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moment, perhaps, another suffering under the pangs of dissolution. Could my heart be joyful? Ah, no; for sorrow sat on one hand and menaced the approach of pleasure! Besides, could I expect to find my mother well, or even alive? Might not the ill-treatment she had suffered, her separation from me, have subdued that fortitude which conscious innocence had first inspired her with? The suggestion was no less natural than probable. My heart sickened, and I threw myself back in the coach in despair. Suddenly the ruggedness of the path aroused me by exciting the fear of danger; and on looking out, I perceived that we were passing beneath huge masses of rock which seemed suspended over our heads for our destruction only! �Marcus,� said I, calling to him in the voice of fear, �how frightful are those precipices! Are we still far from the end of our journey?�

" �Oh yes, ma�amselle, for after we have descended into the valley have a vast forest to traverse; but be of good courage, for I hope no ill will betide us. To be sure there is a very great storm coming on in the west, but perhaps it won�t reach us, and if it does, we can get shelter when we reach the forest.�

"He cracked his whip and drove on; and I, having now no cheerful objects before me, relapsed into my melancholy musings. The predictions of Marcus were shortly after verified. We were overtaken by a storm, the violence of which seemed to leave us no hope of escaping from its fury. Marcus put his horses to their best speed, and we soon entered the forest.

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The sun was declining, and the verdure of the path showed how little it was frequented. We were soon concealed within the shady recesses, and the gloom increased every moment. Night came; and the storm grew more violent than ever. Thick black clouds were driven across the sky, and the hoarse wind rushed among the trees of the forest, and bent their stately heads. The moon, then just past her full, arose in sullen majesty, but dark clouds immediately obscured her splendour, and impenetrable darkness seemed to cover the face of the earth. Thunder at length burst over our heads, and vivid flashes of lightning gave an appalling contrast to the pitchy clouds which emitted them. No shelter was near, and the intricacies of the forest, the roots and stumps of trees in our way, and frequently their branches, crossing the road, prevented Marcus from making any great progress on his way.

"At length the tempest burst over out heads with so much violence that the horses, affrighted by it, no longer regarded the reins, but set off with their utmost speed. The extreme caution with which Marcus had proceeded had as yet removed from me the idea of being overturned, but now I believed it impossible to escape a disaster of that sort, and my terror became excessive. I called to Marcus, and besought him to slacken his pace, not suspecting that he had lost the government of his horses; but my voice was lost amidst the rude gusts of wind which swept amongst the trees. At length I resigned myself to my fate, and threw myself back in the carriage. It is a miracle that I am here to tell it. All the skill of Marcus to stop the horses was vain. The vivid lightning dazzled his sight, yet he contrived to keep them in the right path; and at length the sagacious animals stopped of their own accord at a huge tree, which had been blown down by the irresistible force of the wind, and now lay across the road. Our progress was now completely arrested, and that at a moment when we had given ourselves up to inevitable destruction. We had now more than ever occasion for shelter, as the rain began to descend in torrents. Heaven and earth appeared in flames; and the thunder seemed to shake the very ground we stood on. Scarcely could I preserve myself dry, though sheltered by the carriage; but Marcus and the horses were entirely exposed, and the poor fellow declared, that notwithstanding the late ill behaviour of those creatures, he was more concerned for their sufferings than for his own. Our distress, however, was not yet at its height, for my servant declared that he heard the sound of voices at a distance. I listened attentively, and between the pauses of the wind and the cessation of the thunder, plainly distinguished them advancing towards us. My heart sunk within me. �Are we in reach of human habitations,� said I, �or have we to dread the approach of banditti?�

" �Ah, no, ma�amselle! There are not any houses near, the worse luck, for us; and who would be travelling through this forest at this time of the night, and in such weather, but robbers?� As he ended this speech he began to cross himself, and repeat his ave-marias.

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"Something was necessary to be done to avoid these banditti, if such they were, as the voices continued, and became louder and louder as they approached more near. To remain where we were was to yield ourselves up tamely to destruction; and to return afforded us little hope of escape, as those on horseback could doubtless travel faster than we could. The thickets on either side, as far as I could judge, were impervious, yet in concealment was my only hope of safety. I besought Marcus to search if there was no opening on either side, through which he could lead the horses. �Heaven send they be not spectres,� replied he, �for, if so, they will discover us, go where we will.� He nevertheless obeyed, and beating down the briars and bushes, drew the horses and carriage through the opening he had made for their admission. We had scarcely got many yards from the road, when a number of rude voices, speaking a jargon I did not understand, convinced us that a moment later and we had been lost. The loud trampling of the horses bespoke their numbers, but their progress was stopped as ours had been, by the fallen tree. Their execrations at this impediment were horrid, and showed what sort of wretches they actually were. A short consultation took place among them, and at last one of them, in the German language, and in a tone of command, directed the others to dismount��for,� added he �we will rest amidst the shelter these branches afford, till the dawn of day enables us to pursue our track, and in the meantime we will light a fire, and see what provisions our last plunder will afford us.� At these words all my hopes of concealment died away. The certainty of our being surrounded by banditti was ascertained; and the avowal of their design rendered our escape impossible!"

