effort she had made, fell back again on the -sofa. - -The silvery sound, however, had been heard, the door opened, and a young -and pretty waiting-maid, whose disordered toilet declared that she, -as well as her mistress, had felt the influence of the African wind, -appeared on the threshold. - -"Is it you, Teresa?" said her mistress, languidly, and turning her head. -"It is enough to kill one: is the sirocco still blowing?" - -"No, signora, it has quite passed over, and we begin to breathe again." - -"Bring me some iced fruit, and let me have a little air." - -Teresa obeyed these orders with as much promptitude as the remains of -her languor would allow; she placed the refreshments on the table, and -opened the window that looked out on the sea. - -"Look, madame la comtesse," she said, "we shall have a magnificent day -to-morrow; and the air is so clear that you can plainly see the island -of Alicari, although the day is drawing to a close." - -"Yes, yes, the air is refreshing; give me your arm, Teresa; I will try -if I can drag myself as far as the window." - -The attendant approached her mistress, who replaced on the table the -refreshment her lips had scarcely touched, and, resting on Teresa's -shoulder, walked languidly towards the balcony. - -"How this delightful breeze revives one," she observed, as she inhaled -the evening air; "bring me my chair, and open the other window that -looks into the garden,--that will do. Has the prince returned from -Montreal?" - -"Not yet, my lady," replied Teresa. - -"So much the better; I would not have him see me in this wretched state, -so pale and weak: I must look dreadfully." - -"Madame la comtesse never looked more beautiful than at this moment, and -I am certain that in the whole city we see from this window, there is -not a woman who would not be jealous of your ladyship." - -"Do you include the Marchioness of Rudini and the Princess of Butera?" - -"I except no one," replied the attendant. - -"Ah, I see the prince has been bribing you to flatter me, Teresa." - -"I assure you, madame, I only tell you what I think." - -"Oh, what a delightful place Palermo is!" said the countess, taking a -deep inspiration. - -"Especially when one is two-and-twenty years of age, and rich and -beautiful," continued Teresa, smiling. - -"You have but completed my thoughts, and on that account I wish to see -every one about me cheerful and happy. When is your marriage to take -place, Teresa?" Teresa made no answer. "Is not Sunday the day fixed -upon?" continued the countess. - -"Yes, signora," answered her attendant with a sigh. - -"Why do you sigh? Have you not made up your mind?" - -"Oh, yes, certainly." - -"Have you any dislike to the marriage!" - -"No; I believe Gaetano is a good lad, and that he will make me happy. -Besides, this marriage will enable me to remain with madame la comtesse, -and that is my most earnest wish." - -"Then why did you sigh?" - -"Pray pardon me, my lady, but I was thinking of our native country." - -"Our native country!" echoed the countess. - -"Yes; madame la comtesse may remember, while at Palermo, that she had -left a foster sister at the village of which her father was the signor; -and when she wrote for me to come to her, I was about to be married to a -young man belonging to Bauso." - -"Why did you not tell me of that? The prince, at my recommendation, -would have taken him into his service." - -"Oh, he would not become a servant," said Teresa; "he was too proud for -that." - -"Indeed!" said the countess. - -"Yes; he had before then refused the situation of shepherd to the Prince -of Goto." - -"He was a gentleman, then, this young man?" - -"No, madame la comtesse; he was but a simple mountaineer," said Teresa, -in a melancholy tone. - -"What was his name?" - -"Oh, I do not think that your ladyship would recollect it," said Teresa, -eagerly. - -"And do you then regret his loss?" - -"I cannot tell; I only know that if I were to become his wife instead of -Gaetano's, I should be obliged to work for my living; and that would be -a laborious task for me, after leading so easy and pleasant a life under -madame la comtesse." - -"And yet, Teresa, is it not true that people accuse me of pride and -violence?" asked the countess. - -"Madame is very good to me, that is all I can say," replied Teresa. - -"The nobles of Palermo say so, because the Counts of Castel Nuovo were -ennobled by Charles the Fifth, while the Ventimillas and the Partanas -descend, as they pretend, from Tancred and Rogero: but that is not the -reason the women hate me; they conceal their hatred under the cloak of -disdain, and they neglect me because Rodolpho loves me, and they are -jealous of the viceroy's love; they do all they can to seduce him -from me; but they will never succeed, for my beauty is greater than -theirs--Carini tells me so every day, and so do you, story-teller." - -"You have here a greater flatterer than either his excellency or -myself," said Teresa, archly. - -"Who is that?" asked the countess. - -"The countess's mirror." - -"Foolish girl!" said the countess, with a gratified smile. "There, go -and light the tapers of the Psyche." The attendant obeyed her mistress's -orders. "Now shut that window, and leave me; there will be sufficient -air from the garden." - -Teresa obeyed, and left the room. Scarcely did the countess perceive -that she was gone, than she seated herself before the Psyche, and smiled -as she looked at and admired herself in the glass. - -A wonderful creature was the Countess Emma, or rather Gemma, for, from -her very infancy, her parents had added a G to her baptismal name; -and, on account of this addition, she called herself Diamond. She was -certainly wrong in confining her origin to the signature of Charles the -Fifth, for in her slight and pliant form, you might recognise an Ionian -origin; in her black and expressive eyes, a descendant of the Arabs; and -in her fair and vermilion skin, a daughter of Gaul. She could equally -boast of her descent from an Athenian archon, a Saracen emir, and -a Norman chieftain; she was one of those beauties that in the first -instance were found in Sicily alone, at a later time in one town alone -in the world--Arles. So that, instead, of calling the artifices of the -toilet to her assistance, as she intended in the first instance, Gemma -found herself more charming in her partial dishabille. - -The glass, being placed before the window that was left open, reflected -the sky from its surface, and Gemma, without intention or thought, wrapt -herself up in a vague and delicious pleasure, counting in the glass the -images of the stars as they each appeared in their turn, and giving them -names as they successively appeared in the heavens. - -Suddenly it appeared as if a rising shadow placed itself before the -stars, and that a face appeared behind her; she turned herself quickly -round and beheld a man standing at the window. Gemma rose and opened her -mouth with the intention of screaming for assistance, when the stranger, -springing into the chamber, clasped his hands, and said in supplicating -accents-- - -"In the name of heaven do not call out, madame! for on my honour, you -have nothing to fear: I will do you no harm." - -Gemma fell back into her chair, and the apparition and words of the -stranger were succeeded by a moment's silence, during which she had time -to cast a rapid glance at the person who had introduced himself into her -room in this extraordinary manner. - -He was a young man, some twenty-five or twenty-six years of age, and -appeared to belong to the ranks of the people; he wore a Calabrian hat, -round which a piece of velvet was tied, the ends of which fell loosely -on his shoulders, a velvet vest with silver buttons, breeches of the -same material, and ornamented in a similar manner; round his waist -he wore a red silk belt with green fringe; shoes and leather gaiters -completed his costume, which appeared to have been selected to set off -his fine figure to advantage. His features possessed a kind of savage -beauty, his look was bold and proud, his beard black, his teeth sharp -and white, and his nose aquiline. - -For a certainty, Gemma was not a whit the more easy by her examination, -for the stranger, when he saw her stretch out her hand towards the -table, as if to take hold of the silver bell, said-- - -"Did you not hear me, madame?" giving his voice that gentle expression -so peculiar to the Sicilian dialect. "I wish you no harm--far from it. -If you will grant me the request I am about to make, I will adore you as -if you were a Madonna. You are already as beautiful; be as good as one." - -"But what is it you require?" said Gemma, her voice still trembling; -"and why did you come here in this manner, and at such an hour?" - -"Had I requested the favour of an interview with one so noble, so rich, -and so much loved by a man who is almost a king, is it probable that you -would have granted it to me, so poor and unknown? Tell me, madame. -But even if you had been so condescending, you might have delayed your -answer, and I have no time to wait." - -"What, then, can I do for you?" said Gemma, recovering herself by -degrees. - -"Everything, madame; for you hold in your hands my despair or my -happiness--my death or my life." - -"I do not understand you; explain yourself," faltered out the countess. - -"You have," said the stranger, "a young woman from Bauso in your -service." - -"Teresa?" asked the countess. - -"Yes, Teresa," replied the young man in trembling accents. "Now, this -young woman is to be married to a valet de chambre of the Prince de -Carini, and she is betrothed to me." - -"Ah! it is you, then?" said the countess. - -"Yes, it was I she was about to marry when she received your letter -desiring her to come to you. She promised to remain faithful to me--to -mention me to you, and if you refused her request, she pledged her word -to return to me. I continued to expect her; but three years passed by, -and yet I saw her not; and as she has not returned to me, I have come to -seek her. On my arrival I learnt all, and then I thought I would throw -myself on my knees before you, and ask Teresa of you." - -"Teresa is a girl I am partial to," said the countess, "and I do not -wish her to leave me. Gaetano is the prince's valet de chambre, and by -marrying him she will still remain near me." - -"If that is one of the conditions, I will enter the prince's service," -said the young man, evidently suppressing his feelings. - -"But Teresa told me you would not enter into service." - -"That is true," replied the stranger; "but if it is necessary, I will -make any sacrifice for her; only, if it were possible, I would be one of -the huntsmen rather than a domestic servant." - -"Well," said the countess, "I will speak of it to the prince, and if he -consents--" - -"The prince will do all that you wish, madame," interrupted the young -man. "You do not ask, you order; I know that well." - -"But what guarantee have I for your good conduct?" asked the countess. - -"My eternal gratitude, madame," said the young man. - -"Still I must know who you are," said the countess. - -"I am a man," said the stranger, "whom you can make miserable or happy; -that is the sum of all." - -"The prince will ask me your name," said the countess. - -"What is my name to him?" asked the stranger. "Is he acquainted with it? -Has the name of a poor peasant of Bauso ever reached the prince's ears?" - -"But I belong to the same country as yourself," said the countess; -"my father was Count of Castel Nuovo, and lived in a little fortress a -quarter of a league from the village." - -"I know it, madame," said the young man, in a low hoarse voice. - -"Well, I ought to know your name," said the countess. "Tell me, then, -and I will see what I can do for you." - -"Believe me, madame la comtesse," said the stranger, "it would be better -for you to remain ignorant of it. What does my name signify? I am an -honest man. I would make Teresa happy; and if it were necessary, I would -sacrifice my life for you or the prince." - -"Your obstinacy is very strange," said the countess, "and I have a -greater desire to know your name than ever, for when I asked Teresa what -it was, she, like you, refused to tell me. In the meantime, I warn you -that I will not consent to your wishes except on that condition." - -"You wish to know it then, madame?" - -"I insist upon it!" said the countess. - -"For the last time," said the stranger, "I beg, I implore you, not to -insist upon it." - -"Either name it," said the countess, in an imperative tone, "or leave -me." - -"I am called Pascal Bruno," said the young man, in so calm a voice that -you might have imagined every emotion had passed away if the paleness of -his features had not been evidence of the internal struggle. - -"Pascal Bruno!" cried the countess, drawing back in her chair in terror. -"Pascal Bruno! You, the son of Antonio Bruno, whose head is placed in an -iron cage at the Château de Bauso?" - -"I am his son," coolly replied the young man. - -"And do you not know," asked the countess, "why your father's head is -placed there? Speak!" Pascal remained silent. "Well," continued the -countess, "it was because your father attempted to assassinate mine." - -"I know all that, madame," replied Pascal, calmly; "and I know, besides, -that when you, then a child, was taken into the village, your attendants -showed you that head, and told you it was my father's head; but they did -not tell you, madame, that your father dishonoured mine." - -"Thou liest!" passionately exclaimed the countess. - -"May God punish me if I tell not the truth. Madame, my mother was -beautiful and virtuous; your father, the count, became enamoured of her: -but she resisted all his importunities, all his promises, and all his -threats; but one day, when my father had gone to Taormina, the count -caused her to be carried off by four men, taken to a small house that -belonged to him between Limero and Furnari (it is now a tavern), and -there--madame--he violated her!" - -"The count was lord and master of the village of Bauso," said Gemma, -proudly. "Both the property and the persons of its inhabitants belonged -to him, and he did your mother much honour by admiring her." - -"My father did not think so it appears," said Pascal, knitting his brow. -"That, perhaps, was because he was born at Stilla, on the lands of the -Prince de Moncada Paterno; and on that account he struck the count. -The wound was not mortal; so much the better. For a long time I deeply -regretted it; but now, to my shame, I congratulate myself on it." - -"If my memory be correct," said the countess, "not only was your father -put to death as murderer, but your uncles are still at the galleys." - -"Your memory is good," said Pascal. "My uncles gave an asylum to the -assassin, and defended him when the officers came to arrest him: they -were, therefore, looked upon as accomplices, and sent, my uncle Placido, -to Favignana; my uncle Pietro, to Lipari; and my uncle Pépe, to Vulcano. -As for myself, I was too young; and, although I was arrested, they gave -me up again to my mother." - -"And what became of your mother?" asked Gemma. - -"She died," said Pascal, mournfully. - -"Where?" asked Gemma. - -"In the mountains between Pizzo di Goto and Nisi," replied Pascal. - -"Why did she leave Bauso?" inquired the countess. - -"That every time we passed the castle," said Pascal, "she might not see -the head of her husband, nor I that of my father! Yes, she died without -a physician, without a priest--she was buried in unholy ground, and -I dug her grave. There, madame--you will pardon me, I trust--over the -newly-turned earth I swore to avenge the wrongs of my family--of whom I, -alone, remain--upon you, the only survivor of the family of the count. -But I became enamoured of Teresa, and I left the mountains that I might -not see my mother's grave, towards which I felt myself perjured. I came -down to the plain, and went to Bauso. I did more than that, for when I -knew that Teresa had left the village to enter your service, I thought -of entering that of the count. For a long time I felt repugnant at the -idea; but my love for Teresa overcame every other feeling. I made up -my mind to see you--I have seen you; here am I, without arms, and a -suppliant before you, madame--before whom I ought only to appear as an -enemy." - -"You must perceive," said Gemma, "the prince cannot take into his -service the son of a man who was hanged, and whose uncles are at the -galleys." - -"Why not, madame?" asked Bruno, "if that man consents to forget that -those punishments were unjustly inflicted?" - -"Are you mad?" said the countess. - -"Madame la comtesse," said Pascal, "you know what an oath is to a -mountaineer. Well, I have broken my oath. You also know the vengeance of -a Sicilian. Well, I will renounce my vengeance and forget my oath. I -ask only that all may be forgotten, and that you will not force me to -remember it?" - -"But if you should," said the countess, "how would you act?" - -"I do not wish to think upon the subject." - -"Then we must take our measures accordingly," said the countess. - -"I beg of you, madame la comtesse," said Pascal, "to have pity on me; -you see that I am doing all that I can to remain an honest man. Once -engaged by the prince--once Teresa's husband, I can answer for myself: -otherwise I shall never return to Bauso." - -"It is impossible to do as you desire," said the countess, decidedly. - -"Countess," said Pascal, earnestly, "you have loved?" Gemma smiled -disdainfully. "You must know what jealousy is--you must know its -sufferings, its maddening tortures. Well, I love Teresa--I am jealous of -her; and I feel I should lose my senses if this marriage take place; and -then--" - -"Well, then--" said Gemma, in an agitated tone. - -"Then, take heed' I do not remember the galleys where my uncles are, the -cage in which my father's head is placed, and the grave where my mother -sleeps!" At this instant a strange cry, which seemed to be a signal, -was heard outside the window, and almost at the same instant a bell was -rung. - -"There is the prince," said Gemma, regaining her confidence. - -"Yes, yes--I know it," mattered Pascal; "but before he passes through -yonder door, you have time to say 'yes.' I implore you, madame, to grant -me what I ask. Give me Teresa--place me in the prince's service!" - -"Let me pass," said Gemma, imperiously, and advanced towards the door; -but instead of obeying this order, Bruno sprang to the door and bolted -it. "Would you dare to stop me?" cried Gemma, taking hold of the bell. -"Help! help!" - -"Do not call out, madame," said Bruno, still mastering his feelings, -"for I have told you I will do you no harm." - -A second cry, resembling the first, was heard outside the window. - -"It is well--well, Ali; you watch faithfully, my boy," said Bruno. -"Yes, I know the count has arrived; I hear him in the corridor. Madame, -madame! an instant longer remains for you; one second, and all the -misfortunes I foresee may be avoided." - -"Help, Rodolpho! Help!" screamed Gemma. - -"You have, then neither heart, nor soul, nor pity, either for yourself -or others," cried Bruno plunging his hands in his hair and looking at -the door, which was being violently shaken. - -"I am fastened in!" cired the countess, who felt fresh courage from the -assistance which had arrived; "fastened in with a man who is threatening -my life. Help! help! Rodolpho, help!" - -"I do not threaten you," said Pascal, "I am entreating you--I entreat -you still; but since you will--" Bruno, uttering a yell like that of a -tiger, sprang upon Gemma, no doubt with the intention of strangling her, -for (as we have said) he had no arms. At the same instant a small door, -concealed at the extremity of the alcove, opened, the report of a pistol -was heard, the room was filled with smoke, and Gemma fainted: when she -recovered her senses she was in the prince's arms. - -"Where is he? where is he?" she cried, in a terrified accent, and -looking around her. - -"I cannot tell; I suppose I must have missed him," answered the prince; -"for, while I was stepping over the bed, he leaped out of the window; -and, as I saw you insensible, I did not trouble myself about him--I -thought only of you; I must have missed him, and yet it is strange I do -not see the mark of the ball in the hangings." - -"Let them run after him," said Gemma: "show no mercy, no pity, to that -man, my lord, for he was a robber, who would have assassinated me." - -They searched the villa during the whole night, the gardens, and the -shore, but without avail--Pascal Bruno had disappeared. - -The next day a track of blood was discovered, which began at the foot of -the window from which he had leaped and was lost on the sea-shore. - - - - - - -CHAPTER II.