ofhospitality; nor was it likely that such proceeding would have passed byunnoticed in some disagreeable manner by the stranger's friends.
One day, at noon, as Marco was working in his fields, and had just beenjoined by Chiarina, who came to tell him that his dinner was ready, theysaw in the distance a cloud of dust, out of which shortly emerged atroop of dragoons. Chiarina remarked her father's agitation as hehurried towards the house. Their guest, on hearing who was approaching,instantly retired to his room, telling Marco to say, if any inquirieswere made, that there was a sick man up-stairs with an infectious fever."Invite the officer to come in and prescribe for me," he added,laughing.
The body of cavalry halted under the house, but only an officerdismounted and came up the hill. He entered the house, and askingcarelessly for a jug of wine, inquired of Marco whether he had beenannoyed by the brigands.
"Ah, signore! I am, happily, too small game for them to fly at," heanswered; "yet I love them not, nor wish to have any dealings withthem."
The officer looked satisfied, and Marco hoped that he would ask nofurther questions.
"Have you other inmates besides yourself and daughter?" asked theofficer.
"Assuredly, yes--a sick man up-stairs, who has been earnestly beggingthat any gentleman who has a knowledge of the healing art, passing thisway, would come and see him," answered Marco, with all the calmness hecould command. "His fever, he says, may be infectious; and, at allevents, I wish to have as little to do with him as possible. Perhaps,if you have a surgeon with your troop, you could send him up; or, if youhave any skill, signore, you would see him."
"I! My skill is to kill, not to cure," said the officer, laughing athis own wit, and completely deceived.
It was with no small satisfaction that Marco saw him again moving on atthe head of his men.
The stranger soon after appeared.
"I owe you a good turn, Marco Maffei," he said, with more cordialitythan he generally exhibited. "The day may come when I can repay it. Ishall not much longer trouble you with my society."
Marco did not say what he thought--that the sooner he was gone thebetter.
Day after day, however, passed by, the guest employing his time inmaking love, as before, to Chiarina, to her evident annoyance, though atthis he seemed in no way disconcerted.
At length, one evening after dark, a loud knock was heard at the door,and, when Marco opened it, an unshorn countenance was thrust in.
"Come, signore, we have been watched, and shall have no littledifficulty in rejoining our comrades if there is any delay," said agruff voice from out of the hair-covered mouth. "You have been here toolong as it is."
The stranger, without demanding any explanation of the last remark,jumped up, shook Marco warmly by the hand, and, endeavouring to bestow akiss on Chiarina's cheek, which she narrowly escaped, disappearedthrough the doorway.
"A good riddance of bad rubbish!" thought Marco, as he mutteredsomething between a blessing and a curse between his teeth.
Chiarina was thankful that the stranger was gone, yet she was not happy;for 'Renzo had not been to the cottage for three days, and she could nottell what had become of him. She no longer concealed from herself thatshe loved him very dearly.
Story 11--CHAPTER FOUR.
'Renzo was one day on his way over the mountains to visit Chiarina, whenbefore him appeared the barrels of three or four rifles, and a voice inan authoritative tone ordered him to stop. As he knew that riflebullets were apt to travel faster than he could run, he obeyed, andpresently, found himself in the hands of a party of especiallysavage-looking bandits.
After proceeding for a couple of leagues or more, 'Renzo found himselfin a wild rugged part of the mountains, into which, though so near hishome, he had never penetrated. Here a large band of ragamuffins werecollected, all armed; to the teeth, some of them being peasants whom heknew by sight. He was welcomed by name as a future comrade.
"Your comrade, indeed! I will be the comrade only of honest men," heanswered boldly.
At this reply there was a laugh.
"We'll see what persuasions our brave chief, Giuseppe Greco, canemploy," exclaimed one of the band.
"He our chief? What do you mean, Oca? Our chief is Ninco Nanco, and noone else," cried another.
"Then he should show himself,--he may be dead, or captured, for what weknow," said a third.
