Silvia, Clelia, and Jack, had passed several days very pleasantly in the
Castle of Lucullus, as the guests of Orazio and Irene.
Among Orazio's band were several well-connected men, whose friends in
the city, unknown to the Government, sent them regularly sums of money,
which enabled them to supply the table of their chief. The gallantry of
the young Romans to the "Pearl of Trastavere" was profound. Clelia would
have been more glad to have had her Attilio at her side; and Silvia,
the gentle Silvia, sighed when she remembered the uncertain fate of her
Manlio; but the two ladies were nevertheless well pleased. As for Jack,
he was the happiest being on earth, for Orazio had presented him with
one of the carbines taken from the brigands who had assaulted Manlio
and his party; and it was inseparable from him in all his hunting and
reconnoitring excursions in the woods.
One day Orazio took the sailor with him to seek a stag, and directed
Jack to beat, whilst he placed himself in ambush. Their arrangements
were so effective, that, in less than half an hour, a hart crossed
Orazio's path. He fired, and wounded him, but not mortally; he therefore
fired a second time, and, with a cry, the noble animal fell.
As he discharged his second shot, Orazio heard a rustling in the
bushes near him. Listening for a second, he was convinced some one was
approaching from the thickest part of the cover. Jack it could not be;
he was too far off to have returned so quickly.
A suspicion that he was to be the object of an attack caused him to
curse involuntarily as he looked at the empty barrels of his carbine. He
was not mistaken; for, hardly had he placed the butt-end of his gun upon
the ground in order to reload it, than a head, more like that of some
wild creature than a human being, was thrust from between the bushes.
To the valorous fear is a stranger, and our Roman, who was truly
brave, sprang forward, dagger in hand, to confront the apparition,
who, however, exclaimed, "Hold!" in such a tone of authority and
_sang-froid_, that Orazio fell back astonished, and paused.
The stranger was armed from head to foot, and had, as we have said, a
striking appearance. His head, covered with a tangled mass of hair,
white as snow, was surmounted by a Calabrian hat; his beard was
grizzled, and as bristly as the chine of a wild boar, concealing almost
the whole of his face, out of which, nevertheless, glared two fiery
eyes. Held erect and placed upon magnificent shoulders, years had not
bowed nor persecution subjugated that daring neck. His broad chest
was covered by a dark velvet vest; around his waist was buckled the
inseparable cartridge-box. A velvet coat, and leather gaiters buttoned
at the knee, completed his costume.
"I am not your enemy, Orazio," said Gasparo--for it was he--"but am come
to warn you of an approaching danger, which might prove your ruin, and
that of your friends."
"That you are not my enemy, I am assured," replied Orazio; "for you
might, had you chosen, have killed me before I found a chance of
defending myself. I know well that Gasparo can handle a gun skillfully."
"Yes," answered the bandit, "there was a time when I needed not to fire
many second shots at deer or wild boar, but now my eyes are beginning
to fail me; yet I shall not be behind my companions when the time for
attacking the common enemy arrives. But let us talk a while, for I have
important news to communicate to you."
Seating himself upon the trunk of a fallen tree, Gasparo related to
Orazio the projects of the Papal court, aided by Prince T------ at the
head of his regiment; and how he himself had been sent for, from
confinement, to assist the Prince in discovering the retreat of the
"Liberals;" also how, burning to be revenged upon the priestly
Government, he had effected his escape, and now offered his services,
and those of his adherents, to Orazio, on the simple condition of being
accepted among the "Liberals" as one of their band.
"But, Gasparo, you have so many serious crimes to answer for, if the
reports about you be true, that we could not possibly admit you into our
company," observed Orazio.
"Crimes!" repeated the friendly brigand; "I own no crimes but those of
having purged society from some bloody and powerful villains and their
wicked agents. Is that a crime? and is it a crime to have helped the
needy and the oppressed? or do you believe that, if I had been a mere
paltry criminal, the Government would have been in such awe of me, or
that I should have been so beloved by the populace? The Government
fears me because I have no sin upon my soul but resentment against
its wickedness, and because it is conscious of having betrayed me in a
cowardly and deceitful manner, and that, when I return once more to my
free life, I shall make it pay dearly for its deceit and treachery.
"Yes, I have sometimes," he continued, after a pause, "made use of my
carbine as an instrument of justice, in accordance with the laws
of humanity, of righteousness. Can the priests say as much of their
accursed scaffold?"
Jack arriving at this moment, Orazio explained by signs that the
stranger was friendly; and, after making preparations to carry off the
game, they returned with Gasparo to the castle, to equip themselves
against the approaching assault.