--BRUNO AND ALI. - -At daybreak the following morning, the fishermen's boats left the port -as usual and dispersed themselves over the sea. In the meantime, one -of their little fleet, having on board a man, and a boy of twelve or -fourteen years of age, stopped when it came within sight of Palermo, and -lowering its sail, brought to; but as this motionless state, at a spot -little favourable for fishing, might have attracted suspicion, the boy -occupied himself in mending his nets. As to the man, he was lying at the -bottom of the boat, his head resting on the side, and he appeared to -be plunged in a deep reverie, still, as if mechanically, he took up the -sea-water with his right hand, and poured it over his left shoulder, -which was bound up with a bandage stained with blood. - -The man was Pascal Bruno, and the boy the same who, placed beneath the -countess's window, had twice given him the signal for flight: at first -sight, you could see that he was a native of a more ardent clime than -that in which the events we record took place. He was born on the coast -of Africa, and it was in the following manner that Pascal Bruno became -acquainted with him:-- - -About a year before the occurrence of the events we have just narrated, -a party of Algerine pirates, having learned that the Prince of Moncana -Paterno, one of the richest noblemen in Sicily, was returning in a small -vessel from Pantelleria to Catana with an escort of a dozen men only, -lay in ambush behind the island of Porri, distant about two miles from -the coast. The prince's vessel, as the pirates had foreseen, passed -between the island and the shore, but the instant it entered the narrow -strait, the pirates left the creek in which they had been concealed -with three vessels and rowed forward to attack their expected prize, the -prince. The latter, however, immediately perceiving the imminence of his -danger, ordered his crew to turn the boat's head towards the shore, -and run her aground on the beach at Furella. They did not succeed in -reaching the point desired, but the place where the boat grounded had -only about three feet of water, and the pirates were close upon them. -The prince and his followers leaped into the sea, holding their arms -above their heads, trusting to be able to reach a village they saw at -some half a league distance without being obliged to employ them. But -they had scarcely disembarked, when another party of the pirates who, -having foreseen this manouvre, had rowed one of the boats as high as -Bufaidone, issued from the reeds through which the river flowed, and cut -off the retreat of the prince. - -The attack immediately began, but while the followers of the prince were -engaged with the first party, the second came up, and all resistance -becoming evidently useless, the prince surrendered, asking for his life, -and promising to ransom himself and all his followers. Immediately after -the prisoners had laid down their arms, a party of countrymen were seen -approaching, armed with muskets and pitchforks, and the pirates, having -made themselves masters of the prince's person, the only object they -had in view, did not think it worth while waiting for the arrival of -the countrymen, but took to their boats in such haste as to leave behind -them three of their men, whom they believed were either dead or mortally -wounded. - -Among those who had hastened to the scene of conflict, was Pascal Bruno, -whose wandering life led him sometimes to one place and sometimes to -another, his disturbed mind leading him into every kind of adventurous -enterprise. When the countrymen reached the beach where the struggle had -taken place, they found one of the Prince of Paterno's domestics dead, -another slightly wounded in the thigh, and three of the pirates bathed -in their blood, but still breathing. Two blows from the butt-end of -a musket soon made an end of two of the number, and a pistol-ball was -about to send the third to join his comrades, when Bruno perceiving it -was a boy, turned the arm that held the pistol on one side, and declared -that he would take the wounded lad under his own protection. - -There were a few remonstrances against this ill-timed pity as it was -called, but when Bruno had said a thing, he maintained what he had said; -accordingly, he cocked his carbine, and declared that he would blow out -the brains of the first man who should approach his protégé, and as they -knew him to be a man who would not hesitate an instant in putting his -threat into execution, they allowed him to take the boy in his arms and -go off with him. Bruno proceeded to the shore, and entered the boat in -which he performed his adventurous excursions, whose qualities he -knew so well that it seemed to obey him like a well-tutored horse, and -spreading his sail, he steered towards Cape Aliga Grande. - -As soon as he saw that the boat was in the right course, and that it no -longer needed a steersman, he attended to the wounded boy, who was still -insensible: he took off the white bournouse in which he was dressed, -loosened the belt to which his yataghan was still attached, and -perceived by the rays of the setting sun the situation of the wound. -Upon examination, he discovered that a musket-ball had entered between -the right hip and the false ribs, and gone out near the spine: the wound -was dangerous, but it was not mortal. - -The evening breeze, and the cool sensation produced by the sea-water -with which Bruno washed the wound, recalled the boy to his senses, and -he uttered a few words in a foreign language, but without opening his -eyes. Bruno, however, knowing that a wound caused by fire-arms produced -a burning thirst, guessed that he was asking for drink, and he placed -a bottle of water to his lips. The boy drank greedily, uttered a few -inarticulate sounds, and fell back in a fainting fit. - -Pascal laid him down as gently as he could at the bottom of the boat, -and, uncovering the wound, he continued, unceasingly, to apply to it his -handkerchief dipped in the sea--a remedy considered infallible in the -case of wounds by every seafaring man in the Mediterranean. - -At length our navigators found themselves at the mouth of the Ragusa, -and the wind setting in from the African coast. Pascal with little -difficulty directed his bark into the stream; and leaving Modica to the -right, he passed the bridge that is thrown across the high-road from -Noto to Chiaramonti. - -He went about half a league further, but there the river became no -longer navigable; he drew his boat up among the shrubs that grew by -the side of the stream, and taking the boy in his arms, he carried -him inland. He soon reached the entrance to a valley, into which -he descended, and presently came to a spot where the mountain was -perpendicular, the smoother side of which was pierced in various places; -for in this valley were to be seen the remains of the habitations of -the dwellers in caves, the first occupants of the country, and who were -afterwards civilised by the Greeks. - -Bruno entered one of these caverns, which communicated by means of a -few steps with an upper story, to which the air was admitted through -a small, square hole that answered the purpose of a window. A bed of -rushes was heaped up in the corner, and on this he spread out the boy's -bournouse; and then having lighted a branch of fir, he fixed it in the -wall, and seating himself on a stone near the bed, he waited until his -protégé recovered his senses. - -This was not the first visit Bruno had paid to this retreat, for often -during his travels across the island without any object in view, but -merely for the sake of passing away his solitary time, he had entered -that valley, and rested in that chamber which had been excavated in the -rock three thousand years before. Here it was that he gave himself up -to vague and incoherent reveries, so habitual to imaginative but -uninstructed minds. - -He knew that a race of men had disappeared from the earth which in -former times excavated these retreats; and, deeply tinged with the -popular superstition, he believed, like all the inhabitants of the -locality, that these men were enchanters and dealers in witchcraft; but -this belief, far from driving him from these wild and terror-inspiring -places, irresistibly attracted him to them; for in his youth he had -heard numbers of tales related of enchanted guns, invulnerable men, -and invisible travellers; and his fearless mind, delighting in the -marvellous and the terrible, had but one engrossing desire, that of -meeting with some mysterious being, some sorcerer, enchanter, or -demon who, by means of an infernal compact, would endow him with some -supernatural power, and make him superior to the rest of mankind. But he -had vainly invoked the shades of the ancient inhabitants of the valley -of Modica; no supernatural appearances had visited him, and Pascal Bruno -remained, to his great regret, a man like other men, with the exception -of a degree of strength and skill for which no other mountaineer could -be compared with him. - -Bruno had been wholly absorbed in one of these visionary reveries for -nearly an hour beside the bed of the wounded lad, when the latter awoke -from a species of lethargy into which he had been plunged, opened his -eyes, looked round him with a wandering gaze, and at last fixed his eyes -upon the man who had saved him, but unconscious whether he saw in him -a friend or an enemy. During this examination, and by an indefinite -instinct of self-defence, he put his hand to his waist In search of his -faithful yataghan; but not finding it there, he heaved a deep sigh, and -again closed his eyes. - -"Are you in pain?" said Bruno to him, making use of the Lingua Franca, -a language so well understood on the coast of the Mediterranean, from -Marseilles to Alexandria, from Constantinople to Algiers, and by means -of which you may travel over the whole of the old world. - -"Who are you?" asked the boy. - -"A friend," replied Pascal. - -"I am not a prisoner then?" said the boy. - -"No," answered Pascal. - -"Then how came I here?" asked the boy. - -Pascal told him all that had happened; to which the boy listened -attentively, and when he had finished his tale, he fixed his eyes -gratefully upon Pascal, and said, "Then, since you have saved my life, -you will be a father to me?" - -"Yes," said Bruno, "I will." - -"Father," said the wounded boy, "thy son's name is Ali; what is yours?" - -"Pascal Bruno." - -"May Allah protect thee," said the lad. - -"Are you in want of anything?" asked Bruno. - -"Yes, water," said the boy; "I am thirsty." - -Pascal took up an earthen vessel concealed in a hole in the rock, and -went to a spring that flowed near the cave; on going up again he cast -his eyes on the boy's yataghan, which he had made no attempt to draw -nearer to him. Ali greedily seized the cup, and drank off the water at a -draught. - -"May Allah grant you as many happy years as there were drops of water in -this cup," said the boy, as he gave it back to Pascal. - -"You are a good creature," murmured Bruno; "make haste and get well, and -you shall, if you wish go back to Africa." - -The boy recovered from his wound, but continued to remain in Sicily, for -he became so much attached to Bruno that he would not leave him. Since -that time, he had always remained with him, accompanying him in his -hunting excursions over the mountains; assisting him in the management -of his boat, and ready to sacrifice his life at a sign from the man he -called his father. - -On the previous evening, he had accompanied Pascal to the villa of the -Prince de Carini, and waited for him beneath the windows during the -interview with Gemma; and he it was who had twice given the signal of -alarm; the first time, when the prince rang the bell at the gate, and -again, when he entered the château. He was just about to climb into -the window to render Bruno assistance when the latter sprang out; he -followed him in his flight, and when they reached the shore, they both -of them got into their boat which was awaiting them, and as they could -not have put to sea in the evening without creating suspicion, they were -content to remain among the fishing-boats that waited for the break of -day, in order that they might put to sea. - -During the night Ali, in his turn, returned to Pascal the attentions he -had received under similar circumstances, for the Prince of Carini -had taken a good aim, and the ball he had vainly searched for in the -hangings had almost passed through Bruno's shoulder, so that Ali had but -to make a slight incision with his yataghan to extract it from the side -opposite to that at which it entered. All this took place without the -interference of Bruno who appeared scarcely to pay any attention to the -circumstance, and the only care he bestowed on his wound was, as we have -already said, to moisten it, from time to time, with sea-water, while -the boy appeared to be busy mending his nets. - -"Father," said Ali, suddenly interrupting himself in his pretended -occupation, "look towards the shore." - -"Well, what is it?" said Pascal. - -"A number of people?". replied Ali. - -"Where?" asked Pascal. - -"Yonder, on the road leading to the church," replied Ali. - -In fact, a considerable crowd of people were passing along the winding -road that led to the church. Bruno saw that it was a marriage procession -on its way to the chapel of St. Rosalie. - -"Direct the boat's head to the shore, and row quickly," he cried, -starting up and standing in the boat. - -The boy obeyed, seized the oars, and the little vessel seemed to fly -over the surface of the sea; the nearer they approached the shore the -more terrible the features of Bruno became: at length, when they were -within half a mile of the land, he cried out, in an accent of deep -despair-- - -"It is Teresa! They have hurried on the ceremony; they would not wait -until Sunday for fear I should have carried her off. God knows, I have -done all in my power to bring this affair to a happy conclusion--but -they would not have it, so woe betide them!" - -At these words, Bruno, assisted by Ali, hoisted the sail of his little -bark, which, doubling Mount Pellegrino, disappeared at the end of two -hours behind Cape Gollo. - - - - - - -CHAPTER III.--THE FATAL BRIDAL. - -Pascal was not deceived in his conjectures: the countess, afraid of some -attempt on the part of Bruno, had hurried on the marriage three days -before the appointed time without informing Teresa of her interview -with her old lover; and the young people had selected the chapel of St. -Rosalie, the patroness of Palermo, for the celebration of the ceremony. - -This was another of the characteristics of Palermo, that city of love; -it had placed itself under the protection of a young and pretty saint! -Thus, St. Rosalie was at Palermo what St. Januarius is at Naples, the -omnipotent distributor of the blessings of heaven; but superior to -St. Januarius, as she was of a royal French race, being descended from -Charlemagne; this was proved by her genealogical tree, painted above the -door on the exterior of the chapel; a tree whose trunk issues from -the breast of the conqueror of Vitikind, and after dividing into many -branches, it reunites at the summit to give birth to the Prince of -Sinebaldo, the father of St. Rosalie; but her noble birth, the riches of -her house and her own beauty had no effect on the young princess; at the -age of eighteen she quitted the court, and, bent upon living a life of -contemplation, she suddenly disappeared, and no one knew what had become -of her; it was only after her death that she was found, as beautiful and -perfect as if she still lived, in the grotto in which she had taken up -her abode, and in the attitude in which she had fallen asleep. In after -times, a chapel was erected over this grotto, and in this chapel Teresa -and Gaetano were married. - -The ceremony having concluded, the marriage procession returned to -Palermo, where vehicles were in readiness to take the guests to the -village of Carini, the princely fief from which Rodolpho took his title; -there, by the care of the countess, a magnificent repast was prepared. -The country people in the neighbourhood had been invited, and they had -flocked to the feast from four or five leagues round. The tables were -arranged on an esplanade, shaded by the foliage of green oaks and -parasol-like firs, perfumed by orange and lemon trees, and surrounded by -hedges of pomegranate and Indian fig-trees--a double blessing bestowed -by Providence, who, providing for the hunger and thirst of the poor, has -planted these fruitful trees like so much manna over the whole surface -of Sicily. - -This esplanade was reached by a road, the sides of which were planted -with aloes, whose giant blossoms, seen from a distance, resembled the -lances of Arab horsemen; while to the south, the view was bounded by the -palace. Above the terrace, from which the chain of mountains rises -that separate the island into three parts--the eastern, northern, -and western--at the extremity of these three valleys, the magnificent -Sicilian sea was seen in three places; and, by its varying tints, it -might have been taken for three distinct oceans; for, on account of -the varied light produced by the sun just beginning to disappear in -the horizon, on the side of Palermo it was an azure blue, round the -Isoladette Donne it rolled its silvery waves, while it fell in golden -streams against the rocks of St. Vito. - -When the dessert was served, and while the guests were at the height of -their joy, the gates of the château opened, and Gemma, leaning on the -prince's arm, preceded by two servants carrying torches, and followed -by a host of attendants, came down the marble staircase of the villa -and went up to the esplanade. The peasants were about to rise, but the -prince made a sign they should not disturb themselves; while Gemma -and himself, having made the tour of the tables, stopped before the -newly-married couple. - -Then a domestic held out a golden cup, which Gaetano filled with -Syracuse wine. The domestic then offered the cup to Gemma, and she -uttered a prayer for the happiness of the bride and bridegroom, touched -the wine with her beauteous lips, and offered it to the prince, who -emptied it at a draught, and pouring into it a purseful of golden -ducats, desired it to be given to Teresa, for whom it was a wedding -gift. At the same instant, loud cries of "Long live the Prince of -Carini! Long live the Countess of Castel Nuovo!" were heard; and at this -moment the esplanade became illuminated as if by magic, and the -noble visitors retired, leaving behind them, like a celestial vision, -happiness and light. - -They had scarcely re-entered the castle along with their suite before -the music struck up, and the younger guests, leaving the table, -proceeded to the place prepared for the dance. According to custom, -Gaetano was about to open the ball with his bride, and for that purpose -was advancing towards her, when a stranger, who had entered by the aloe -walk, appeared on the esplanade--it was Pascal Bruno, in the Calabrian -costume we have already described, excepting that he had a pair of -pistols and a dagger at his girdle, and that his jacket, which was -thrown over his right shoulder like that of a Hussar, exposed his shirt, -stained with blood. - -Teresa was the first who noticed him; she screamed, and fixing her -terrified eyes upon him, remained pale and erect, as if she had seen a -spectre; every one turned towards the new comer, and all were silent, -anticipating some dreadful event. - -Pascal Bruno went straight up to Teresa, and stopping before her, he -folded his arms, and looked fixedly at her. - -"Is it you, Pascal?" stammered Teresa. - -"Yes, it is I," said Bruno, in a hoarse voice; "I heard at Bauso, where -I was waiting for you, that you were about to be married at Carini, and -I have come in time, I hope, to dance the first tarantella with you." - -"It is the right of the bridegroom," observed Gaetano, going up to him -and interfering. - -"It is the right of the lover," replied Bruno. "Come, Teresa, I think it -is the least you can do for me." - -"Teresa is my wife," exclaimed Gaetano, extending his arm towards her. - -"She is my betrothed," cried Pascal, taking her by the hand. - -"Help! help!" exclaimed Teresa. - -Gaetano seized Pascal by the collar, but at the same instant he uttered -a loud cry and fell. Pascal's dagger was buried in his chest up to the -hilt. The men appeared by their actions to be about to seize upon the -murderer, who quietly drew a pistol from his waist and cocked it, then -with the hand that held it, he made a sign to the musicians to play -the tarantella; they obeyed mechanically, while all the guests remained -motionless. - -"Come, Teresa," said Bruno. - -Teresa was no longer an accountable or conscious creature, but an -automaton, whose actions were guided by fear--she mechanically obeyed, -and the horrible dance, in the presence of the corpse of the murdered -man, was danced to the last step. - -At length the musicians stopped, and Teresa, as if the music alone had -supported her, fell senseless on the body of Gaetano. - -"Thanks, Teresa," said her partner, coldly, "that is all I wanted of -thee," and then turning to the spectators, "and