CHAPTER X.

"ONE of the banditti said something in a language which was to me perfectly unintelligible," continued Caroline.

" �You are right,� replied, in good German, the man who first spoke. �It is Murgas� turn to look to the horses and baggage, and Silvestus� to guard the prisoners. There is no danger, but I deem him a bad general who does not provide against a surprise. But let us hasten to kindle the fire, and dry and refresh ourselves; for this is a night in which the dead alone should sleep, and the damned travel.�

"How shall I describe the consternation I felt, the horror I was seized with at this discourse, and when I found they were resolved to alight at that place, and perhaps might finally fix on the very spot to which I had retreated.

"A little time, however, alleviated my distress in some measure, for I

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observed torches lighted, and a fire made in despite of the rain, which still continued with violence, on the opposite side of the road. The men, to the number of fifteen or more, all crowded round it, except two, one of whom was employed in passing a rope through the bridles of the horses, by which he secured them, whilst the other stood guard over two persons who had their hands tied behind them. The same fire which gave me an opportunity of discovering the banditti, prevented our being seen by them; for, blinded by the glare of their own lights, all beyond appeared impenetrable darkness: consequently I contemplated them in security as long as we made no noise; and happily for us the thunder, wind, and rain, before so much our dread, proved our best friends, in assisting to drown that which was made by our horses.

"Indeed, riot and discord soon prevailed�the effects of a flask, to which they often applied. They appeared to be of different countries, making up many, and, to me, strange languages; and sometimes speaking together. Yet, although the habit and manners of each man differed from his neighbour, on the features of all triumphantly sat that distinguishing mark by which you know a villain.

"The violence of the tempest at length subsided. They spread their provisions on the ground, and for a time ceased talking, that they might eat. But the Almighty still protected the creature who supplicated for his mercy. Though the thunder, lightning, and rain had ceased, had not his providence still permitted those clouds to remain which obscured the splendour of the moon, our ruin would have been inevitable!

"When they had nearly satisfied themselves, one of them said, in a barbarous Sclavonian dialect, which I could in part understand�

" �I know an Armenian merchant in Buda who would have given five hundred�nay, a thousand ducats for that lady our captain has let through our fingers with so much ease.�

" �I freely own,� replied the same German I had before heard speak, and who seemed to have the command, �that she was a delicate lady; and if we could have got her within the Bassa�s territories, her sale would have produced a pretty sum; but as it is she would only be a burden to us, and not only would have retarded our retreat, but might have been the means of our being taken; as with her, we could not have travelled as we do now.�

" �That may be true enough,� replied the other, � but as she was so lucky as to escape with her freedom, she should, by my will, have paid a price for it.�

" �Pshaw! Bandonin! a man of true courage respects the defenceless and weak. Though by our profession we are bound to ease people of their purses, there is no occasion to use them with cruelty. Since we gave her her liberty, was it not better to be generous?"

" ��Tis enough to make a man rave,� said the first, �to hear a robber

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talk of generosity; but you would have us believe you are a man of nice punctilio.�

" �At least,� replied the German, �I am not capable of injuring an unprotected female.�

