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He now rapped more loudly at the door with the handle of his heavy broadsword. "Ah! he comes!" muttered the bandit-chief, after another long pause. "Who knocks so late?" demanded a weak and tremulous voice from within. "I Stephano Verrina!" cried the brigand pompously: "open and fear not."
"Be that as you will, my lord," grumbled the bandit-chief. "And now let us depart for I have much to communicate to your lordship." "I am ready to accompany you," returned the marquis, putting on his plumed hat, and settling his cloak with his left hand. "One word, my lord," said Isaachar, in his habitual nervous and trembling tone.
General Broussier was especially exasperated at the last named, the valiant commander of Windisch-Matrey, and he had promised a reward of one thousand ducats to him who would arrest "that dangerous demagogue and bandit-chief, Anthony Aichberger-Wallner," and deliver him to the French authorities.
The bandit-chief and the young nobleman had now reached the boundary of the city; but instead of entering the streets, they turned abruptly to the right, Stephano acting as guide, and plunged into a thick grove of evergreens. "Here, my lord," said Stephano, stopping short, "you must consent to be blindfolded." "And wherefore?" demanded Manuel, indignantly.
Lomellino, this is the very lady of whom I spoke to you the other evening!" "What, the one who did the business so well in " "Yes, yes," cried Stephano hastily; "you know what I mean in Wagner's garden! But " Nisida had in the meantime drawn from her bosom one of the slips of paper before alluded to; and, handing it to the bandit-chief, she made a hasty and imperious motion for him to read it.
Giulia felt partially relieved by this assurance: and it was with ill-concealed delight that she acknowledged the ceremonial bow with which the bandit-chief intimated his readiness to depart. But at that moment three low and distinct knocks were heard at the little door behind the arras.
Upon awaking, he found himself all alone in the tent, but, before the entrance, heard several voices in conversation, which seemed to belong to the swarthy little man and the bandit-chief. He listened awhile, and to his horror heard the little man eagerly urging the other to slay the stranger, since, if he were let go, he could betray them all.
Gladly would he have checked the frantic orgies of cruelty, in which the robbers indulged on the capture of towns, and which formed the chief reason why no Italian city voluntarily made common cause with the insurgents; but the obedience which the bandit-chief found in the conflic ceased with the victory, and his representations and entreaties were in vain.
Never was an ancient and honorable profession so sadly under the weather everywhere. When it flares up into momentary life in Sicily or Attica the newspapers seize hold of the event, a reporter is promptly on the spot, and the bandit-chief is interviewed as coolly as though he had merely shot his wife, bought a legislature or effected a triumphant corner in mess pork.
"Her ladyship does not require them now!" exclaimed the bandit-chief, emphatically.
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