now, if any one desires -to know my name, that he may find me elsewhere, I am called Pascal -Bruno." - -"Son of Antonio Bruno, whose head is placed in an iron cage at the -château of Bauso?" asked one of the guests. - -"Exactly so," answered Pascal; "but if you wish to see it, you must make -haste, for I swear to you it shall not remain there much longer?" - -At these words Pascal left, and no one felt inclined to follow him; -besides, whether it arose from fear or interest, every one was engaged -about Gaetano and Teresa; one was dead--the other mad! - -The prince was not made acquainted with this terrible tragedy till the -following morning, when every effort was made to capture the murderer, -but in vain; he had escaped, no one knew how or whither. - -The countess, in consequence of this dreadful event, became more alarmed -than ever for her personal safety, particularly when she reflected that -by her duplicity, in concealing from Teresa her extraordinary interview -with Pascal, she herself had been the chief cause of the catastrophe. - -The Sunday after this occurrence there was a fête at Bauso, and the -whole village was full of life; there was drinking in every cabaret, -and broaching of barrels at every corner; the streets were noisy and -decorated with flags, and the chateau was thronged with people who had -gathered together to see the young men fire at the target, an amusement -much encouraged by King Ferdinand the Fourth during his forced sojourn -in Sicily; and many of those who were, at the time we are speaking -of, about to devote themselves to this exercise, had very recently, as -followers of Cardinal Ruffo, had occasion to exhibit their skill against -the patriots of Naples and the French republicans; but on this occasion -it was merely a trial of skill, the prize being a silver cup. - -The target was fixed immediately below the iron cage in which the head -of Antonio Bruno was placed. The latter could only be reached by a -flight of steps in the interior of the fortress, which led to a window, -on the outside of which the cage was fixed. - -The conditions of the shooting-match were simple enough: to become -one of the candidates it was only necessary to subscribe to the common -purse, for the purpose of defraying the expense of the cup--the charge -was two carlins for each shot, for which the party received in exchange -a number, drawn by chance, which fixed the order in which each man was -to fire. The least skilful took as many as ten, twelve, or even fourteen -numbers; and those who reckoned on their superior skill not more than -five or six. - -In the midst of the confusion of drawing the numbers, a hand was -stretched out among the rest which threw down two carlins, and a voice -was heard asking for a single number. Every one turned round, astonished -at this evidence either of poverty or confidence. The man who asked for -a single number was Pascal Bruno. - -Although he had not been seen in the village for four years, every one -knew him, but still no one addressed him; but as he was known to be the -best hunter in the country, they were not astonished at his asking for -one number only--his number was eleven. - -At length the firing commenced. Every shot was greeted by shouts of -laughter or applause; but after the first few shots the laughter was -less violent. As to Pascal, he was leaning sad and pensively on -his English rifle, and seemed to take no part in the enthusiasm and -merriment of his countrymen. At length it was his turn; they called his -name, he started and raised his head as if the call was unexpected; but -recovering himself at once, he took up his position behind a cord that -was stretched across as a kind of barrier. Every one anxiously followed -the direction of his eyes, for none of the marksmen had excited so much -interest or had been watched so silently. - -Pascal himself seemed to feel the importance of the shot he was about to -take, for he fixed himself firmly, his left leg in advance, and resting -his body on his right. He placed his gun carefully to his shoulder, and, -beginning from below, he slowly raised the barrel; every one watched him -with anxiety, and they saw, with astonishment, that his aim was above -the target; but he still continued to raise his rifle, until it was in -the direction of the iron cage. Then the rifle and the marksman remained -for an instant motionless, as if they had been formed of stone; at -length he fired, and the head rolled out of the cage to the bottom of -the target. Every one shuddered, but no sound was heard at this proof of -address. - -In the midst of this silence, Pascal Bruno walked coolly up to the -target, picked up his father's head, and without uttering a word -or looking once behind him, he took the cross road that led to the -mountains. - -The spectators saw Bruno depart without attempting to stop or follow -him; in fact, they commiserated the fate of Antonio Bruno, who was much -respected by his fellow-villagers, and appreciated this act of filial -affection in the son. - - - - - - -CHAPTER IV.--THE PRINCE AND THE BANDIT. - -Scarcely a year had passed after the events we have just related before -all Sicily--from Messina to Palermo--from Cephalu to Cape Passaro--was -filled with reports of the exploits of the bandit Pascal Bruno. -Considering the previous history of his family, his adventurous -character, and the badly-organised state of society in his native -country, it is not astonishing that Pascal Bruno should so rapidly have -become the extraordinary character he desired to be. He had, as it were, -established himself as a judge over justice itself; so that throughout -all Sicily, and particularly at Bauso and its environs, no arbitrary act -could be performed without escaping the notice of his tribunal; and as -most of his judgments affected the powerful only, the weak were almost -always on his side. - -In this manner, when some rich lord imposed a heavy rent on a poor -farmer--when a marriage was about to be broken off though the cupidity -of a family--when an iniquitous sentence was passed on an innocent -man--Bruno, after receiving notice, would shoulder his carbine, let -loose his four Corsican dogs (his only band), mount his Valda Noto -horse--half Arabian and half mountaineer, like himself--leave the little -fortress of Castel Nuovo, where he had taken up his abode, go to the -lord, the father, or the judge, and the rent was reduced, the marriage -took place, or the prisoner was set at liberty. - -From this, it may be very well understood, that all those men to whom he -had thus been a benefactor would pay for the benefits they had received -by devotion to his interests, and that every attempt made to capture -him would be sure to fail, through the grateful watchfulness of the -peasants, who warned him by signals agreed on beforehand of the dangers -that threatened him. - -Then, again, the most strange tales were told of him by everybody; -for the simpler men's minds are, the fonder they are of believing the -marvellous. They said, that on a stormy night, when the whole island -trembled, Pascal Bruno entered into a compact with a sorceress, by which -he obtained from her, giving his soul in exchange, the gift of being -invisible, and the faculty of transporting himself in an instant -from one end of the island to the other; as well as being rendered -invulnerable, either by lead, iron, or fire. The bargain, they said, -was to stand good for three years, Bruno having only signed it for the -purpose of accomplishing an act of vengeance, for which purpose this -term, short as it was, would be sufficient. - -As for Pascal, far from destroying this belief, he perceived it was -beneficial to him, and he endeavoured, on the contrary, to give it the -appearance of truth. These various tales had often afforded him the -means of establishing his invincible nature, by attributing to it a -knowledge of circumstances which it must be imagined would otherwise -have been perfectly unknown to him. The speed of his horse, by whose aid -he could find himself in the morning at incredible distances from the -place where he had been seen at night, convinced them of his locomotive -faculty. A circumstance, also, of which he had taken advantage, like -a skilful man, had left no doubt of his invulnerable nature; it was as -follows:-- - -The murder of Gaetano had produced a great sensation; the Prince of -Carini had given orders to all the commanders of companies to endeavour -to arrest the assassin, who, however, led those who followed him a long -chase through his audacity and cunning; they had, therefore, transmitted -these orders to their agents. - -The chief justice of Spadafora was informed, one morning, that Pascal -Bruno had passed through the village during the night on his way to -Divieto; the two following nights, therefore, he placed men in ambuscade -on the road-side, thinking he would return by the same road he had taken -when going, and take advantage of the night to perform his journey. - -Wearied out by their two nights' watching, the morning of the third day, -which was Sunday, the soldiers had assembled at a drinking-shop -about twenty steps from the road-side: they were about to begin their -breakfast, when some one brought them word that Pascal Bruno was quietly -coming along the road from the direction of Divieto: as they had no time -to conceal themselves, they waited for him where they were, and when he -was within fifty yards of the inn, they sallied out and drew up before -the door, without, however, appearing to notice him. Bruno, on his side, -saw these preparations for the attack without any apparent uneasiness, -and, instead of retracing his steps, an easy task, he put his horse into -a gallop and continued his journey. As soon as the soldiers perceived -his intention, they got their muskets ready, and the moment he passed -before them, the whole company saluted him with a general discharge; -but neither horse nor rider was touched, and they emerged safe and sound -from the cloud of smoke in which they had been for an instant enveloped. -The soldiers looked at them and shook their heads, and proceeded to -recount what had happened to the judge of Spadafora. - -The report of this adventure reached Bauso the same evening; and several -of the inhabitants, whose imagination was more lively than that of their -neighbours, began to think Pascal Bruno was enchanted, and that lead and -iron when they struck him became soft and flattened. The next day this -assertion was proved by incontestable evidence; for they found his -jacket at the justice's door, pierced in thirteen places by bullets, -and the thirteen flattened balls were found in one of the pockets. Some -unbelievers, however, and among them was Caesar Alletto, a notary of -Calvaruso, from whose lips we had these particulars, maintained that the -bandit himself, having miraculously escaped from the volley of musketry, -and wishing to profit by the circumstance, had hung his jacket to a tree -and pierced it with bullets in thirteen places. But, notwithstanding -this opinion, the majority were convinced of his bearing a charmed life, -and the terror Pascal already inspired was considerably increased. - -This dread of Bruno was so great and so well established that, spreading -from the lower orders, it had infected even the higher classes, and -to such an extent that, a few months before the time at which we have -arrived, being in want of two hundred ounces of gold for one of his -philanthropic projects (it was to rebuild an inn which had been burnt -down), he addressed himself to the Prince of Butera to obtain a loan of -the money, describing to him a place in the mountains where he would -go to receive it, and begging of him to bury it at the precise spot, -so that on the night he mentioned he might go and seek it. In case this -request, which, however, more resembled a command, was not attended to, -Bruno warned the prince there would be open war between the king of the -mountains and the king of the plains; but that if, on the contrary, the -prince would be kind enough to lend it to him, the two hundred ounces -of gold would be faithfully returned out of the first money he should be -able to carry off from the royal treasure. - -The prince of Butera was one of those characters which have become -extremely rare in modern times: he was one of the ancient Sicilian -nobility, as adventurous and chivalrous as the Normans, by whom their -constitution and society were formed. His name was Hercules, and he -seemed formed after the model of that ancient hero. He could knock down -a restive horse with a blow of his fist; break a bar of iron, half -an inch thick, on his knee; and bend a piastre with his finger. An -occurrence, in which he had exhibited the greatest presence of mind, -had made him the idol of the people of Palermo. In 1770, there was a -scarcity of bread in the city; a riot was the consequence; the governor -had appealed to the ultima ratio, and the cannon were drawn out in the -Toledo street; the people were moving towards the guns; the gunner, with -match in hand, was in the act of firing on the people, when the Prince -of Butera seated himself over the mouth of a cannon, as coolly as if it -had been a chair, and in that situation made so eloquent and rational -a speech that the mob dispersed of its own accord, and the gunner threw -away the match, and the gun returned into the arsenal innocent of human -blood. But this was not the only cause of his popularity. - -He was in the habit every morning of walking on his terrace, which -overlooked the Place de la Marine, and as the gates of his palace were -open to everybody, at daybreak he always found a number of poor people -assembled; on that account he constantly wore a huge buckskin waistcoat, -whose immense pockets were filled every morning by his servant with -carlins and half-carlins, all of which, to the very last piece, -disappeared during his walk, and that with words and actions that -belonged to himself alone, so that he always seemed as if he was about -to knock down those on whom he was bestowing charity. - -"Your excellency," said a poor woman, surrounded by her family, "have -pity on a poor mother with five children." - -"An excellent reason," replied the prince, in an angry tone; "am I their -father?" and shaking his fist in her face, he dropped a handful of money -into her apron. - -"My lord prince," said another, "I am without food." - -"You fool," replied the prince, giving him a cuff, and at the same time -enough to procure him food for a week; "do I make bread? Why do you not -go to the baker's?" - -On this account, whenever the prince passed along the street every head -was uncovered, and if he had said the word, he might have been made -King of Sicily; but that idea never entered his head, and so he remained -Prince of Butera. - -This liberality of his, however, met with a reprover, and that within -the walls of the prince's palace, and this reprover was his major-domo. -It is clear that a man with a character like that we have endeavoured to -trace must necessarily keep a splendid table; in fact, he kept in -every sense of the word open house, so that every day he had from -five-and-twenty to thirty guests at the least to dine with him; among -these, seven or eight were perfect strangers to him; while, on the other -hand, there were others who seated themselves as regularly as boarders -at a table d'hôte. - -Among these last there was a certain Captain Altavilla, who had gained -his epaulettes by following Cardinal Ruffo from Palermo to Naples; and -who returned from Naples to Palermo with a pension of a thousand ducats. -Unfortunately, the captain was somewhat of a gambler, and this would -have caused his pension to be insufficient for his wants, if he had not -discovered two plans by means of which his quarterly pay had become the -least important part of his revenue; the first of these plans, and one, -as I have already said, that was open to all the world, was to dine -every day with the prince; and the second was, every day, with the most -scrupulous regularity, to put the silver cover of the plate off which he -had dined into his pocket. - -The manouvre continued for some time before this daily abstraction was -noticed; but, well furnished as the plate-chests of the prince might -be, they began to exhibit certain vacant spaces. The suspicions of -the major-domo immediately fell on the follower of Cardinal Ruffo; -he, therefore, carefully watched him, and after two or three days his -suspicions were changed into certainty. - -He immediately informed the prince of the discovery he had made, who -reflected for an instant, and then answered, that so long as the captain -merely took his own cover he should take no notice; but that if he put -his neighbour's into his pocket, why then he would consider how he would -act. In consequence of this, Captain Altavilla continued to be one of -the most regular guests of his excellency Prince Hercules de Butera. - -The prince was at Castrogiovanni, where he had a villa, when Bruno's -letter was brought to him. He read it, and asked if the messenger was -waiting for an answer. He was told, "no" and immediately he put the -letter into his pocket, with as much sang froid as if it had merely been -on some trivial subject. - -The night fixed upon by Bruno had arrived; the spot he had indicated -in his letter was on the southern ridge of mount Etna, near one of the -numerous extinct volcanoes that were indebted for their existence of a -day to its eternal fires--an existence, nevertheless, sufficient for the -destruction of cities. The volcano in question was called Montebaldo; -for each of these terrible hills received a name at the time it was -raised up from the earth. Ten minutes' walk from its base a colossal -and isolated tree arose, called the chesnut of a hundred horses, because -around its trunk, the circumference of which is equal to 178 feet, and -beneath its foliage, which of itself forms a forest, a hundred horsemen -and their steeds can take shelter. - -It was at the root of this tree Bruno was to seek the money he wished to -borrow of the prince; consequently, about eleven o'clock in the evening -he left Centorbi, and towards midnight he began to discern by the light -of the moon the gigantic tree, and the small house built between its -stems, in which its immense produce is harvested. As he drew near, -Pascal thought he could distinguish a shadow cast upon one of the -five trunks which arose from the same root. Soon afterwards the shade -appeared a reality; the bandit stopped, cocked his carbine, and cried, -"Who goes there?" - -"A man, to be sure!" exclaimed a powerful voice. "Why, zounds! you did -not expect the money could come alone?" - -"No, certainly not," said Bruno; "but I did not think the man who -brought it would have been bold enough to wait for my coming." - -"Then you are not acquainted with Prince Hercules de Butera? that is -all." - -"How! yourself my lord?" said Bruno, throwing his carbine over his -shoulder and advancing hat in hand to the prince. - -"Yes, it is I, you rogue," replied the prince; "I, who thought a bandit -might be in want of money the same as any other man; and I did not wish -to refuse my purse even to a bandit, only I took the fancy of bringing -it myself for fear he should imagine I was afraid of him." - -"Your excellency is worthy of your high reputation," said Bruno. - -"And you, are you deserving of yours?" asked the prince. - -"It depends upon how I have been spoken of to your excellency," said -Bruno, "for I have more than one reputation." - -"Good," continued the prince; "I see you are not deficient in ability -or resolution; I admire brave men, let me meet with them where I will. -Listen to me; will you change your Calabrian dress for the uniform of a -captain and fight against the French? I will raise a company for you on -my own estates, and purchase your epaulettes." - -"Thank you, my lord, thank you," said Bruno, "your offer is like that -of a magnificent prince; but I have a certain act of vengeance to -accomplish that will keep me for some time longer in Sicily; after that -we shall see." - -"Well," said the prince, "you are free; but, believe me, you had better -accept my offer." - -"I cannot, your excellency," said Bruno. - -"Well then," said the prince, "here is the money you asked for; go to -the devil with it, and take care you don't get yourself hanged on the -gibbet opposite my door on the Place de la Marine." - -Bruno balanced the purse in his hand. - -"It seems to me that the purse is very heavy, my lord," said he. - -"That is because I did not wish a fellow like you should be able to brag -that he had fixed a limit to the liberality of the Prince of Butera; -so, instead of the two hundred ounces of gold you asked for, I have put -three hundred in the purse." - -"Whatever sum you have been pleased to bring, my lord, it shall be -faithfully returned to you," said Bruno. - -"I give; I never lend," said the prince. - -"And I borrow or I steal--I never beg," replied Bruno; "take back your -purse, my lord, I shall address myself to Prince Ventimille, or to -Prince de la Cattolica." - -"Well, let it be so," said the prince; "I never met with a more -capricious bandit: four rascals like you would drive me mad; so I shall -leave. Farewell!" - -"Adieu, my lord!" said Bruno, "and may St Rosalie protect you." - -The prince departed, with his hands in the pockets of his buckskin -waistcoat, and whistling a favourite air; Bruno remained motionless -watching his departure, and it was not until he had lost sight of him -that he, on his side, retired, heaving a deep sigh. - -The next day, the innkeeper whose house had been burned down received, -by the hands of Ali, the Prince of Butera's three hundred ounces of -gold. - - - - - - -CHAPTER IV.