"We want a clever leader, like Greco, who can at will increase thenumber of the band, and lay the whole country under contribution."
"Who will bring traitors among us, and make enemies on every side,"muttered an old brigand, who had followed the craft from his earliestdays.
From all he heard 'Renzo knew that there was a division in the camp ofthe brigands, and soon ascertained that Greco was plotting to depose hisabsent chief. This was satisfactory, as he hoped it might be the meansof breaking up the confederacy. It did not make him the less anxious toeffect his escape. In vain he watched for an opportunity all night.
The next day the band moved some leagues farther to the east. He foundhimself strictly guarded, but not otherwise ill-treated; while hiscompanions used every means to impress him with the pleasures andadvantages of the life they led.
"I confess I do not perceive them," he answered. "You have to live upin the mountains; often like wild beasts, hunted from spot to spot.Your fare is coarse, and often scanty. Every day you run a chance ofbeing shot. If taken, you will be hung, or sent to the galleys forlife; and, without scruple, you kill your fellow-creatures, if theyattempt to defend their property."
"Make the fellow hold his tongue," cried a voice near them; it was thatof Greco, who had approached unperceived. "We must induce you to changeyour mind, friend 'Renzo," he remarked. "I want a sturdy fellow likeyou as a lieutenant."
Greco was doing his utmost to increase the number of the band, hopingthus to overpower the adherents of Ninco Nanco. Small parties wereconstantly sent out, therefore, who returned either with prisoners, orrecruits as they were called, or some booty and provisions. What waspoor 'Renzo's grief and horror when, one day, he saw Marco Maffei, thefather of his dear Chiarina, brought in a prisoner, mounted on his mule!He looked pale and alarmed. Greco seemed highly satisfied at seeinghim.
"Ah! ah!" he exclaimed, "you refused me your daughter in honourablemarriage three years ago. I have waited ever since then to be revengedon you, and now I have the opportunity."
The band was at this time collected in a hollow, with rocks and treesaround, effectually concealing its members from the world beyond. Theonly approach was by the pathway up which Marco had been led.
"Now, friend 'Renzo, the moment has arrived to decide whether you willbecome one of us!" exclaimed Greco, in a harsh tone. "I want yonder oldman put out of the world--to you I award the task."
'Renzo's heart sank within him. He resolved, however, to make everyeffort to save the life of his old friend. He pleaded and argued. Hemight as well have talked to the surrounding rocks.
"Give him a rifle," at length exclaimed Greco, losing patience. "Seethat you use it as I direct."
'Renzo took the weapon, and ascertained that it was loaded properly.The old man had been allowed to sit on his mule. 'Renzo approached him.
"Friend, forgive me for the deed I am compelled to commit," he saidaloud; then he hurriedly whispered, "I will draw off the attention ofthe villains, and, as I do so, dash down the mountain. Your beast istrusty, and will not fall."
Once more he retired nearer to Greco, and again pleaded earnestly forthe old man's life.
"Fire!" cried Greco, stamping on the ground.
"Ay, I will!" exclaimed 'Renzo, swinging himself round so as to coverthe would-be chief of the band.
At that moment a report from another quarter was beard--a bulletwhistled through the air, and Greco fell, shot through the head.
"Fly, father, fly!" cried 'Renzo, springing towards Marco, and urging onhis mule.
The unexpected appearance of Ninco Nanco himself, who leaped
down fromthe rocks among them with three well-armed followers, drew off theattention of the brigands from 'Renzo's proceedings. Those who hadopenly sided with Greco grasped their weapons, expecting to have tofight for their lives.
"Nonsense! No fighting among friends," said Ninco Nanco. "I heard ofall that fellow was doing, and have settled scores with him prettysharply. In future you'll all follow my orders."
Loud vivas greeted this address, and it was not for some minutes thatthe brigands discovered that their prisoners had fled. Some proposedfollowing them.
"No, no! To the old man I owe a debt; it were an ill way of paying itif I slew him," exclaimed Ninco Nanco. "Though I love not the other, Ican afford to be generous, and so