its former occupants, but by the band of
ruffians who had carried off the peerless Bandelora,
and who had made it their home, well
knowing that popular superstition would shield
them from all chance of intrusion. On the
evening to which we now refer, a wild orgie
was held by the marauders. At the head of a
table which groaned beneath the weight of
solid viands, and flagons filled with the
inebriating juice of the grape, sat the leader of the
lawless band, Ruggiero del Torrente, the terror
of the Alps, the Appenines, and occasionally
of the Pyrenees; while on each side were his
reckless followers, who, heated with the generous
liquor, shouted forth ribald jests, scarcely
intelligible save to those who respectively
uttered them, inasmuch as scarcely two of the
ruffians came from the same land, or spoke the
same tongue. At the further extremity of the
hall sat a lovely female, whose hands were bound
behind her, and who, with the fixedness of
despair, watched the proceedings of the revellers.
We need scarcely say that this was Bandelora.

"Hast thou reflected maturely on my
proposal, coy lady?" said the terrible captain, after
draining a vast golden goblet richly studded
with diamonds. He then repeated the question
in all the languages of his followers, that they
might understand his meaning, for he had
travelled in many lands, and was master of many
tongues.

"I have only," said Bandelora, " to repeat
my declaration of that hatred and contempt
which I have already expressed till my tongue
is weary. Sooner would I be the spouse of
the malefactor whose gibbeted remains scare
the mariners of the Adriatic than the bride of
Ruggiero del Torrente. In that case," she
added, with little scorn, " I should, at any rate,
be a widow."

This reply was translated into the various
languages by the captain, who, however, with the
craftiness incident to his nature, took care to
soften those expressions that might possibly have
humiliated him in the eyes of his band, and
perhaps have raised a laugh at his own expense.

"Night approacheth," he then proceeded,
"and no marvel, for the mode in which we are
compelled to converse causes small matter of
discussion to fill up much time. Let that
lamp, which suspended from the ceiling affordeth
as much light as our dark souls desire, be
kindled without delay." This done, he again
addressed the fair captive. "Mark that flickering
flame. Unless before it expires thou hast
given thy consent to be united to me by the
hermit of the Ruined Chapel, ay, and at
tomorrow's dawn, thine obstinacy shall be
punished with thy life."

The translation of this dreadful menace into
the required languages gave Bandelora time for
deliberation. When the polyglot speech was
ended, she mentally folded her arms—the
circumstance that her hands were tied behind her
prevented her from doing so bodily—and looking
full in the face of .Ruggiero, she said, in an
unshaken voice:

"Miserable ruffian! Were my hands at
liberty, I would instantly dash out the light
with the contents of yonder flagon. As this
is not the case, thou mayst, as the ignoble
vulgar say, take the will for the deed, and,
considering the lamp morally extinguished already,
execute thy foolish menace at once."

The captain was too much enraged to think
of translation now, so merely exclaiming, " I
take thee at thy rash word," he drew a pistol
from his girdle, and pointed it towards Bandelora.
The ruffians, rising from the table, retired
to the opposite side of the hall, and watched
the proceedings with fixed attention. Alas!
the hard hearts of these rugged men were
slightly moved by the sufferings of the lovely
captive, but they felt deeply interested in the
correctness of their captain's aim. As for
Bandelora, she stood unmoved, like one for
whom life has lost its every charm.

Ruggiero was, however, spared the commission
of another crime. Just as he was about
to fire, a missile flew into the hall through the
window fronting him with a fearful crash, and
extinguishing the lamp in its course, struck
him violently in the middle of the face, causing
him to fall backwards with a shriek of pain,
while the contents of his pistol, discharged as
he fell, were received in the bosom of the first
lieutenant, who expired on the spot. All were
enwrapped in the sable mantle of darkness.

The first impulse of Bandelora, when she had
recovered from the surprise occasioned by the
unexpected turn which affairs had taken—apt
symbol of human mutability!—was to attempt
flight. This appeared the more easy as the
band were engaged with the fallen captain and
the deceased lieutenant, their assistance to
whom was greatly impeded by the darkness,
so that in spite of their well-meant efforts their
energies were chiefly expended in jostling each
other. But as she advanced towards the door,
rendered unable to grope her way by the
inconvenient position of her hands, she accidentally
set her foot upon a small round body, which,
rolling beneath her, caused her to fall
backwards, knocking her head so sharply against
the table that she was well-nigh stunned. She
was, however, sufficiently sensible to appreciate
the kindness of a voice, which gently whispered
into her ear:

"Be not faint-hearted. Consent to accompany
Ruggiero to the Ruined Chapel, and
deliverance will be at hand. Astolto to the
rescue!"

Thus solaced, and favoured by the darkness,
Bandelora composed herself to sleep, as well as
her position would allow.

The strange events which we have just
recorded may be easily explained. Recovering
from his torpor when the sun had set, the
maniac, who had lain extended on the plain
near the abbey, had felt the skull by his side,
and, with that shrewdness which not
unfrequently accompanies insanity, conjectured that
this round object, revealed to his touch though
not to his sight, had caused his rapid descent