--THE ROBBER'S CASTLE. - -Some time after the event we have just related, Bruno learnt that a -convoy of money, escorted by four gens-d'armes and a brigadier was about -to leave Messina for Palermo; it was the ransom of the Prince Moncada -Paterno; which, in consequence of a financial operation, which did great -honour to the imagination of Ferdinand the Fourth, had just helped -to swell the Neapolitan budget instead of increasing the treasure of -Casuba, according to its first destination. - -The following is the history of the transaction, as it was told me -in Sicily, and, as it is as curious as it is authentic, we think it -deserves the trouble of being told; besides, it will give some idea of -the simple manner in which taxes are imposed in Sicily. - -We have already related the manner in which the Prince de Moncada -Paterno was made prisoner by the Barbary Corsairs near the little -village of Tugello, on his return from the island of Pantalleria. He was -carried, along with all his followers, to Algiers, and there the price -of his ransom and that of his attendants was modestly fixed at the sum -of five hundred thousand piastres (about one hundred thousand pounds -sterling), half to be paid before his departure, and the other half -after his return to Sicily. - -The prince wrote to his steward to inform him of the situation in -which he found himself placed, and desired him to send, as quickly as -possible, the two hundred and fifty thousand piastres in exchange for -which he was to be liberated. As the Prince of Moncada Paterno was one -of the richest noblemen in Sicily, the sum was easily made up and sent -to Africa; and faithful to his promise, like a true follower of the -prophet, the Dey released the Prince of Paterno, taking his word of -honour that before a year had passed by he would remit the remaining two -hundred and fifty thousand piastres. - -The prince returned to Sicily and endeavoured to collect the -sum necessary for the second instalment of his ransom in his own -principality, when an order came from Ferdinand IV., who, seeing that he -was at war with the regency, had no wish that his subjects should enrich -his enemies; he therefore opposed the proceedings of the prince, and -ordered the two hundred and fifty thousand piastres in question to be -paid into the treasury at Messina. - -The Prince of Paterno, who was a man of honour a well as a faithful -subject, obeyed the order of his sovereign and the voice of his -conscience at the same time, so that his ransom cost him seven hundred -and fifty thousand piastres, two-thirds of which were sent to the -infidel Corsair, and the other third placed at Messina in the hands of -the Prince de Carini, the agent of the Christian pirate. This was the -sum the viceroy was sending to Palermo, the seat of government, under -the escort of four gens-d'armes and a brigadier; the last being likewise -charged with the duty of delivering a letter from the prince to his dear -Gemma, whom he requested to join him at Messina, where the business of -government would still detain him for several months. - -On the evening when the convoy would have to pass near Bauso, Bruno -unfastened his four Corsican dogs, crossed the village, of which he had -become the lord, in their company, and placed himself in ambuscade on -the road between Divieto and Spadafora. He had remained there about an -hour, when he heard the wheels of a waggon and the tramp of horsemen. He -looked to the priming of his carbine, satisfied himself that his dagger -was not fixed in its sheath, whistled to his dogs, who laid themselves -down at his feet, and remained standing upright in the middle of the -road. - -A few minutes afterwards, the convoy appeared at a turning in the road, -and advanced to within fifty paces of the man who was waiting for its -coming up. When the gens-d'armes perceived him, they hailed him with, -"Who goes there?" - -"Pascal Bruno," replied the bandit; and, at the sound of a peculiar -whistle, his powerful dogs, trained for the purpose, fiercely attacked -the little troop. - -At the name of Pascal Bruno, the four gens-d'armes had taken to their -heels, and the dogs by natural instinct pursued the runaways. The -brigadier, who remained alone by the waggon, drew his sabre and rushed -at the bandit. Pascal raised his carbine to his shoulder as coolly and -slowly as if he were about to shoot at a mark, determining not to fire -until the horseman was within ten paces of him; but the instant he -placed his finger on the trigger, and before he had time to fire, both -horse and man rolled in the dust. Ali had stealthily followed without -saying a word to Bruno, and seeing the brigadier about to charge him, he -had crawled along the road like a serpent and cut the horse's hamstrings -with his yataghan. As to the brigadier, his fall was so rapid and -unexpected that his head struck against the stones, and he was rendered -totally insensible. - -Bruno went up to him, after satisfying himself that there was no feint -attempted to be practised upon him, and with the assistance of Ali he -placed him in the waggon he had so lately escorted; then placing the -reins in the hands of the young Arab, he desired him to take the waggon -and the brigadier to the fortress. Bruno himself then went up to the -wounded horse, took the brigadier's carbine from the saddle, to which it -was attached, and searched in the holsters and took out a roll of paper -which he found there; he then whistled to his dogs, who returned with -their mouths covered with blood, and followed the capture he had just -made. - -When he arrived in the court-yard of his little fortress, he closed the -gate behind him, took the brigadier (who was still insensible) on his -shoulder, carried him into a room, and placed him on a mattress on which -he was in the habit of throwing himself with all his clothes on; then, -whether through forgetfulness or imprudence, he placed the carbine he -had taken from the saddle in a corner, and left the room. - -Five minutes afterwards the brigadier opened his eyes, looked round, -and found himself in a place that was completely unknown to him; and, -believing he was under the influence of a dream, he felt round him to -ascertain whether he was really awake. It was then that he felt a pain -in his forehead, and placing his hand on it, he withdrew it covered -with blood: he found that he was wounded. The wound brought back his -recollection, and he remembered he had been stopped on the road by a -single man, deserted in a most cowardly manner by the gens-d'armes who -accompanied him, and that at the instant he was about to attack that -man his horse suddenly fell; beyond that he could recall nothing to his -mind. - -The brigadier was a brave man, but he felt that the responsibility of -this disastrous adventure rested on him, and his heart was filled with -shame and rage at the disgraceful conduct of his men. He looked round -the room to discover if possible where he was; but everything was -strange to him. He rose, went to the window, and saw that it overlooked -the country. It was then that a ray of hope entered his breast, for he -could easily leap out of the window, go in search of assistance, and -return and avenge himself upon his captor. - -He had just opened the window for the purpose of executing his project -when, casting a parting glance into the chamber, he perceived his -carbine standing near the head of the bed; at this unexpected sight -his heart beat violently, for other thoughts besides those of flight -instantly took possession of his mind. He looked round to ascertain -whether he was really alone, and when he was satisfied that no one had -seen or could see him, he seized the weapon, in which he saw a more -hazardous means of safety, but a speedier vengeance. After having -ascertained that the priming was safe, and finding, by passing the -ramrod down the barrel, that it was loaded, he replaced it where he had -found it, and lay down as if he had not as yet recovered his senses; -but he had scarcely stretched himself out on the mattress before Bruno -entered the room. - -He had a piece of lighted fir in his hand, which he threw into the -fire-place, where he set fire to the wood already placed there for the -purpose; then he went to a cupboard formed in the wall, and took out two -plates, two glasses, two flasks of wine, and a roast shoulder of mutton, -which he placed on the table, and appeared to be waiting until the -brigadier recovered his consciousness that he might do the honours of -the repast. - -The room in which the scene we are narrating took place was longer than -it was wide, having a single window at one end, a single door at the -other, and the chimney between the two. The brigadier, now a captain of -the gens-d'armes at Messina, who has given us all these particulars, was -lying down, as we have said, parallel to the window; Bruno was standing -before the fire-place, with his eyes vaguely fixed on the door, and he -appeared to become every instant more and more thoughtful. - -This was the moment for which the brigadier was waiting--the decisive -moment when he must stake everything for one object--life against life, -head against head. He rose, resting upon his left hand, and stretched -out his other slowly towards his carbine, but without taking his eye off -Bruno; he took hold of it between the lock and the butt-end, and then -remained an instant in that position without daring to make another -movement, alarmed even at the beating of his own heart, which was so -violent that the bandit might almost have heard it had he not been so -entirely lost in thought; then, seeing that he gave himself up to his -fate as it were, he resumed his confidence, rose on one knee, looked -once more at the window, his only means of retreat, placed the carbine -to his shoulder, took aim at Bruno like a man who knew that his life -depended on his self-possession, and fired. - -Bruno quietly stooped down, picked up something that lay at his feet, -held the object to the light, and, turning towards the brigadier, who -remained mute with astonishment-- - -"Comrade," he said, "when next you attempt to shoot me let your balls be -of silver, for unless they are they will be only flattened against me in -this manner. However, I am happy you have so far recovered yourself, for -I begin to feel hungry; we will, therefore, if it is agreeable, sit down -to our supper." - -The brigadier remained in the same attitude in which he had fired, his -hair bristling on his head, and the perspiration standing in thick drops -on his forehead. The next instant the door opened, and Ali, yataghan in -hand, rushed into the room. - -"It is nothing, my boy, nothing," said Bruno; "the brigadier discharged -his carbine, that is all; make yourself easy, and go to rest; have no -fear for me." - -Ali left the room without answering, and went and laid himself down -across the first door-way upon the panther's skin that served him for a -bed. - -"Well," continued Bruno, turning towards the brigadier and filling the -two glasses with wine, "did you not hear me?" - -"I did," replied the brigadier, rising, "and since I have not been able -to kill you, were you the very devil himself, I would drink with you." - -Uttering these words, he walked boldly up to the table, took up the -glass, touched the brim of Bruno's, and drank off the wine at a draught. - -"What is your name?" asked Bruno. - -"Paolo Tommassi, brigadier of gens-d'armerie, at your service," was the -reply. - -"Well, Paolo Tommassi," continued Bruno, placing his hand on his -shoulder, "you are a brave fellow, and I have a great inclination to -make you a promise." - -"What is it?" asked the brigadier. - -"To let no one but you," said Bruno, "obtain the reward of three -thousand ducats that is set upon my head." - -"That is an excellent idea," observed the brigadier. - -"Truly so; but it must first come to maturity," said Bruno; "in the -meantime, as I am not yet tired of my life, take a seat, and let us sup; -and we will talk the matter over by-and-by." - -"May I cross myself before I eat?" said Tommassi. "Certainly," replied -Bruno. - -"I thought it might, perhaps, be unpleasant to you," said the brigadier; -"we are not always sure." - -"Anything you like," said Bruno. - -The brigadier made the sign of the cross, seated himself at the table, -and attacked the shoulder of mutton like a man whose conscience was -perfectly at ease, and who knew that he had done, under very difficult -and trying circumstances, all that a brave soldier could do. Bruno kept -him nobly in countenance; and, certainly, to see these two men seated at -the same table, drinking out of the same bottle, and helping themselves -from the same dish, no one would have imagined that each in his turn -had, within the last hour, done all he could to kill the other. - -For an instant they were both silent, partly on account of the important -business in which they were engaged, and partly from the preoccupation -of their minds. Paolo Tommassi was the first to give utterance to the -double idea on which his mind was engaged. - -"Comrade," he said, "you live well here; it must be allowed you have -excellent wine, certainly, and you do the honours of the table like a -right-good fellow; but I acknowledge I should enjoy all this much better -if I knew when I was to leave here." - -"To-morrow morning, I presume," replied Bruno. "You will not keep me -here as a prisoner, then?" asked the brigadier, eagerly. - -"A prisoner! why what the devil should I do with you here?" asked Bruno. - -"Hem!" said the brigadier, "so far it is not so bad; but--" he -continued, evidently embarrassed, "that is not all." - -"What else is there?" said Bruno, filling the brigadiers glass. - -"Why--is--" said the brigadier, holding his glass up before the lamp; -"it is rather a delicate question, you see." - -"Go on," said Bruno; "I am listening." - -"You will not be angry, I hope, at what I am about to say?" - -"I think you ought to know my character better by this time," said -Bruno. - -"True, true, you are not irritable, I know that well," said the -brigadier. "I am speaking about a certain waggon--there, now its out." - -"That is down in the court-yard," observed Bruno, holding his glass up -to the light in his turn. - -"I am rather doubtful," replied the brigadier; "but you understand me, I -cannot go without my waggon." - -"Very well, then, you shall take it with you," said Bruno. - -"Untouched?" - -"Hum!" said Bruno; "it will not be much short, considering the sum it -contains. I shall only take what I am absolutely in need of." - -"Are you in want of much?" asked the brigadier, with anxiety. - -"I want three thousand ounces," said Bruno. - -"Well, that is reasonable enough," said the brigadier; "a good many -people would not be so delicate as you are." - -"You may make yourself quite easy in the matter, for I will give you a -receipt for what I take," said Bruno. - -"Talking of receipts," said the brigadier, rising, "that's well thought -of, for it reminds me of some papers I had in my holsters." - -"Don't make yourself uneasy about them," observed Bruno; "here they -are." - -"You will do me the greatest service by returning them to me," said the -brigadier. - -"I know that," said Bruno, "for I have satisfied myself of their -importance; the first is your brigadier's commission; I have made a note -at the foot of that, declaring that you have conducted yourself so -well that you deserve to be made a quarter-master. The second is -my description, and I have taken the liberty to make a few small -corrections as to particular signs; for instance, I have added charmed: -the third paper is a letter from his excellency the viceroy to the -Countess Gemma, of Castel Nuovo; and I have too much gratitude for this -lady, who has lent me this castle of hers, to place any restraint on her -loving correspondence. Here are your papers, my brave fellow; one more -glass to your health, and sleep tranquilly. To-morrow, at five o'clock, -we will put you on your road; it is much more prudent, I can assure you, -to travel by day than by night, for perhaps you may not always have the -good fortune of falling into such good hands." - -"I think you are right," said Tommassi, rolling up his papers, "and you -appear to me to be an honester fellow than many more apparently honest -folks of my acquaintance." - -"I am happy to leave you with such favourable impressions on your mind," -said Bruno, "you will sleep the more pleasantly; by-the-by, I must give -you one caution, do not go down into the court-yard, or my dogs might by -chance make a meal of you." - -"Thank you for the caution," said the brigadier. "Good-night," exclaimed -Bruno, and he went out of the room, leaving the brigadier to continue -his supper, or go to sleep till the hour appointed for his departure. - -Next morning at five o'clock, according to agreement, Bruno entered his -guest's chamber, whom he found up and ready to start, he conducted him -down stairs, and led him to the gate; there was the waggon, together -with a magnificent horse, and all the harness that belonged to the -animal Ali's yataghan had rendered unserviceable. Bruno begged of his -friend, Tommassi, to accept of this present as a keepsake. The brigadier -was too well pleased to allow the offer to be made twice; he therefore -mounted his new steed, started the team in the waggon, and left quite -delighted with his new acquaintance. - -Bruno watched his departure, and when he was about twenty paces off, -he cried out, "Above all, do not forget to give the beautiful Countess -Gemma the Prince of Carini's letter." - -Tommassi made a sign with his head and disappeared round the corner of -the road. - -And now, if our readers wish to know how Pascal Bruno was not killed -by the discharge of Tommassi's carbine, we will give them the answer we -received from Signor Caesar Aletto, the notary of Calvaruso: it is, that -it is probable that on the road to the fortress, the bandit took the -precaution of removing the bullet from the carbine. But Paolo Tommassi -always considered that it was a much simpler explanation to attribute it -to magic. - -We give our readers both these opinions, and they are at perfect liberty -to adopt that which suits them best. - - - - - - -CHAPTER VI.