" �O, ho!� said Bandonin, �I never miss an opportunity, for my part, with the dear creatures; and as an instance, I�ll tell you what I did once. I had been on an expedition over the sea to the Asiatic shore with a considerable party. We met with good success, and got valuable booty; but at last a body of men being raised to apprehend us, we concluded to disperse, and every one to shift for himself. I made my way, with two carabines loaded with slugs for my defence, to the water side, where, finding a small boat I could manage, I hesitated not a moment about crossing to Constantinople. It was a fine summer evening when I set of, the moon about an hour high, and I rowed along with great glee, comforting myself with the ducats in my pocket, and wishing to increase my store. An opportunity soon presented itself. I perceived a small gondola approaching me, rowed by only two slaves. It had a canopy, under which sat a beautiful young lady, richly habited, for she had laid aside her veil, I suppose to enjoy the cool breezes of the evening. I was not long in resolving what to do; but taking up one of my carabines, that I before told you was loaded with slugs, I fired at the oar-men. One of them dropped, and the other was wounded. Perceiving my work was not completed, I prepared to discharge my other piece, but he, aware of my design, prevented it by jumping overboard. The lady shrieked, and fainted away, while I boarded the gondola. As she was insensible, I thought much ceremony unnecessary: I, therefore, despoiled her of her money and jewels, and perhaps what she valued more, and then, to crown all, and prevent the possibility of a discovery, I cut her throat, and threw her into the Bosphorus. There was an exploit for you, comrades!�

"But this wicked wretch did not meet with all the applause he expected, for many of the robbers expressed their astonishment, and particularly those clad in Turkish dresses; and indeed, as I thought, not only their disapprobation but their abhorrence. At length the German (I call him so, because he was the only one who spoke that language with purity) said�

" �Bandonin, the story you have just related confirms the opinion I have for some time entertained of you, and that is, that your desire of attack is always great in proportion as you expect little resistance. What a barbarous and bloody deed is the one you have just confessed! Beneath a brave man, as it was attended with no danger in the commission. It is an exploit, as you call it, which tarnishes the glory of every truly courageous action you have ever performed, if indeed you ever performed any.�

" �What a preacher of a fellow have we got here for a captain,� said Bandonin. �I think you would have done better to have solicited for the superiority of a convent, than for that of a troop like ours: but there is one caution I would give you�there are times in which you have insinuated

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doubts of my courage; do not do so again, lest I give you proofs of it which may be fatal.�

" �There is to me no terror in your threats, Bandonin. I always regard an action in proportion as it is attended with danger; and think victory over an unresisting foe disgraceful. Listen to a performance of mine.�

"The good opinion I began to entertain of this man was now changed. He went on thus: �There lived in the neighbouring kingdom of Bohemia, an old nobleman, whose name I will not mention, nor indeed, those of any of the parties concerned, except one, and his I wont conceal, because all of our company hate him, and one or two have sworn his destruction. I mean Count Durlack.�But I am not come to him yet. Well, this old nobleman was a fine venerable person, and possessed of considerable estates. He had only one son, and a nephew, whom he brought up together. The nephew was an orphan, but on that account, experienced more affection from his excellent uncle, who treated him in every respect as his own son, giving them both the same education, for which purpose he maintained tutors in the castle; but, he could not help observing the difference in the inclinations of the two youths; the son being adorned with every virtue, while the nephew abandoned himself to almost every vice, and his fondness increased for the former, as he witnessed this disparity between them. Their talents were also unequal. Those of the son, at the same time solid and luminous,�those of his companion, dull and superficial. The young lord, as he grew up, manifested a disposition to travel, and his father, willing to further any plan for his improvement in the study of men and manners, consented. He accordingly set out, with attendants suitable to his rank, and shortly after arrived at Paris, that gay emporium where the arts and sciences flourish, and which may truly be called the head quarters of learning and politeness. A circumstance happened here, which prevented his further travels. This was no less than his falling in love, and, as the devil would have it, with a young woman who had not a crown to keep his worship out of her pocket. Well, the young baron thought nothing of this, but wrote an account of the affair to his father, nothing doubting his consent. He reckoned without his host. The old man, more sensible of the value of money, on finding the girl had no portion, absolutely refused his permission, and commanded his son, as he valued his blessing, or favour, immediately to break off the connexion, and depart from Paris.

" �His order arrived too late. His son had in the meantime entered into engagements; which, as a man of honour, he could not break; for, trusting to the clemency and tenderness of his father, he had married.

" �He had soon cause to repent.�His finances became exhausted, and he had the wretchedness to find himself in a strange country, where you may have a bow for nothing, it requires l�argent to procure even soupe maigre and sallad. He had, I say, the misery of finding himself in such a country, not only destitute himself, but suffering also, with one whom he

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had involved in his distresses; yet did he find consolation in that one, whose graces poverty itself could not conceal, and who deserved the adoration of her doating husband, by the magnanimity of her conduct. They suffered not the old baron to remain ignorant of their situation; but so far was he from rendering them any present assistance, that he disinherited his son, and made a will in favour of his nephew.

