"Away--three cheers--on we go."
The morning was delightful; neither Corregio, nor Claude, with all their
magic of conception could have made it lovelier. The heaven expanded like
an azure sea--and the dimpling clouds of gold were its Elysian isles--not
unlike the splendid images we are apt to admire in the poems of _Petrarch_
and _Alamanni_. The music of the birds kept time to the sound of the
postilions' whips--the streams sung a fairy legend, and the merry woods,
touched with the brilliant glow of an Italian sun, breathed into the air
a delicious sonata. Such a morning as this was formed for something
memorable! The Grand Diavolo and his bravest ruffians awaited the
travellers' approach.
The carriage had pursued the direction of the path at a speed unequalled
in the annals of the postilions; but the termination of the dell did not
appear. Huge impending cliffs with their crown of trees imparted a shadowy
depth to the solitude, which the travellers did not seem to relish.
"How cursed inconvenient is this dell with its frightful woods," said the
baronet to his smiling daughter, "one might as well be sequestered in
Dante's Inferno. Look at those awful rocks--my mind misgives me as I view
them. Sure there are no brigands concealed hereabout!"
"Hope not, Pa'," replied the graceful Rosalia; but the last word had
scarcely died on her lips, ere a discharge of shot was heard. The baronet
opened his carriage door, and leaped on the ground.
"Hollo! John, Tom, pistols here, my lads, a pretty rencontre this! Stand
by Rosalia, my own self and purse I don't value a grout, but stand the
brunt, lads; here they come--oh, that I had met them at Waterloo!"
This attack perplexed the thoughts of the poor baronet. He regarded it as
a romance in which he was to become the hero. But his present situation
did not allow him the fascination of a dream. The brigands advanced from
their concealment, and their chief, who seemed a most pleasant and polite
scoundrel, commanded his men to inspect the luggage of the travellers.
"Humph! and is that all?" growled the baronet.
"I want a thousand crowns," said the chief, in a gentle tone, "you may
then proceed."
"Humph! and won't five hundred do?"
"I insist!" returned the brigand, placing his hand on his sword!
This menace was enough. It produced an awful consternation in the
countenance of the Englishman. He, dear man, felt his heart quake within
him, as he paid the brigand his enormous demand. But a second trial was
reserved for him--he turned to his carriage--his daughter was not there!
where could she be? He heard a laugh, and on raising his head, saw the
identical object of his care! She waved her delicate white handkerchief
from the steeps above, while an Italian officer stood beside her laughing
with all his might. The suspicions of the father were realized. He was the
tall intriguing scamp who had charmed the eyes of Rosalia at the inn!
Away ran the sire, but the guilty pair seemed to fly with the wings of
love attached to their heels; up the steep he clambered, scaring all the
birds from their solitudes; still the lovers kept on before; they passed
the bridge of Laino; the infuriated sire pursued; spire, tree, castle,
church, stream; and in short the most beautiful features of the landscape
appeared in the chase, but the fugitives did not stop to survey them. Away
they pressed down the sunny slope, through the glen, along the margin of
the Casparanna, swifter to the eye of the agonized parent than Jehu's
chariot-wheels. Now they flag--they sit down amid the ruins of yonder old
chapel--he will reach them now; alas! how vain are the calculations of
man! In leaping across the Cathanna Mare, he received a shot in his arm;
the cursed Italian had fired at him, and he fell, like a wounded bird into
the stream!
* * * * *
"Dear pa', how you kick one!" exclaimed the beauteous little daughter of
the Englishman; "surely you have had a troublesome dream." "Dream! let me
see," said the baronet, rubbing his eyes; "then I'm not drowned, and we
are again at Albano, are we, and this is our merry host, and thank God,
Rosalia, you are safe, and I must kiss you, my sweet girl." This was a
pleasant scene!