--A BANDIT'S GRATITUDE. - -It may well be imagined that the report of exploits like these were not -confined to the little village of Bauso: it was the general theme of -conversation among all classes. Nothing was talked of in all Sicily but -the brave brigand who had taken possession of the Castel Nuovo, and who, -from thence, like an eagle from his eyry, swooped down upon the plain, -sometimes to attack the great, and at others to assist the weak: thus -he was always on the popular side. Our readers will, therefore, not be -astonished that our hero's name was heard pronounced at the palace of -Prince Butera, who had given a splendid entertainment at his mansion, -the Place de la Marine. - -Knowing the character of this prince, we can easily guess what a fête -must be when given by him. The one in question, however, exceeded in -splendour the ideas of the most fertile imagination. It was like an -Arabian Nights' dream, and the remembrance of it is perpetuated in -Palermo, although Palermo is a fairy city, and is still celebrated for -its unsurpassed magnificence. - -Imagine the most splendid saloons lined with mirrors from the ceiling to -the floor, some leading to trellised walks, from the summit of which -the richest grapes of Syracuse and Lipari were hanging; others to ample -square spaces, surrounded by beautiful orange and pomegranate trees, -covered with blossoms and fruit at the same time: these spaces were -devoted to dancing English and French dances. As to the waltzers, they -wound their mazy career round two immense marble reservoirs, from each -of which sprang up beautiful jets of water, which, from the reflection -of many-coloured lamps, by which the whole was illuminated, fell like -glittering showers of diamonds. From these delightful spots long alleys -issued, sprinkled with golden-coloured sand, and leading to a little -hill, surrounded with silver vessels, containing every refreshment that -could be desired, and overhung by trees covered with crystal instead -of natural fruits: finally, on the summit of this hill, and facing -the paths that led to it, was a buffet in four divisions, constantly -replenished by means of some internal mechanism. To render the whole -more fairylike and enchanting, the musicians were invisible, and the -sound alone of their instruments reached the ears of the guests. It -might indeed have been supposed to be a fête given by the genii of the -air. - -At the same time, to animate these magical decorations, you must imagine -the most beautiful women and the most elegant cavaliers of Palermo -dressed in costumes each exceeding its neighbour in splendour and -singularity--each with a mask on the face or in the hand, breathing -the balmy air, intoxicated with the invisible harmony, and dreaming or -talking of love; but even then, you would be far from drawing a picture -of this night equal to that preserved in the memories of those that were -present when I passed through Palermo thirty-two years after it took -place. - -Among the groups that wandered through the alleys and saloons, there was -one beyond all others which attracted the attention of the crowds; it -was that which followed in the train of the beautiful Countess Gemma, -and which she drew after her as a planet does its satellites. She had -but that instant entered, accompanied by five others, who, like herself, -had assumed the costume of the thirteenth century--a dress so simple and -elegant, and which, at the same time, appeared to be expressly chosen -to set off the figure to advantage, and she advanced in the midst of -a murmur of admiration, led by the Prince de Butera himself, who, -disguised as a mandarin, received her at the entrance, and preceded her -to present her, as he said, to the daughter of the Emperor of China. - -As it was imagined that our Amphytrion intended some new surprise, they -all followed the prince eagerly, and the cortège increased at every step -it took. - -He stopped at length at the entrance of a pagoda guarded by two Chinese -soldiers, who, at a given signal, opened the door of an apartment -entirely furnished with foreign objects, in the midst of which seated -on a kind of chair, and dressed in a magnificent Chinese costume, which -alone had cost thirty thousand francs, was the Princess de Butera, who -rose as soon as she saw the countess approach, followed by a cloud of -officers, mandarins, and attendants, each more dazzling, fierce-looking, -or droll than his neighbour. This apparition had something so Eastern -and fantastic in it, that the whole assemblage, accustomed as they were -to luxury and magnificence, uttered an exclamation of astonishment. They -surrounded the princess, touched her robe, embroidered with precious -stones, shook the golden bells in her pointed hat, and for an instant -the attention of the assembly was withdrawn from the beautiful Gemma and -entirely centred in the lady of the house. Every one complimented and -admired her, and among those who uttered the most exaggerated praise -was Captain Altavilla, whom the prince had continued to receive at his -dinner parties, to the great discomfiture of his major-domo, and who had -dressed himself in full uniform for the purpose, it may be, of disguise. - -"Well," said the Prince of Butera to the Countess of Castel Nuovo; "what -do you think of the daughter of the Emperor of China?" - -"I must say," replied Gemma, "that it is a happy thing for His Majesty, -Ferdinand IV., that the Prince of Carini is at Messina at this moment, -for he might be induced, with a heart like his, out of regard for the -daughter, to give up Sicily to the father, and we should be obliged to -have another Sicilian Vespers against the Chinese." - -At this instant, the Duke of Moncada Paterno, in the dress of a -Calabrian bandit, went up to the princess. - -"Will her highness permit me," said the duke, "as a connoisseur, to -examine her magnificent costume?" - -"Sublime daughter of the sun," said Captain Altavilla, pointing to the -prince, "take care of your golden bells, for I warn you, that you have -to do with Pascal Bruno." - -"The princess," exclaimed a voice, "would be safer in the company of -Pascal Bruno than in that of a certain follower of Cardinal Ruffo of my -acquaintance; Pascal Bruno is a murderer, not a thief--a bandit, and not -a cutpurse." - -"Well answered," observed the Prince of Butera. - -The captain bit his lips. - -"By-the-by," said the Prince de la Cattolica, "have you heard of his -last exploit?" - -"Whose?" asked the Duke of Moncada. - -"Pascal Bruno's," said the prince. - -"No; what has he done?" asked the duke. - -"He has stopped a convoy of money sent by the Prince of Carini to -Palermo," replied the prince. - -"My ransom!" exclaimed the duke. - -"By heaven!" said the prince, "your excellency will, after all, be -sacrificed to the infidels." - -"Zounds! the king will surely not require me to have a second reckoning -with him," replied Moncada. - -"Let your excellency be reassured," said the voice which had just before -addressed Altavilla; "Pascal Bruno only took three thousand ounces from -the two hundred and fifty thousand piastres belonging to King Ferdinand -IV." - -"And how do you know that, my young Albanian?" said the Prince de la -Cattolica, who was close by the speaker--a handsome young man, from -twenty-six to twenty-eight years of age, and dressed in the costume of -Vina. - -"I have heard it reported," said the Greek, carelessly, and playing with -his yataghan; "besides, if your excellency wishes for particulars, here -is a person who can give them to you." - -The party thus pointed out to public curiosity was no other than our -old acquaintance, Paolo Tommassi, who, strict in the performance of his -duty, had immediately on his arrival repaired to the Countess de Castel -Nuovo's residence; but not finding her there, and hearing of the fete, -he took advantage of his situation as envoy from the viceroy to enable -him to gain admission to the gardens of the Duke de Butera. - -In an instant he found himself in the centre of an immense circle and -subjected to a thousand questions; but Paolo Tommassi was, as we have -seen, a bold fellow, and was not easily put out of countenance: he, -therefore, commenced by delivering the prince's letter to the countess. - -"Prince," said Gemma, after having read the missive she had received, -"you never suspected you were giving me a farewell fête; the viceroy -orders me to proceed to Messina, and being a faithful subject, I shall -begin my journey to-morrow. Thanks, my friend!" she continued, turning -to Paolo Tommassi and handing him her purse; "you may now retire." - -Tommassi endeavoured to take advantage of this permission of the -countess, but he was too closely surrounded to make good his retreat -easily; he was, consequently, obliged to surrender at discretion--the -condition of his liberty being an exact account of his recent encounter -with Pascal Bruno. - -He related it, it must be acknowledged, with all the simplicity of real -courage; he told his auditors, without any superfluous addition, how -he had been made prisoner; how he was taken to the fortress of Castel -Nuovo; how he fired at the bandit without the ball taking any effect; -and how, finally, the latter sent him away, making him a present of a -magnificent horse in exchange for that which he had lost. - -Everybody listened to this tale, which bore the impress of truth, with -the silent attention of belief, with the exception of Captain Altavilla, -who raised some doubts as to the veracity of the honest brigadier; but, -luckily for Paolo Tommassi, the Prince de Butera himself came to his -assistance. - -"I will lay a wager," he said, "that nothing can be more true than -what the brigadier has told us, for all the details appear to me to be -perfectly in accordance with the character of Pascal Bruno." - -"You know him, then?" said the Prince de Moncada Paterno. - -"I do. I was in his company one night," replied the Prince de Butera. - -"And where was that?" - -"On your estates." - -It was now the prince's turn; he related how Pascal and he had met -at the chesnut of a hundred horses; how he, the Prince of Butera, had -offered him a company, which he had refused; and, finally, how he had -lent him three hundred ounces of gold. - -At this last information, Altavilla could not restrain his mirth. - -"And you think, my lord," said he, "that Bruno will bring them back?" - -"I am certain of it," replied the prince. - -"Now we are on this subject," interrupted the Princess of Butera, "is -there any one else in this company who has seen Pascal Bruno, and who -has spoken to him? I dote upon tales of brigands, they make me ready to -die with fright." - -"There is the Countess of Castel Nuovo," observed the Albanian; "she has -seen him." - -Gemma started, and every one looked at her as if to interrogate her. - -"Can it be true?" said the prince, turning towards her. - -"Yes," said Gemma, trembling; "but I had forgotten it." - -"He remembers it," muttered the young man. - -All the company pressed round the princess, who in vain endeavoured to -make excuses; she in her turn was obliged to relate the scene with -which we opened this tale to tell how Bruno entered her chamber; how the -prince fired at him; and how the bandit, to avenge himself, entered the -villa on the nuptial day and killed Teresa's husband. This history was -the most terrible of all, and it produced a deep sensation in the -minds of the listeners; something like a shudder ran through the whole -assembly, and had it hot been for the dresses of the guests, you would -hardly have thought you were present at a fête. - -"On my honour," said Captain Altavilla, who was the first to break -silence, "the greatest crime the bandit has committed is in rendering -this fête so melancholy; I could have pardoned him all his other -misdeeds; but for this I swear, by my epaulettes, I will have vengeance; -and from this moment I devote myself to his pursuit." - -"Do you speak seriously, Captain Altavilla?" said the Albanian. - -"Yes, on my honour!" replied the captain; "and I here declare there is -nothing I so much wish for as to meet him face to face." - -"That is not impossible," observed the Albanian, coolly. - -"To the man who will render me that service," said the captain, "I will -give--" - -"It is useless to offer a reward, captain," interrupted the young man; -"I know a man who will render you that service for nothing." - -"And when can I meet with this man?" repeated Altavilla, affecting a -smile of doubt. - -"If you will follow me, I will tell you," replied the stoical Albanian. - -With these words the Albanian withdrew, as if he were inviting the -captain to follow him. - -The captain hesitated for an instant, but he had said too much to draw -back; all eyes were turned upon him, and he saw that the least show -of timidity would ruin his reputation; and besides, he considered the -proposal was a joke. - -"Come on," he cried, "for the honour of the ladies and he followed the -Albanian. - -"Do you know who that young lord disguised as a Greek is?" said the -countess, with a trembling voice, and addressing the Prince de Butera. - -"No, on my soul, I do not," said he. "Does any one here know him?" - -Everybody looked, but no one answered. - -"With your permission," said Paolo Tommassi, carrying his hand to his -hat; "I know him." - -"And who is he, my brave brigadier?" - -"Pascal Bruno, my lord," replied Tommassi. - -The countess screamed and fainted away; and this incident put a sudden -end to the fête. - -An hour afterwards, the Prince de Butera had retired to his chamber, -and, seated in front of his desk, was arranging some papers, when his -major-domo entered. - -"What's the matter, Jacomo?" asked the prince. - -"I always told you so, my lord," said the major-domo. - -"Well, what have you always told me?" asked the prince. - -"That your goodness would only encourage him," replied Jacomo. - -"Who do you mean?" asked the prince. - -"Captain Altavilla," replied Jacomo. - -"What has he done?" asked the prince. - -"What has he done, my lord?" said Jacomo. "First, your excellency will -recollect I apprised you of his regularly putting his silver cover in -his pocket." - -"Well, go on," said the prince. - -"I beg your pardon," said Jacomo; "but your excellency answered, that so -long as he only pocketed his own, nothing was to be said." - -"I recollect I said so perfectly well," said the prince. - -"Well, my lord," said Jacomo, "to-day, it seems that he has not only -taken his own, but his neighbours' also, for there are eight missing." - -"Ha! that's quite another affair," said the prince; "I must communicate -with him on the matter." - -He took a sheet of paper, and wrote the following note:-- - -"Prince Hercules de Butera has the honour of informing Captain -Altavilla, that as he no longer dines at home, and being by this -fortuitous circumstance deprived of the pleasure of seeing him as -previously, he begs he will accept the trifle he sends herewith as -a small indemnity for the change this determination must make in his -arrangements." - -"Stay," continued the prince, giving the major-domo fifty ounces -(twenty-six pounds sterling), "take this money, and deliver it and the -letter to-morrow to Captain Altavilla." - -Jacomo, who knew it was no use speaking after the prince had decided, -bowed and left the room. The prince continued quietly arranging his -papers when, at the end of about ten minutes, hearing a noise at -the door of his room, he raised his head, and saw a man dressed as a -Calabrian peasant standing on the threshold, with his hat in one hand -and a bundle in the other. - -"Who is there?" said the prince. - -"I, my lord," replied the peasant. - -"And who are you?" asked the prince. - -"Pascal Bruno," replied the visitor. - -"And what do you come for?" asked the prince. - -"First, my lord," said Pascal Bruno, advancing and emptying his hat full -of gold on the desk; "first, I have brought you the three hundred ounces -you so kindly lent me: they were employed for the purpose I mentioned to -you--the inn that was burnt down has been rebuilt." - -"Ah, ah! you are a man of your word," said the prince; "well, I am glad -of it." - -Pascal inclined his head. - -"Then," he added, after a short pause, "I have brought you back eight -silver covers, with your arms and cypher on them, which I found in the -pocket of a certain captain who, most likely, robbed you of them." - -"Zounds," said the prince, "it's singular they should be brought back by -you; and now, what have you in that bundle?" - -"In this bundle," said Bruno, "is the head of a wretch who abused -your hospitality, and which I have brought you as a proof of my sworn -devotion to your service." - -Saying this, Pascal Bruno untied the handkerchief, and taking the head -of Captain Altavilla by the hair, he placed it, all bleeding as it was, -on the duke's desk. - -"What the devil am I to do with such a present as this?" said the -prince. - -"What you please, my lord," replied Pascal Bruno, who bowed and left the -room. - -The Prince of Butera remained alone for an instant with his eyes fixed -on the head, balancing himself in his arm-chair, and whistling his -favourite tune; he then, after an instant, rang the bell, and his -major-domo made his appearance. - -"Jacomo," said the prince, "it is of no use going to Captain Altavilla's -to-morrow morning; tear up the letter; keep the fifty ounces, and throw -this carrion on the dung-heap." - - - - - - -CHAPTER VII.--A BRIGAND'S VENGEANCE. - -At the time of which we are speaking--that is, about the beginning of -the year 1804, Sicily was almost in an uncivilised state, from which -the return of King Ferdinand and its occupation by the English have -partially emancipated it. At the present day, the road which now leads -from Palermo to Messina, passing through Taormina and Catana, was -not formed, and the only one that existed, we do not say good, but -practicable to go from one capital to the other, was that which, passing -along the sea-coast, went through Termini and Cephalu; abandoned for its -new rival, it is at present scarcely frequented, except by artists in -search of the magnificent prospects it discloses at every turn. The only -mode of travelling on this road, on which no post was established, was -formerly, as at present, on the back of a mule, in a litter carried -by two horses, or in your own carriage, relays of horses being sent on -before, and placed at every fifteen leagues. - -So that the Countess Gemma de Castel Nuovo, when about to leave for -Messina, at which place the Prince of Carini had written to her to join -him, was obliged to choose one of these three modes. Travelling on a -mule was too fatiguing for her, and a journey in a litter, besides the -inconveniences of this mode of transport, the principal of which was -its slow progress, was apt to produce a feeling like sea-sickness. The -countess therefore decided, without any hesitation, in favour of the -carriage, and sent forward relays of horses to four stations on the -road, that is, to Termini, Cephalu, Saint Agatha, and Melazzo. - -Besides these precautions, the courier was ordered to lay in a store -of provisions at each of these spots, for the inns are so notoriously -deficient in the necessaries of life, that every traveller is advised -when he leaves Messina to provide himself for the journey--to purchase -cooking utensils, and to hire a cook; to these preparations an -experienced Englishman on one occasion added a tent, on account of the -deplorable state of the houses of entertainment. - -I know not whether it was a learned man, acquainted with ancient Sicily, -or a shrewd observer who thoroughly understood modern Sicily, for whom -they were at this instant preparing supper at the sign of the Cross, -the inn which had been rebuilt with the Prince of Butera's three hundred -ounces, and situated on the road from Palermo to Messina, between Ficara -and Patti. - -The activity of the innkeeper and his wife, who, under the directions -of a foreign cook, were at the same time engaged upon fish, flesh, -and fowl, proved that the man for whom the culinary apparatus was in -requisition was determined not only to have enough, but had no objection -to a superfluity. - -He came from Messina, travelling in a carriage, and with his own horses. -He had stopped because the situation of the inn pleased him, and having -extracted from his trunk everything the most experienced traveller could -require--linen, plate, even bread and wine--he was led into the best -room, where he lighted some perfumed pastilles in a silver vase, and -waited till his dinner was ready, seated on a rich Turkey carpet, and -smoking the finest Mount Sinai tobacco in his amber chibouk, carelessly -caressing at the same time a magnificent Corsican dog of the largest -size that was lying at his feet. - -He was attentively observing the wreaths of sweet-scented smoke as they -escaped from his lips and condensed themselves on the ceiling, when the -door of the apartment opened, and the host, followed by a domestic in -the countess's livery, appeared on the threshold. - -"Your excellency," said the worthy man, bowing to the ground. - -"What's the matter?" asked the traveller, but without turning his head, -and in a decided Maltese accent. - -"Your excellency," said the host, "it is the Countess Gemma, of Castel -Nuovo." - -"Well!" replied the traveller. - -"Her carriage has been obliged to stop at my poor inn," said the -host, "because one of her horses became so lame that she is unable to -proceed." - -"Well, go on," said the traveller. - -"She had calculated," said the host, "having no expectation of this -accident when she left St. Agatha this morning, on sleeping at Melazzo -this evening, where she has relays, so that she is entirely unprovided -with everything." - -"Tell the countess that my cook and larder are at her service," said the -traveller. - -"A thousand thanks in my mistress's name," said the servant; "but as the -countess will, no doubt, be obliged to pass the night in this inn, while -a relay of horses is brought hither from Melazzo, and as she is equally -unprovided for night as for day, she would be glad to know if your -excellency would have the gallantry to--" - -"More than that," said the traveller; "let the countess occupy my -apartment--this room will do for her lady's-maid, whom she will not be -sorry to have near her. As for myself, I am a man accustomed to fatigue -and privations; I will content myself with the first room that is -disengaged; go, therefore, and tell the countess she can step up at -once--the room is at liberty, and our worthy host will do the best he -can for me." - -Speaking thus, the traveller rose, whistled to his dog, and followed the -host; and the servant at once descended to accomplish his mission. - -Gemma accepted the traveller's offer as a queen would the homage of a -subject, and not as a woman who accepts a service from a stranger; she -was so accustomed to see everything submit to