" �I have already given you the character of this person. He now, instead of endeavouring to remove the displeasure under which his cousin laboured, was continually exciting it, and that with so much sedulity, that he over-shot the mark, and disgusted his uncle by displaying a disposition so illiberal and selfish. The old baron became offended also at his petulence and presumption, which, now he thought himself sure of his uncle�s possessions, he took no pains to conceal, but, arrogantly commanding the domestics, and oppressing the tenants and peasantry, assumed, as it were, already, the command of the whole domains.

" �The affections of the baron, receding from his nephew, naturally returned to their proper channel, and the current was, perhaps, more strong than if they had never strayed. Information also arriving that his daughter-in-law was put to bed of twin sons, and the sweet idea of seeing his race renewed, completed the triumph of nature. He no longer hesitated, but writing a letter of forgiveness to his son, in which he enclosed a sum of money, desired him, as soon as his wife was able to travel, to return to the castle.

" �He concealed not his intentions; and it was now I was called upon to play my part. The nephew, provoked thus to see the inheritance slipping out of his hands, at the time he had thought himself so sure of it, resolved to assassinate his cousin and his family, on their way home. For this purpose, he applied to Count Durlack, with whom he had formed a strict intimacy, I believe, at Vienna, and begged his assistance. I lived with the count at that time, and had been serviceable to him in many ways. I had fought for him, I had�in short, I was his factotum; so that, depending upon my fidelity, he made no scruple of lending me to his friend. I was sent off at an hour�s notice to the neighbourhood of the castle, where, on my arrival, I was associated with two men, domestics of the baron, but who had been, by large rewards, seduced from their allegiance by his nephew.

" �Two days before our victims were expected, we stationed ourselves in a forest through which they must necessarily pass. Soon after noon we observed a carriage approach, and my companions assured me from the dress of the attendants that they were the persons we looked for. Of these attendants, there were no less than six, well armed with pistols and broad swords, which unexpected sight seemed to strike my comrades with fear; and they declared it would be madness to attack such superior numbers so prepared for defence. By this time they were come up and perceived us and although we were but three, would, I believe, have willingly allowed

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us to retreat, but of that I had no idea; for calling on my comrades to follow, I advanced towards them. They stopped to receive us while the carriage drove on at an increased pace, and presenting their pistols bade us keep off. I made no other answer than by my carbine, with which I had the luck to fetch one of them down. My comrades all fired, but with less success, and were besides unfortunate in being both wounded by a general discharge of our adversaries from their pistols. At the same time they galloped fiercely towards us with a view of closing in. One fellow in particular, attacked me very furiously, and so suddenly that I had not time to draw my sword, which was somehow fastened in my scabbard; I received from him a violent wound in my left shoulder which made me reel; he was going to repeat the blow which would have finished me, when I recollected my pistols, for we were completely armed; and whilst his arm was lifted up I shot him through the body; he fell from his horse, which dragged him some distance. The numbers now were four to three but the difference in strength was still great as the three were all wounded, while the four were sound men. I could perceive my comrades each engaged in single combat, while the remaining two of our antagonists attacked me, judging me, I suppose, the most dangerous, as I had done the most mischief. I observed that they were indifferently and unequally mounted. The case was otherwise with me. The moment was critical, and I pretended to fly: they pursued, and observing that I gained ground of them, they impolitically discharged after me their remaining pistols. This was what I wanted, I too had a pistol left; I wheeled suddenly round, fired it at the first, and it did its duty. The victory over his fellow was easy; for he made but a feeble defence. I could still see my companions engaged; indeed, in so short a time had I slain those who attacked me, that they had hardly an opportunity of deciding matters. I galloped to their assistance, but the moment our foes saw me advancing, they clapped spurs to their horses and fled.

" �We had no intention of pursuing them, for setting aside our wounds, which were ugly, though not dangerous, the carriage had proceeded a considerable distance; and as yet we had only fought the dragons who guarded the prey. In less than a quarter of an hour we were near it, but before we commenced the attack, a gentleman threw himself out of it,

armed with a blunderbuss, sword, and pistols. He called to the coachman on the box, but that wretch jumping down, instead of rendering him any assistance, ran to conceal himself in the forest. He then fired his blunderbuss at me, I fortunately escaped, but my horse was killed under me. We all three then presented our carbines, for we had re-loaded them whilst we were following the coach, and Rol� (I had almost mentioned names) going forward, told him that he must be sensible from the inequality of numbers, and the nature of the arms we held in our hands, that resistance was vain, and the wisest way would be to submit.�

" �Promise then,� said the young baron, for it was he, �that you will spare our lives, and take freely every thing we have.