CHAPTER XXXII. THE SURPRISE
Silvia, Clelia, and Jack, had passed several days very pleasantly in theCastle of Lucullus, as the guests of Orazio and Irene.
Among Orazio's band were several well-connected men, whose friends inthe city, unknown to the Government, sent them regularly sums of money,which enabled them to supply the table of their chief. The gallantry ofthe young Romans to the "Pearl of Trastavere" was profound. Clelia wouldhave been more glad to have had her Attilio at her side; and Silvia,the gentle Silvia, sighed when she remembered the uncertain fate of herManlio; but the two ladies were nevertheless well pleased. As for Jack,he was the happiest being on earth, for Orazio had presented him withone of the carbines taken from the brigands who had assaulted Manlioand his party; and it was inseparable from him in all his hunting andreconnoitring excursions in the woods.
One day Orazio took the sailor with him to seek a stag, and directedJack to beat, whilst he placed himself in ambush. Their arrangementswere so effective, that, in less than half an hour, a hart crossedOrazio's path. He fired, and wounded him, but not mortally; he thereforefired a second time, and, with a cry, the noble animal fell.
As he discharged his second shot, Orazio heard a rustling in thebushes near him. Listening for a second, he was convinced some one wasapproaching 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 tocurse involuntarily as he looked at the empty barrels of his carbine. Hewas not mistaken; for, hardly had he placed the butt-end of his gun uponthe ground in order to reload it, than a head, more like that of somewild creature than a human being, was thrust from between the bushes.
To the valorous fear is a stranger, and our Roman, who was trulybrave, 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, astriking appearance. His head, covered with a tangled mass of hair,white as snow, was surmounted by a Calabrian hat; his beard wasgrizzled, and as bristly as the chine of a wild boar, concealing almostthe whole of his face, out of which, nevertheless, glared two fieryeyes. Held erect and placed upon magnificent shoulders, years had notbowed nor persecution subjugated that daring neck. His broad chestwas covered by a dark velvet vest; around his waist was buckled theinseparable cartridge-box. A velvet coat, and leather gaiters buttonedat the knee, completed his costume.
"I am not your enemy, Orazio," said Gasparo--for it was he--"but am cometo warn you of an approaching danger, which might prove your ruin, andthat of your friends."
"That you are not my enemy, I am assured," replied Orazio; "for youmight, had you chosen, have killed me before I found a chance ofdefending myself. I know well that Gasparo can handle a gun skillfully."
"Yes," answered the bandit, "there was a time when I needed not to firemany second shots at deer or wild boar, but now my eyes are beginningto fail me; yet I shall not be behind my companions when the time forattacking the common enemy arrives. But let us talk a while, for I haveimportant news to communicate to you."
Seating himself upon the trunk of a fallen tree, Gasparo related toOrazio the projects of the Papal court, aided by Prince T------ at thehead of his regiment; and how he himself had been sent for, fromconfinement, to assist the Prince in discovering the retreat of the"Liberals;" also how, burning to be revenged upon the priestlyGovernment, he had effected his escape, and now offered his services,and those of his adherents, to Orazio, on the simple condition of beingaccepted among the "Liberals" as one of their band.
"But, Gasparo, you have so many serious crimes to answer for, if thereports about you be true, that we could not possibly admit you into ourcompany," observed Orazio.
"Crimes!" repeated the friendly brigand; "I own no crimes but those ofhaving purged society from some bloody and powerful villains and theirwicked agents. Is that a crime? and is it a crime to have helped theneedy and the oppressed? or do you believe that, if I had been a merepaltry criminal, the Government would have been in such awe of me, orthat I should have been so beloved by the populace? The Governmentfears me because I have no sin upon my soul but resentment againstits wickedness, and because it is conscious of having betrayed me in acowardly and deceitful manner, and that, when I return once more to myfree life, I shall make it pay dearly for its deceit and treachery.
"Yes, I have sometimes," he continued, after a pause, "made use of mycarbine as an instrument of justice, in accordance with the lawsof humanity, of righteousness. Can the priests say as much of theiraccursed scaffold?"
Jack arriving at this moment, Orazio explained by signs that thestranger was friendly; and, after making preparations to carry off thegame, they returned with Gasparo to the castle, to equip themselvesagainst the approaching assault.