her will, and everybody -obey her voice, and even her look, that she saw nothing striking in the -extreme gallantry of the traveller. - -It is true she looked so beautiful as she moved towards the apartment, -resting on the arm of her attendant, that every one bent before her. -She was dressed in a most elegant riding-habit, fitting tightly over the -arms and bust, and ornamented with silk braiding. For fear of the cold -air of the mountains, she wore round her neck a beautiful sable boa, -purchased by the Prince Carini of a Maltese merchant who had brought it -from Constantinople. On her head she wore a little black velvet hat, of -a fanciful shape, like the head-dresses worn in the middle ages; and -her long and magnificent tresses hung down in ringlets after the English -fashion. But, prepared as she was to find a room ready to receive her, -she could not avoid being astonished when she entered at the elegant -manner in which the traveller had concealed the poor appearance of the -apartment. - -All the utensils of the toilet were of silver, the cloth that covered -the table was of the finest texture, and the oriental perfumes burning -on the mantelpiece seemed fit for a harem. - -"See, Gidsa, am I not predestined?" said the countess; "an awkward -servant shoes my horses badly, I am obliged to stop, and my good genius, -who finds me in this state of embarrassment, builds a fairy palace for -me on the road." - -"Has madame la comtesse," said Gidsa, "no suspicion who this good genius -may be?" - -"Really none," said the countess. - -"It seems to me," said the waiting-maid, significantly, "that madame la -comtesse ought to be able to guess!" - -"I swear to you, Gidsa," said the countess, falling into a chair, "that -I am in a state of perfect ignorance. Come, what are your ideas on the -subject?" - -"My ideas?" said the girl. "Madame, I trust you will pardon me, although -my ideas are very natural." - -"Oh! certainly," replied the countess; "speak as you think." - -"I think," said the girl, "that perhaps his highness the viceroy, -knowing that your ladyship was on the road, had not patience to wait for -your arrival, and"-- - -"Your idea," said the countess, "is amazingly good; indeed, it is more -than probable. Besides, who, if it were not he, would have arranged a -room like this for the purpose of giving it up to me? Now listen, you -must say nothing if Rodolpho is preparing a surprise for me. I would -give myself up entirely to it; I would not lose one of the emotions his -unexpected presence would occasion me. It is agreed, therefore, that it -is not the viceroy, but that the stranger is an unknown traveller; so -keep your probabilities to yourself, and leave me in my state of doubt; -besides, if it should be him, I shall have divined his presence, not -you. How kind my dear Rodolpho is to me! how he foresees everything! Oh! -how much he loves me!" - -"And the dinner," said Gidsa, "that has been prepared with so much care; -do you believe that the result of mere accident?" - -"Chut! I believe nothing; I profit by the good things heaven has sent -me, and I thank God for them. See what a lucky thing it is that this -plate is here! if I had not met with this noble traveller, how should I -have been able to eat off anything else? Look at this silver goblet, you -might say it was engraved by Benvenuto. Give me some drink, Gidsa." - -The attendant filled the goblet with water, and then added a few drops -of Lipari malvoisie, and the countess sipped it, apparently more for the -purpose of carrying the cup to her lips than because she was thirsty; it -seemed as though, by the sympathetic touch of her lips, she endeavoured -to discover whether it really was the man who loved her who had thus -provided for the wants of a woman accustomed to all that luxury and -magnificence which becomes almost an essential necessary to those who -have been used to it from infancy. - -Supper was served, and the countess ate like a fine lady, that is, -tasting of all, like the humming-bird, the bee, or the butterfly; but, -full of thought and anxiety, while she was eating, she kept her eyes -constantly fixed on the door, and started every time it opened--her -bosom was oppressed and her eyes moist; at length, she fell by degrees -into a delicious state of languor for which she herself could not -account. Gidsa perceived it and became uneasy. - -"Is your ladyship unwell?" asked the anxious attendant. - -"No," replied Gemma, in a feeble voice; "but do you not find these -perfumes extremely oppressive?" - -"Does your ladyship wish me to open the window?" asked Gidsa. - -"No, no," replied the countess, "pray do not; I seem as if I should die, -but death appears to be so sweet. Take off my hat, it feels so heavy, I -cannot bear it." - -Gidsa obeyed, and Gemma's long hair hung down in ringlets nearly to the -ground. - -"Do you feel like me, Gidsa," asked the countess, "an incomprehensible -feeling of pleasure? A kind of heavenly sensation flows through my -veins: I must have drank a charmed philter; help me to rise, and lead me -to the mirror." - -Gidsa supported the countess and led her towards the mantelpiece; when -she reached it, she rested both elbows upon it, placed her head in her -hands, and looked at her beautiful face in the glass. - -"Now, let everything be taken away, then undress me, and leave me -alone." - -The attendant obeyed her mistress; the servants of the countess cleared -the table, and when they had left, Gidsa performed the second part -of her mistress's orders, who still remained before the glass, merely -raising her arms languidly one after the other, to make it just possible -for her maid to perform the necessary duties, which were in a short time -accomplished--the countess still remaining in the species of ecstacy -into which she was plunged; then, as her mistress had directed her, she -went out and left her alone. - -The countess completed the remainder of her toilet in a state resembling -somnambulism; she retired to rest, and remained for an instant leaning -on her elbow, with her eyes fixed on the door; then by degrees, and -notwithstanding all her efforts to keep awake, her eyelids became heavy, -her eyes closed, and she sank upon her pillow, heaving a long deep sigh, -and murmuring Rodolpho's name. - -The next morning, when she awoke, Gemma stretched out her hand as if she -expected to find some one by her side; but she was alone, and for a few -minutes her eyes wandered round the chamber, and then turned and fixed -themselves on the table by the bedside. An open letter lay upon it, she -took it up and read:-- - - - "<i>Madame la Comtesse</i>,--I could have taken the vengeance of - a brigand upon you; I preferred to indulge myself in the - pleasure of a prince! but that, when you awake, you may not - imagine you have been in a dream, I have left you a proof of - the reality; look in your mirror. - - "Pascal Bruno." - -Gemma's whole frame shuddered, and a cold perspiration covered her -forehead; she stretched out her arm towards the bell-rope that she -might call for assistance, but womanly instinct arrested her arm, and -collecting all her strength, she sprang out of bed, ran to the glass, -and uttered a cry of horror. Her hair and eyebrows were completely -shorn! - -She hastily dressed herself, and enveloping her head in her veil, threw -herself into her carriage, and ordered it to be driven back to Palermo. - -The instant she arrived there, she wrote to Prince Carini, telling him -that her confessor, as an expiation for her sins, had ordered her to -shave off her eyebrows and hair, and retire for twelve months to a -convent. - - - - - - -CHAPTER VIII.---TREACHERY. - -On the 1st of May, 1805, there was a high festival at Castel Nuovo: -Pascal Bruno was in excellent humour, and gave a supper to one of -his best friends, Placido Tomaselli, an honest dealer in contraband, -belonging to the village of Gesso, and to two females the latter had -brought with him from Messina. This delicate attention sensibly effected -Bruno, and that he might not be behindhand in politeness with so -provident a comrade, he determined to perform the honours of his -domicile after the fashion of the best society. Accordingly, the finest -wines of Sicily and Calabria were selected from the cellars of the -fortress, the most noted cooks of Bauso were placed in requisition, and -all that singular luxury was displayed to which at times it pleased the -hero of our history to resort. - -The guests had only just begun dinner when Ali brought Placido Tomaselli -a letter, which a countryman from Gesso had placed in his hands. Placido -read it, and crumbling it up in a violent passion, exclaimed-- - -"Upon my word he has chosen his time very nicely." - -"What is it, comrade?" said Bruno. - -"Perdition! why, a summons from Captain Luigi Cama, of Villa San -Giovanni." - -"What, our purveyor of rum?" asked Bruno. - -"Yes," replied Placido; "he informs me he is off the shore, and has -a full cargo which he wishes to dispose of before the custom-house -officers hear of his arrival." - -"Business before all things," replied Bruno. "I'll wait for you. I am in -very good company, so make yourself easy; if you are not too long gone, -you will find everything you leave, and more than you can take away." - -"It is only an hour's work," replied Placido, appearing to yield to the -reasoning of his host; "the beach is only about five hundred yards from -this spot." - -"And there is the whole night before us," observed Pascal. - -"A good appetite, comrade," said Placido. "A successful expedition, -master," said Bruno. Placido left the castle, and Bruno remained with -the two women, and, as he had promised his guest, proceedings did not -suffer by his absence. Bruno was amiable enough for any two, and the -conversation began to assume the most animated character, when the door -opened, and a new actor appeared on the scene. Pascal turned round and -recognised the Maltese merchant we have already spoken of several times, -of whom he was one of the best customers. - -"By St. Gregory!" he exclaimed, "you are welcome; and the more so, if -you have brought any of those Turkish pastilles, a packet of Latakia -tobacco, and a few Tunisian shawls; by-the-by, your opium acted -admirably." - -"I am glad of it," replied the Maltese; "but on this occasion, I have -come on quite another business." - -"Ah! you have come to sup with me, is that it?" asked Bruno. "Pray sit -down, sit down, and once again you are welcome; there, that is a seat -fit for a king." - -"Your wine is excellent, I know, and these ladies are charming," replied -the Maltese; "but I have something very important to speak to you -about." - -"To me?" asked Bruno. - -"Yes, to you," replied the Maltese. - -"Well go on," said Bruno. - -"I must speak to you alone," said the Maltese. - -"Well, then," said Bruno, "I'll hear you tomorrow, my worthy captain." - -"But I must inform you immediately," said the Maltese. - -"Well, then, speak before the company," said Bruno; "we have not too -many here, and I make it a rule when I feel comfortable never to disturb -myself, even if my life were at stake." - -"That is the very subject I wish to allude to," said the Maltese. - -"Bah!" replied Bruno; "heaven looks after honest men; here's to your -health, captain." - -The Maltese emptied his glass. - -"That's right; now sit down and let me hear your sermon, we'll listen to -you with proper attention." - -The merchant perceived he must give in to the whim of his host, and he -consequently obeyed him. - -"Well, now then, what is it?" said Bruno. - -"First, then," continued the Maltese, "you know that the justices of -Calvaruso, Spadafora, Bauso, Saponara, Divito, and Domita have been -arrested." - -"I have heard something about it," said Pascal Bruno, carelessly, at the -same time emptying his glass of Marsala, the best wine in Sicily. - -"But do you know the cause of their arrest?" inquired the merchant. - -"I guess at it," said Bruno; "is it not because the Prince of Carini, -being in an extremely ill-humour on account of his mistress having -retired to a convent, has taken it into his head that they have been -too slow, and have shown too little skill in their attempts to arrest a -certain Pascal Bruno, whose head is worth two thousand ducats?" - -"Exactly so," said the merchant. - -"You see," said Bruno, "I am quite aware of what is going on." - -"Yet, for all that," said the Maltese, "there may be some circumstances -of which you are still ignorant." - -"God is great! as Ali says," replied Bruno; "but go on, and I will -acknowledge my ignorance; I wish for nothing so much as instruction." - -"Well," said the Maltese, "the six judges have met together, and each -has put down twenty-five ounces--that makes one hundred and fifty -ounces." - -"Or, in other words," replied Bruno, in the same careless tone, -"eighteen hundred and ninety livres. You see, if my books are not well -regulated, it is not for want of arithmetic. Well, what next?" - -"After that," continued the merchant, "they offered this sum to two or -three men, known as your common associates, if they would assist them in -capturing you." - -"Let them offer it," said Bruno; "I am quite certain they will not meet -with a traitor within ten leagues." - -"You deceive yourself," answered the Maltese; "the traitor is found." - -"Ha!" exclaimed Bruno, knitting his brow and grasping his dagger; "and -how do you know that?" - -"Why, my good fellow," said the merchant, "in the simplest way in the -world; yesterday I was at the house of the Prince de Goto, governor -of Messina, who sent for me for the purpose of purchasing some Turkish -goods, when a servant entered the room and whispered a few words in his -ear. 'Very well,' said the prince, 'let him come in.' He then made a -sign to me to go into an adjoining room for a short time; I obeyed, -and as he never suspected that I was acquainted with you, I overheard a -conversation that concerned you." - -"Well," said Bruno. - -"It was the traitor," said the Maltese; "he undertook to open the doors -of your fortress, and to place you in their hands unarmed while you were -at supper; and he himself engaged to conduct the gens-d'armes to your -dining-room." - -"And do you know who this man is?" demanded Bruno. - -"Yes," said the merchant. - -"His name?" said Bruno. - -"Placido Tomaselli." - -"Confusion!" exclaimed the bandit; "he was here but an instant ago." - -"And has he left the castle?" inquired the merchant. - -"Just before you came in," replied Bruno. - -"Then," said the merchant, "he has gone after the police and the -soldiers; for, as far as I can see, you were about to sit down to -supper." - -"You see I was," said Bruno. - -"Then I am right; and if you wish to escape, you have not a minute to -lose." - -"I fly!" cried Bruno, laughing. "Ali! Ali!" and Ali entered the room. - -"Close the gates of the castle, my lad, and turn three of my dogs loose -in the court-yard, and send the fourth, Lionna, upstairs, and get the -ammunition ready." - -The women began to scream. - -"My goddesses, you must be quiet," observed Bruno, with an imperative -look; "we must have no singing here; silence, and instantly, if you -please." - -And the women were silent. - -"Captain, you must keep these ladies company; for my part, I must go my -rounds." - -Bruno seized his carbine, buckled on his cartouche-box, and went towards -the door; but as he was about to leave the room he stood still and -listened. - -"What is the matter?" said the Maltese. - -"Do you not hear my dogs bark? The enemy is close at hand; they were -not long behind you;--are they not fine beasts? Silence, my tigers!" -continued Bruno, opening one of the windows and giving a peculiar -whistle; "all right, all right, I am on my guard." - -The dogs gave a low growl and were then silent. - -The women and the Maltese trembled with terror, expecting something -dreadful was about to happen, and at the same moment Ali entered the -room with Pascal's favourite bitch, Lionna: the noble creature went -straight up to her master, reared up on her hind legs, and placing her -paws on his shoulders, she looked intelligently at him and gave a short -bark. - -"Yes, yes, Lionna, you are a fine beast," said Bruno, patting the dog -fondly on the head; "come on, my beauty, come along." - -And he went out, leaving the Maltese and the two women in the supper -apartment. - -Pascal went down into the court-yard, where he found the three dogs -evincing great uneasiness, but without giving any indication that the -danger was very pressing; he then opened the garden door and began to -walk round its bounds. Suddenly Lionna stopped, snuffed the air, and -walked straight up to one part of the enclosure: as soon as she reached -the wall, she reared up on her hind legs, as if she intended to scale -it, grinding her teeth, and uttering a low growl, at the same time -looking back at her master: Pascal Bruno was close behind her. - -He was at once aware that an enemy was concealed, and that at no great -distance, and recollecting that the window of the room in which Paoli -Tomassi had been confined directly overlooked this spot, he ran quickly -up stairs, followed by Lionna, who with open throat and fiery eyes -seemed to guess her master's intention; and crossing the room in which -the two women and the Maltese were anxiously awaiting the end of the -adventure, she went into an adjoining chamber, in which there was no -light and the window was open. She had scarcely entered when, crouching -quietly on the ground, she crawled like a serpent towards the window, -and when within a few feet of the casement, before Bruno could prevent -her, she sprang through the opening like a panther, and alighted on the -ground without injury, although the height was at least twenty feet. - -Pascal was at the window nearly as soon as the dog; he saw her make -three bounds towards an olive-tree, and then heard a cry of agony: -Lionna had seized a man by the throat, who was concealed behind the -tree. - -"Help! help!" exclaimed a voice, which Pascal recognised as that of -Placido. "Help, it is I! Call off your dog, or she will tear me to -pieces." - -"Hold him, Lionna!" exclaimed Bruno, "kill him, my good dog! Death to -the traitor!" - -Placido at once saw that Bruno had discovered all, and uttering a cry -of pain and rage, a mortal combat ensued between the dog and the man. -Bruno, resting on his carbine, calmly contemplated this singular duel -by the uncertain light of the moon. He could perceive two bodies, whose -forms were indistinct, struggling, rolling on the ground, and rising -again, and seeming as if they were but one: for the space of ten minutes -he heard their confused cries, but could not distinguish those of the -dog from the man. At the end of that time a dreadful cry was heard, and -one of them fell to rise no more--it was the man. - -Bruno whistled to Lionna, again crossed the supper-room, without -uttering a word, and went rapidly down stairs to open the door to his -favourite bitch; but at the very instant she entered, bleeding -from wounds inflicted with a knife, and even from the bites of her -antagonist, he saw the musket-barrels of soldiers glittering in the rays -of the moon, and advancing up the road that led from the village to the -fortress. He at once barricaded the door, and again entered the room in -which he had left his trembling guests. The Maltese was drinking, and -the women saying their prayers. - -"Well!" said the Maltese. - -"Well, captain?" answered Bruno. - -"What has become of Placido Tomaselli?" asked the merchant. - -"His business is settled," replied Bruno; "but there is another legion -of devils coming upon us." - -"And what do you mean next to do?" asked the merchant. - -"Kill as many as I can in the first instance," said Bruno. - -"And then?" inquired the merchant. - -"Fire the fortress," said Bruno, coolly, "and then--blow myself up along -with the rest." - -The women hearing this began to scream most lustily. - -"Ali," said Pascal, "take these ladies into the vaults, and give them -all they ask for except a candle, for fear they should set fire to the -powder before the proper time." - -The poor terrified creatures fell on their knees. - -"Come, make haste!" cried Bruno, stamping his feet; "do as I order you." - -And he uttered these words with such a look and accent, that the two -girls rose and followed Ali without daring to utter another word of -complaint. - -"And now, captain," said Bruno, as soon as they were gone, "put out the -lights, and get into some corner where the bullets cannot reach you; for -the musicians have arrived and the ball is about to begin." - - - - - - -CHAPTER IX.--THE SIEGE. - -A few moments after, Ali again entered the room, carrying on his -shoulders two or three muskets of the same calibre, and a basket full of -cartridges. Pascal Bruno opened all the windows, that he might be able -to face in any direction, and Ali, taking a musket in his hand, was -about to place himself at one of them. - -"No, my boy," said Pascal, in an affectionate and parental tone of -voice, "that is no one's duty but mine; I have no wish to attach your -fate to mine; I do not wish to drag you into the surf along with me; -you are young; nothing, as yet, has removed your life out of the beaten -track; take my advice, continue to live like the rest of the world." - -"Father," replied the youth, with his gentle voice, "why do you not wish -me to defend you as Lionna did? You know I have none to look to but you -in the world, and that, if you die, I must die with you!" - -"No, Ali," said Bruno, "if I die, I shall perhaps leave behind me some -mysterious and terrible mission to be accomplished, which I can trust to -no one but my child; my boy, therefore, must live to do what his father -commands him." - -"It is right," said Ali; "the father is the master, and the child must -obey." - -Ali seized Pascal's hand, and kissed it. - -"Can I be of no service to you, father?" observed the lad. - -"Yes; load the guns," said Bruno, and Ali addressed himself to the task, - -"And what can I do?" said the Maltese, from the corner in which he had -ensconced himself. - -"You, captain? you shall have the task of carrying the flag of truce if -it be needful." - -At this instant Pascal Bruno saw the muskets of a second troop -descending the mountain: they advanced in so direct a line towards the -isolated olive-tree, at the foot of which lay the body of Placido, that -it was evident it was the appointed place of rendezvous. - -Those who marched first stumbled over the corpse. Upon this they formed -a circle round it; but no one could recognise it, the teeth of Lionna -had so much disfigured it; however, as it was at this olive-tree Placido -had appointed a meeting, and as the body was at its foot, and no other -living being in the neighbourhood, it was evident that the dead man was -Placido himself. - -The soldiers accordingly guessed that their plot had been discovered, -and, consequently, that Bruno was on his guard; they, therefore, began -to consider how they should act. - -Pascal, standing at the window, watched all their movements; but the -moon issuing suddenly from behind a cloud, a ray of light fell upon -his figure, and one of the soldiers seeing him, pointed him out to his -comrades. - -"The bandit! the bandit!" was heard from all the troops, and a volley of -shot was instantly poured in at the window. - -A few of the balls flattened themselves against the wall, others -whistled past the ears and over the head of the party at whom they were -directed, and lodged in the mouldings of the ceiling. - -Pascal replied by discharging four muskets in succession as they were -handed to him by Ali: four men fell. - -The soldiers, who were not troops of the line, but a kind of national -guard organised for the protection of the high road, hesitated a -little when they saw death pay them so sudden a visit; for all the men, -reckoning on Placido's treason, had entertained the hope of making -an easy capture: instead of which, it was now evident that it was an -absolute siege they were about to undertake, and they were in want of -everything necessary for that purpose. - -The walls of the little fortress were lofty, and the gates strong--they -had neither ladders nor hatchets. There was, however, the possibility of -killing Pascal while at the window levelling his musket; but this seemed -but a poor chance to men who believed their adversary was invulnerable. - -Accordingly, the most prudent manouvre seemed to be to retire out of -gunshot and deliberate on their future proceedings; but their retreat -was not rapid enough to prevent Pascal Bruno despatching two more -messengers of death after them. - -Pascal, perceiving that the siege was raised for an instant, went to -the opposite window that overlooked the village: the discharge of the -muskets had attracted the attention of the first party, so that he had -scarcely shown himself at the opening when he was saluted with a shower -of bullets; but the same miraculous good luck again preserved him. It -seemed like enchantment: while, on his side, every shot he fired told -upon the soldiers, and Pascal was made aware of his success by the oaths -they uttered. - -A similar occurrence happened to this troop as to the other; its ranks -were thrown into disorder, but, instead of taking to flight, they stood -up close against the walls of the fortress, and by this manouvre they -made it impossible for Bruno to fire without thrusting half his body out -of the window; and, as the bandit thought it impolitic to expose himself -to unnecessary danger, the firing in consequence of this mutual act of -prudence ceased for an instant. - -"Have we got rid of them?" asked the Maltese; "may we cry Victory!" - -"Not yet," observed Bruno, "it is only a suspension of arms; the enemy -have, no doubt, gone to the village to procure ladders and hatchets; -we shall, no doubt, soon have news of them. But make yourself easy," -continued the bandit, filling two glasses; "as we cannot remain quiet -with them, we must give them something in return. Ali, go and fetch a -barrel of powder.--Here's to your health, captain!" - -"What are you going to do with the powder?" asked the Maltese, with an -uneasy look. - -"Oh! not much; but you shall see!" replied Bruno. Ali entered the room, -bearing on his shoulder the barrel of gunpowder. - -"That's right," said Bruno; "now take a gimlet and make a hole in the -barrel." - -Ali obeyed with the passive readiness that was the distinctive mark of -his devotion to Bruno. - -While this was going on, Pascal tore up a napkin into strips, which he -tied together, and rolled them in the powder he took out of a cartridge; -he then put this match into the hole Ali had made in the barrel, and -closed it with wet powder, which had the effect also of keeping the -match in its place. He had scarcely finished his preparations when the -sound of a hatchet was heard at the gate. - -"Am I a good prophet?" said Bruno, as he rolled the barrel towards the -door of the chamber which overlooked a staircase leading to the castle -court, and then going back to fetch a piece of lighted fir from the -fire. - -"Ah!" said the Maltese, "now I begin to understand what you are going to -do." - -"Father," said Ali, "they are coming from the mountain with ladders." - -Bruno ran to the window from which he had fired in the first instance -and plainly saw his adversaries, who had procured the scaling implement -they so much needed, and, ashamed of their first retreat, were returning -to the charge with renewed confidence. - -"Are the guns loaded?" asked Bruno. - -"Yes, father," replied Ali, handing him a carbine. - -Bruno, without looking back, took the gun the boy offered him, slowly -brought it to his shoulder, and levelled with more care than he had yet -exhibited; he fired, and one of the two men who carried the ladder fell. - -Another man took his place, and Bruno took a second musket: the other -soldier fell by the side of his comrade. - -Two other men succeeded those who were killed and fell in their turn; -upon this the scaling party, leaving their ladder, retired a second -time, after firing another volley as useless as their previous -discharges. - -In the meantime, those who were besieging the gate redoubled their -blows, and the dogs on their side barked furiously; every moment the -blows became more violent and the barking fiercer. At length, one side -of the gate was forced in and two or three men entered by the opening; -and by the cries of distress they uttered, their comrades judged that -they had fallen into the hands of more terrible enemies than they had -calculated on; but they could not fire upon the dogs without the risk of -killing the men. - -After a short time, one party of the besiegers had entered through the -door one after the other; the court was soon filled, and then began a -combat, like one of those that were exhibited in the ancient circus, -between the soldiers and the four monstrous dogs, who fiercely defended -the narrow staircase that led to the first floor of the fortress. -Suddenly, the door at the top of the staircase opened, and the barrel of -powder Bruno had prepared bounded from stair to stair and exploded like -a bombshell in the midst of the combatants. - -The explosion was terrible; one of the walls fell in ruins, and -everything in the court-yard was blown to atoms. - -The besiegers were for an instant stupefied; but in the meantime the two -troops had united themselves, and presented an effective force of more -than 300 men. A deep feeling of shame overwhelmed the multitude when -they saw themselves kept in check by a single man. - -The leaders took advantage of this feeling to encourage them, and a -breach having been made by the fall of the wall, they marched up to it -in a body in good order, and having cleared every obstacle, they spread -themselves over the whole of the court-yard and were soon before the -staircase. - -When they reached this spot, there was another moment of hesitation: at -length some of them, encouraged by their comrades, began to ascend the -stairs, the rest of the party following. The staircase was soon carried; -but those who were at the head would soon have felt an inclination -to retreat if it had been possible; this, however, was no longer the -case--they were obliged, therefore, to attempt the door, which yielded -without resistance. - -The besiegers, uttering shouts of triumph, ran round the first chamber; -but at that instant the door of the second room opened, and the soldiers -perceived Bruno seated on a barrel of gunpowder, a pistol in each hand, -while the terrified Maltese rushed through the open, doorway crying -out, in accents so full of truth and terror as to leave no doubt on the -subject:-- - -"Stand back! stand back!" he cried, "the fortress is mined; if you -advance another step we shall all be blown to atoms!" - -The door was closed as if by enchantment, and the shouts of victory were -changed into cries of terror. The whole body of the besiegers might have -been seen precipitating themselves down the narrow staircase that led to -the court-yard--some among them leaped through the windows--it seemed as -if every man felt the ground tremble beneath his feet, and at the end of -five minutes Bruno was again master of his fortress. - -As to the Maltese, he took advantage of the opportunity and left the -castle. - -Pascal, no longer hearing any sound, arose and went to the window. The -siege had been converted into a blockade; a guard was placed at every -opening, and the men who performed this duty had sheltered themselves -from the bandit's fire behind carts and barrels. It was evident that a -new plan for carrying on the campaign had been adopted. - -"So it seems they intend to starve us out," observed Bruno. - -"The dogs!" exclaimed Ali. - -"Do not insult the poor beasts who died while defending us, call them -men--men!" said Bruno, smiling sarcastically. - -"Father!" said Ali. - -"Well, my boy," said Bruno, kindly. - -"Do you not see?" said Ali. - -"What?" asked Bruno. - -"That light!" - -"Ay, truly," said Bruno; "what can it mean? It cannot be daybreak yet; -and, besides, it comes from the north, and not the east." - -"The village is on fire!" exclaimed Ali. - -"By heavens you are right!" said Bruno. - -At that instant loud cries of distress were heard; Bruno rushed to the -door and found himself face to face with the Maltese. - -"Is that you, captain?" said Pascal. - -"Yes, it is I--I myself, don't deceive yourself and take me for another; -I come as a friend." - -"You are welcome," said Bruno; "but what has taken place?" - -"That which has taken place is," said the Maltese, "that, in utter -despair at not having taken you, the soldiers set fire to the village, -and refuse to assist in extinguishing it unless the villagers will -consent to march against you, as they have had enough of it themselves." - -"And the peasants?" asked Bruno. - -"Have refused," said the Maltese. - -"Ay, ay--I knew that beforehand," said Bruno; "they had rather that -all their houses should be burned to the ground than touch a hair of -my head. Well, captain, go back to those who sent you, and tell them to -extinguish the flames." - -"What do you mean?" asked the Maltese. - -"I will give myself up," said Bruno. - -"Give yourself up, father?" cried Ali. - -"Yes, but I promised to surrender to one man alone, and I will only give -myself up to him. Let them, therefore, as I have said--let them put out -the flames, and then send to Messina in search of the man I shall name." - -"And who is this man?" asked the Maltese. - -"Paolo Tomassi, a brigadier in the gendarmerie," replied Bruno. - -"Have you any other request to make?" asked the Maltese. - -"One only," replied Bruno, and he spoke to the Maltese in a whisper. - -"I hope you are not asking for my life?" said Ali. - -"Have I not told you I should perhaps require your assistance after my -death?" said Bruno. - -"Pardon me, father," said Ali, "I had forgotten that." - -"Away, captain, and do as I have said," said Bruno; "when I see the -flames extinguished I shall know my terms are accepted." - -"Do you not wish me to be the bearer of the news?" asked the merchant. - -"Did I not say you should be my negociator? By-the-by," continued -Pascal, "how many houses are burnt?" - -"Two when I came away," replied the Maltese. - -"There are three hundred and fifteen ounces in this purse, distribute -them among the sufferers." - -"Adieu!" said the Maltese, shaking Bruno by the hand. - -Bruno threw his pistol away, again seated himself on his powder barrel -and fell into a deep reverie. - -The young Arab extended himself on his tiger's skin, and remained -motionless, closing his eyes as if he slept. By degrees the light of the -fire expired--Bruno's conditions had been accepted. - -At the expiration of about an hour, the door of the room opened, and a -man appeared on the threshold, who, perceiving that neither Bruno nor -Ali noticed him, gave an affected cough. - -Bruno turned round and perceived Paolo Tomassi. - -"Ah! is that you, brigadier?" said he, smiling; "it is a pleasure to -send for you--you have not kept us waiting long." - -"Why, no," replied the brigadier, "they met me on the road about a -quarter of an hour ago as I was bringing up my party, and they said that -you wanted to see me." - -"It is true," said Bruno; "I wanted to show you that I am a man of my -word." - -"Zounds, I know that well enough," said the brigadier. - -"And as I promised that you should receive the three thousand ducats in -question," said Bruno, "I wish to keep my word." - -"Perdition!" said the brigadier, with great energy. - -"What do you mean, comrade?" said Bruno. - -"I mean," said the brigadier, "that I would rather gain three thousand -ducats in any other manner--in the lottery, for instance." - -"And why so?" asked Bruno. - -"Because you are a fine fellow, and men like you are scarce," was the -brigadier's reply. - -"Bah! what's that to you?" said Bruno; "it will be promotion for you, -brigadier." - -"I know it," replied Paolo, with a look of despair. "And so you mean to -deliver yourself up?" - -"I surrender," said Bruno. - -"On your honour?" said Paolo. - -"On my honour," replied Bruno; "therefore, you may send all those -rascals away. I wish to have nothing more to do with them." - -Paolo Tomassi went to the window. - -"You may all of you retire," he cried; "I will answer for the prisoner: -go and report his capture at Messina." The soldiers shouted for joy. - -"And now," said Bruno to the brigadier, "we will finish the supper these -fools interrupted." - -"With all my heart," replied Paolo, "for I have come eight leagues in -three hours, and I am dying with hunger and thirst." - -"Well," said Bruno, "since you are so well inclined, and as we have but -one night to spend in each other's company, let us pass it merrily. -Ali, go and fetch the ladies out of the cellar, if they have not been -frightened to death." - -Ali performed his mission, and the party enjoyed themselves as best -they could. In the morning, the brigadier and his prisoner set out for -Messina. - -Five days after the events we have just related, the Prince of Carini -was informed, in the presence of the beautiful Gemma, who had just ended -her penance at the Convent of the Visitation, and who had only eight -days previously returned to the world, that at length his orders had -been executed, and that Pascal Bruno was taken and placed in one of the -prisons of Messina. - -"In that case, the Prince of Goto will pay the three thousand ducats -promised for his capture; see that the brigand is tried and afterwards -executed." - -"Dear prince," said Gemma, in that gentle voice to whose appeal the -count could refuse nothing, "I have always been curious to see this man -of whom I have heard so much." - -"Your wish shall be gratified, my dear angel; he shall be hanged at -Palermo." - - - - - - -CHAPTER X.--THE CHAPELLE ARDENTE. - -According to the promise he had made his favourite, the Prince of -Carini ordered the condemned man to be sent from Messina to Palermo; and -Pascal, under a large escort of gendarmerie, was conveyed to the prison -of that city, situated behind the royal palace, and near to the asylum -for lunatics. - -Towards the evening of the second day, a priest entered his dungeon. -Pascal rose when he saw the holy man: but, notwithstanding all the -entreaties of the priest, Pascal resolutely refused to confess. The -priest continued to exhort him to unburden his guilty mind; but nothing -could induce Pascal to perform this last office of religion. And the -priest, perceiving he could not overcome his obstinacy, asked him the -reason. - -"The reason," said Bruno, "is, that I do not wish to commit a -sacrilegious act." - -"In what manner, my son?" inquired the priest. - -"Is not the first condition of a good confession," said Bruno, "not only -the acknowledgment of your own sins, but the forgiveness of those of -your neighbour?" - -"Certainly," said the priest, "there can be no complete confession -without that." - -"Well," said Bruno, "I have not forgiven; my confession would therefore -be imperfect, and I have no inclination to make a bad confession." - -"Is it not," said the priest, "more likely that you have such enormous -crimes to acknowledge that you fear they will be too great to expect -pardon? But comfort yourself, God is merciful; and where there is -repentance there is always hope." - -"Nevertheless, my father," said Bruno', "if between your absolution and -my death, a wicked thought I have not the power to control should--" - -"The benefit of your confession would be lost," said the priest. - -"It is useless then for me to confess," observed Pascal, "for this -wicked thought will rise." - -"Cannot you drive it from your mind?" asked the priest. - -Pascal smiled. - -"It is that thought," said he, "that has kept me alive, father; without -that one infernal thought, without that last hope of vengeance, do you -think I would have allowed myself to be dragged forward as a disgraceful -spectacle to the multitude? No! I would have strangled myself with the -chain that binds me. At Messina, I had made up my mind to do so; and I -was about carrying my intention into effect when an order came to convey -me to Palermo--I thought she would wish to see me die." - -"Whom do you mean?" asked the priest. - -"She," said Bruno, with bitter emphasis. - -"But if you die in this manner," said the priest, "without repenting, -heaven, will show you no mercy." - -"Father," said Bruno, "she, also, shall die without repenting, for -she shall die at the moment she least expects it; she, also, shall die -without a priest, and without confession; she, also, shall find, like -me, heaven without mercy, and we shall sink to perdition together." - -At this instant the gaoler entered. - -"Father," he said, "the chapelle ardente is prepared." - -"Do you still persist in your refusal to confess, my son?" said the -priest. - -"I do persist," said Bruno, quietly. - -"Then I shall no longer delay the mass for the dead," said the priest, -"which I will repeat without pressing you any further; and I trust that, -while you listen, the Heavenly Spirit will visit you and inspire you -with better thoughts." - -"It may be so, father," said Bruno; "but I have no reason to believe it -will." - -The gens-d'armes entered, unbound Bruno, and led him to the church of -St. François de Sales, facing the prison, and at that moment brilliantly -illuminated, for, according to custom, he was there to hear the mass -for the dead and pass the night in prayer, the execution being fixed for -eight o'clock the following morning. - -An iron ring was fixed in a pillar in the choir, and Pascal was secured -to this ring by means of a chain that went round his body, but which -was sufficiently long to enable him to reach the balustrades where the -communicants knelt. - -The instant mass commenced, the officers of the lunatic asylum brought -in a coffin, which they placed in the centre of the church: it contained -the remains of an insane person who had died during the day, and the -director thought the deceased might as well receive the benefit of the -mass that was about to be celebrated for the condemned criminal who was -to die. - -Besides, there was an economy in this arrangement, both of time and -labour for the priest; and as it accommodated all parties, no objection -was made. - -The sacristan lighted two tapers, one for the head and the other for the -foot of the coffin, and the mass began. - -Pascal listened attentively during the whole service, and when it was -over, the priest went up to him and asked him if he was in a better -frame of mind; but the condemned man answered that, notwithstanding the -mass to which he had listened,--notwithstanding the prayers with which -he had accompanied it, his feelings of hatred and desire for vengeance -were still the same. - -The priest told him that at seven o'clock on the following morning -he would return and ascertain whether a night of solitude and -contemplation, passed in a church and in presence of the crucifix, had -produced any change in his feelings of vengeance. - -Bruno, as may be imagined, when left alone fell into a deep reverie. The -whole of the varied transactions of his life passed in review before his -eyes, from the days of his earliest infancy to that moment; and in vain -he endeavoured to discover in those early days of his life anything that -deserved the terrible fate that awaited his youth. He remembered only a -filial and sacred obedience towards the kind parents the Lord had given -him. He remembered his father's abode---so quiet, so innocent, and happy -at one time--which suddenly, became, without his being aware of the -cause, full of tears and sorrow. He remembered the day when his father -went out, carrying with him a dagger, which on his return was covered -with blood. He remembered the night on which the author of his being was -arrested as a murderer; when they carried himself, still a child, into a -chapelle ardente like that in which he was now confined, where he saw a -man chained as he was now. - -It seemed to him as if it were some fatal influence, some capricious -chance, some victorious superiority of evil over good, through the means -of which all the prospects of his devoted and once virtuous family had -been so utterly ruined. - -And then he even doubted the truth of the promises of happiness which -heaven had made to man; he sought through his own distorted vision -for the interference of that Providence of which so much was said; -and fancying that in this, his extremity, some portion of this eternal -secret would perhaps be revealed to him, he bowed his forehead to the -earth and prayed--conjured the Deity, with all the fulness of his soul, -to interpret to him this terrible enigma--to raise the corner of that -mysterious veil which enshrouded his mind--to dispel his doubts and give -him confidence here and hopes for hereafter. - -His hopes were vain; all was silent excepting that internal voice which -still continued to exclaim--"Vengeance! vengeance! vengeance!" - -Then he thought the dead were charged to answer him, and that to that -end a corpse had been placed near him: so true it is that the most -insignificant amongst us all considers his own existence as the centre -of the creation, imagines everything is connected with his being, and -that his miserable body is the pivot on which the whole universe turns. - -He, therefore, slowly raised himself, paler from the struggle he had had -with his mind than from any fear of the scaffold, and he turned his eyes -towards the corpse--it was that of a female. - -Pascal shuddered without knowing why; he endeavoured to trace the -features of that woman--(the coffin in Italy is only closed at the -instant of interment)--but a corner of the winding-sheet had fallen over -the face and concealed it. Suddenly, an instinctive maddening feeling -reminded him of Teresa--Teresa, whom he had not seen since the day when -he first broke the bonds of God and man--Teresa, who had become mad, and -for three years had been confined in the lunatic asylum from whence -the coffin and the corpse had been brought--Teresa, his betrothed, with -whom, perhaps, he now found himself at the foot of that altar to which -he had so long hoped to have conducted her while living, and where, at -length, he had been brought by the bitter mockery of fate to rejoin her: -she dead--himself about ignominiously to die! - -To remain longer in doubt was insupportable; he rushed towards the -coffin to satisfy himself, but he was suddenly dragged back by the -waist, his chain not being long enough to enable him to reach the -corpse, and it held him fast to the pillar; he stretched out his arms -towards the coffin, but he was still several feet away from the object -he sought to reach. - -He then looked round in search of something by means of which he might -be able to remove the corner of the veil, but he could discover nothing; -he exerted all the power of his lungs in his endeavour to raise the -corner of the cloth, but it remained as motionless as marble. - -He then turned round with a look of concentrated rage it would be -impossible to describe, seized his chain with both hands, and collecting -all his strength for the effort, he strove to break it; but the links -were too firmly-attached to each other and resisted all his efforts. - -The cold perspiration of rage stood on his forehead; he threw himself -at the foot of the pillar, placed his head in his hands, and remained -motionless and mute as the statue of despair; and when the priest came -in the morning he found him still in the same position. - -The reverend man approached him quietly and calmly, as became his -mission of peace and his office as a minister of reconciliation. -He thought that Pascal slept, but when he placed his hand upon his -shoulder, the bandit started and raised his head. - -"Well, my son," said the priest, "are you prepared for confession? I am -ready to absolve you?" - -"I will answer you presently, father; but first render me a last -service," said Bruno. - -"What is it?" said the priest. "Speak!" - -"Father," said Bruno, "will you raise the corner of the cloth that hides -the features of that woman?" - -The priest raised the corner of the winding-sheet. Pascal had not -deceived himself, that woman was Teresa! - -He looked upon her for an instant with the deepest sorrow, and then made -a sign to the priest to let the linen fall: the priest obeyed him. - -"Well, my son," he said, "has the sight of death inspired you with any -pious thoughts?" - -"Father," said Bruno, "that woman and I were born to be happy and -innocent; but she perjured herself, and I became a murderer. She has -conducted this woman through madness, and me, through despair, to the -tomb into which we are both about to descend to-day. Let heaven pardon -her, if it can--I cannot!" - -At this instant the guards entered the church to lead Pascal to the -scaffold. - - - - - - -CHAPTER XI.--DEATH OF THE BANDIT. - -The sky was magnificent, the air pure and transparent; the inhabitants -of Palermo awoke as if it had been a holiday--the scholars at the -colleges and schools had a holiday, and the whole population seemed to -have assembled in the Rue de Toledo, through the whole length of which -the condemned man would have to pass to go from the church of Saint -François de Sales, where He had passed the night, to the Place de la -Marine, where the execution was to take place. - -The windows of the houses were filled with women, whose curiosity had -roused them from their beds before their usual time, and the nuns of the -various convents in Palermo and its environs might be seen moving like -shadows behind the gratings of the galleries; while on the flat roofs of -the houses throngs of people waved to and fro like a field of grain. - -The condemned man was at the gates of the church placed in a cart drawn -by mules, and preceded by a number of White Penitents, the first of whom -carried the cross and the four last the coffin. The executioner followed -on horseback, bearing a red flag; his two assistants on foot, one on -each side. Behind these came a body of Black Penitents, who closed the -procession, which advanced in the midst of a double rank of militia and -regular troops, while, on the outskirts of the crowd, men were running -along clothed in long gray dresses, with their heads covered with hoods, -having openings for the eyes and mouth, holding in one hand a bell, and -in the other a large purse or bag, collecting alms for the deliverance -of the soul of the criminal from purgatory. - -It was reported also among the crowd that the criminal had refused to -confess, and this deviation from the religious ideas entertained by all -gave more weight to the rumours which had been spread abroad since the -very beginning of his career, of an infernal compact between Bruno -and the enemy of mankind. A feeling of terror, therefore, sat upon the -curious yet mute population, and no shouts, no cries, not even a murmur, -disturbed the dirge of death as it was chanted by the White Penitents at -the head of the procession and the Black Penitents in the rear. Behind -these last, and as fast as the culprit advanced along the Rue de Toledo, -the spectators joined the procession and accompanied it towards the -Place de la Marine. - -As to Pascal, he was the only one who appeared perfectly calm in the -midst of this agitated mass of people, and he looked upon the crowd that -surrounded him without humility and without ostentation, like a man who, -understanding the duties of individuals towards society in general and -the rights of society in respect to individuals, did not repent that he -had forgotten the last, nor complained that it avenged the first. - -The procession stopped for an instant at the Place des Quatre Cantons, -which forms the centre of the city, for so great a crowd were pressing -forward from either side of the Rue de Cassero, that the line of troops -was broken, and the centre of the road being crowded with people, the -Penitents were unable to proceed. - -Pascal took advantage of this sudden halt to stand up in the cart and -look round him, like one about to give a final order or make a last -sign; but after a long examination of the crowd, and not seeing that of -which he was in search, he fell back on the truss of straw that answered -the purpose of a seat, and a cloud spread over his face which seemed -to increase until the procession reached the Place de la Marine; then a -second stoppage occurred, and Pascal a second time stood up. - -At first, he cast a careless glance to the extremity of the place -opposite the gibbet, and then his looks ran over the immense crowd that -filled the extensive area of the place of execution, and which appeared -paved with human heads, with the exception of the terrace of the palace -of the Prince de Butera, which was completely deserted. He fixed his -eyes upon a rich balcony covered with damask, embroidered with gold, -and sheltered from the sun by purple awnings. There, on a species of -platform, and surrounded by the most elegant women, and the noblest -lords of Palermo, the beautiful Gemma of Castel Nuova was seated, who, -anxious to witness the last agony of her enemy, had caused her throne to -be raised facing the scaffold. - -The looks of Pascal Bruno and the counters met, and seemed to dart -flashes of hatred and vengeance: they were still gazing on each other -when a strange cry arose among the crowd that surrounded the cart. -Pascal started, and turning quickly to the spot from whence the sound -came, his features not only resumed their wonted expression of calmness, -but a look of joy spread over them. - -At this, instant the procession was again about to move on, when Bruno, -with a loud voice, exclaimed-- - -"Stop!" - -The word had a magical effect, the whole of the crowd seemed for an -instant nailed to the earth, every face was turned to the condemned man, -and a thousand eager looks were fixed upon him. - -"What is it you want?" said the executioner, - -"My confessor," said Pascal. - -"The priest is gone," said the executioner; "you sent him away." - -"My usual confessor is the monk on my left hand in the crowd," said -Bruno. "I did not want the other; but I wish to confess to this man." - -The executioner gave a look of impatience and denial; but at the same -instant the people, who had heard the request of the condemned man, -cried out-- - -"The confessor! the confessor!" - -The executioner was obliged to submit, and the crowd made way for the -monk: he was a tall young man, of a swarthy complexion, and seemed as if -he were exhausted by the austerities of the cloister; he went up to the -cart and climbed into it. - -At the same instant Bruno fell on his knees--this was a general signal; -on the pavement, in the street, on the balconies at the windows, on the -roofs of the houses, every one knelt; all excepting the executioner, who -remained on horseback, and his assistants, who stood by his side. At the -same instant the Penitents began to chant the prayers for the dying, to -conceal by the voices the words of the confession. - -"I have been long expecting you," observed Bruno. "I was waiting here -for you," replied Ali, for he it was. - -"I was afraid they would not keep the promise they made me," said Bruso; -"and that you would meet the same fate as myself." - -"No," said Ali, "they have kept their promise; I am at liberty." - -"Listen then," said Bruno. - -"I am attentive," replied Ali. - -"There, on my right hand--" Bruno turned in that direction, for his -hands were bound, and he had no other means of pointing--"you see a -balcony covered with gold embroidery." - -"Yes," said Ali. - -"On that balcony is a young and beautiful woman, with flowers in her -hair--" - -"I see her," interrupted Ali; "she is on her knees at prayers like the -rest." - -"That woman," said Bruno, "is the Countess Gemma, of Castel Nuova." - -"Beneath whose window I was waiting when you were wounded in the -shoulder?" asked Ali. - -"Yes," replied Bruno, "that woman is the cause of all my misfortunes; -she forced me to commit my first crime; she has brought me here!" - -"Well," said Ali. - -"I should not die in peace if I knew that she would survive me happy and -honoured," continued Bruno. "You may die in peace," said the youth. - -"Thanks, thanks, Ali!" said Bruno, impressively. - -"Let me embrace you once more father," said Ali. - -"Adieu!" said Bruno. - -"Farewell for ever!" said Ali. - -The young monk embraced the culprit as a priest is in the habit of doing -when he gives absolution to the sinner, and he then alighted from the -cart and mingled with the crowd. - -"Go on," said Bruno, imperatively; and the procession again obeyed him, -as if the speaker had the right to command. - -Every one arose; Gemma reseated herself, and the procession moved on -towards the scaffold. - -When it arrived at the foot of the gibbet, the executioner descended -from his horse, mounted the scaffold, climbed up the ladder, and fixed -his blood-coloured flag on the cross-piece above, satisfied himself that -the cord was well fastened, and threw off his coat that he might have -more freedom of action. - -Pascal immediately sprang out of the cart, thrust aside with his -shoulders the hangmen's men, who wished to assist him, rapidly mounted -the scaffold, and placed himself against the ladder which he had to -climb backwards. At the same instant, the Penitent who carried the cross -placed it in front of the bandit, so that he might see it in its dying -moments. The Penitents who carried the coffin seated themselves upon it, -and the troops formed themselves into a semicircle round the scaffold, -leaving in the centre the two bands of Penitents, the executioner, his -assistants, and their victim, Pascal mounted the ladder, refusing all -assistance, with the calmness he had hitherto displayed, and as Gemma's -balcony was facing him, it was even observed that he cast his eyes in -that direction and smiled. At the same instant, the executioner passed -the cord round his neck, seized him by the middle of his body, and cast -him off the ladder; he then slipped down the cord, and pressed with -his whole weight on the shoulders of the culprit, while the assistants, -clinging to his legs, pulled at the lower part of his body; but suddenly -the rope broke, not being able to bear the weight of four persons, and -the whole party, the executioner, his assistants, and their victim, were -rolling on the scaffold. - -One man arose before the rest--it was Pascal Bruno, whose hands had -burst the cords with which they were tied; he stood up in the midst of a -general silence, having in his right side a knife the executioner had in -his rage at the accident plunged into it the whole length of its blade. - -"Wretch!" cried the bandit, addressing the hangman, "you are neither fit -for an executioner nor a bandit; you can neither hang nor assassinate." - -With these words, he drew out the reeking knife from his right side, and -plunging it into his left side near his heart fell dead. - -Then there arose a terrific shout and a wild tumult in the crowd, some -rushed away from the spot, while others attacked the scaffold. - -The body of the condemned man was carried away by the Penitents, and the -executioner was nearly torn in pieces by the people. - - - - - - -CHAPTER XII.--CONCLUSION. - -The evening after the execution, the Prince of Carini dined with the -Archbishop of Montreal, while Gemma, who was not admissible into the -society of the prelate, remained at the Villa Carini. - -The evening was as delightful as the morning had been. From one of the -windows of the room which was hung with blue satin, the room in which -the first scene of our history took place, Alicudi might plainly be -seen, and behind it, like a vapour floating on the sea, the isles of -Filicudi and Salina. The other window overlooked a beautiful park, -filled with orange trees and pomegranates; on the right, might be seen -Mount Pellegrino from its base to its very summit, and on the left the -view extended as far as Montreal. - -The beautiful Countess Gemma, of Castel Nuovo, had remained for some -time at this window, her eyes fixed on the ancient residence of the -Norman kings, and seeking in every carriage as it came towards Palermo -for the equipage of the viceroy. But at length the darkness of the -evening increased, and distant objects becoming indistinct, she entered -her chamber and rang for her maid, and, fatigued as she had been by the -emotions of the day, she retired to rest. - -It was late before the prince was able to relieve himself from the -kind attentions of his host, and eleven o'clock struck by the cathedral -(built by William the Good) before the viceroy's carriage, drawn by four -splendid horses, departed at a gallop. Half an hour was sufficient to -enable him to reach Palermo, and in five minutes afterwards, he had -cleared the distance between the city and his villa. - -The prince hastily proceeded to Gemma's chamber, he attempted to enter -the door, but it was fastened on the inside: he then went to the secret -door that opened on the other side of the bed, close to the recess in -which Gemma reposed. Having opened it softly, that he might not awake -the charming sleeper, he stood a moment to gaze upon her in the sweet -and beautiful abandonment of repose. - -An elaborate lamp, suspended from the ceiling by three strings of -pearls, was the only light in the room, and its light was arranged in -such a manner as to prevent its dazzling the eyes of the sleeper. The -prince, therefore, leaned over the bed that he might see better. - -Gemma was lying with her chest almost entirely uncovered, and her boa, -rolled round her neck, contrasted beautifully by its dark colour with -the whiteness of her skin. - -The prince for an instant gazed on the enchanting statue, but its want -of animation soon astonished him; he drew closer, and perceived that a -strange paleness overspread her features. He bent his ear over her, but -could not hear her respiration; he seized her hand, it was cold. Then he -placed his arm beneath the form he loved so well, that he might warm it -by pressing it to his breast; but he suddenly allowed it again to fall, -and uttered a cry of anguish and horror. Gemma's head had fallen from -her shoulders and rolled upon the carpet. - -The next morning the yataghan of Ali was found beneath the window! - -THE END. - - - - - - - - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Sicilian Bandit, by Alexandre Dumas, pere - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SICILIAN BANDIT *** - -***** This file should be named 41224.txt or 41224.zip ***** This -and all associated files of various formats will be found in: http://www.gutenberg.org/4/1/2/2/41224/ - -Produced by David Widger - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will be -renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission -and without paying copyright royalties. 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