Show i 000Qoegcoo 1 IW Anther of H V Prisoner of Zcndn I I Copyright 1895 i > y Anthony Hope I CHAPTER I II I I HOW COUNT ANTONIO TOOK TO J THE HILLS i Countless arc the stories told of the i > 4Ldngs that Count Antonio spoke and j i or the deeds tWat lie did < when he dwelt 5 an outlaw in the hills for tales and i legends gather round his name 1311011 as the berries Jiang on n bush and I with the passing of every succeeding year it grows harder to discern where i truth lies and where the love of wonder I I won-der working together with the sway I of a great mans memory has wrought I the embroidery of its fancy on the i plain robe of fact Yet amid all that I is of uncertain knowledge and so I rust rest this much at least should fee known and remembered for thocl I I honor of a noble family how it fell I out that Count Antonio of a man thigh I lineage forsook the service of the I prince disdained th < i obligation of his rank St law at naught and did what I seemed indeed in Ms own eyes to tie none other than the work of a rebel and a brigand Yet although it is toy these names tihat men often speal ot hm they love his memory and I also i Ambrose the Franciscan having gathered gath-ered diligently all that I could come by in the archives of the city or frernd the lips of aged folk have learned to ove it in oome sort and thus am minded mind-ed to write before the time that it must carry < hu I know with me w thea rive the full and whole truth conning cc con-ning Antonios flight from the city aJd the court seeking in my heart as 1 write excuse for him and finding in t I record if little else yet a tale that rs must read in pride and sorrow I and if this 00 not too high a hope that princes may study for prcflt and for warning Now it was in the tenth year of the reign of Duke Valentine over the city I of Firmola its territories and dependent depend-ent towns that Count Antonio of Monte Velluto having with him a I youthful cousin of his whom he loved greatly and wthom toy reason of his small stature and > df a boyish gayety he had men called Toimnasiro came f frym his own house on the hill that fronts rlregrsan s lepT the city to the nalace of the duke with intent to ask his tfiigthnesss sanction for his mar uage with the Lady Lucia This lady then 17 years of age loved Antonio and the her and troth had been privily I plighted between them for many months Such was the strength and I power of the love that they bore the one to the other that even to this day the old mock at young lovers who show I themselves over fond by crying Tis Lucia and Antonio But since the Lady Lucia was an orphan Antonio came now to the duke mho enjoyed wardship over her and setting out hip passion and how that his estate was sufficient and his family such as the duke knew prayed leave of his highness high-ness to wed her But the duke a crafty and subtle prince knowing ntonios temper and the favor in w ich he was held toy the people oounted not to his argument his state end revenues < by the gift of a bride so richly dowered but chose rather < to rivo her to a favorite of his a man inhose devotion he could surely > I I I 4 I THE LADY LUCI lb lyuEt ni d whose disposition vas to i ttre his master in all things fair and fjul open and secret Such a one the luk found in the Lt > rd Robert d et Beaur gard a gentleman of Provence lrt had quitted his own country liav ig been drawn into some tumult Can C-an flaying taken service wRit t2ie duk had risen to a great place in his frem nnd confidence Therefore iv 1 en Antonio preferred his request the d kt with many a courteous regret LI pb as made Slim ware that the i33v stod promised to Robert by the f > Avocable sanctity of his princely pledge So forget I Pray you my cousin A AntonlX said 3ie forget as young men lightly can this desire of yours and it shallbe my charge to find you a bnde full as fair as the Lady Lucla But Antonios face went red from brow to chin as he answered My gracious lord I love the lady and she me and neither can wed another an-other As for my Lord Robert mir highness knows well that she loves him lot I A girls love smiled the uukc A grl s love It rains and slunfcs an i smnes and rain Antonio > It has shon on me since she knew c i I Ii ofl t Ill a man when She looked on him said r Antonio I And Tommasino who stood by reck I ing as little of the duke as of the dukes deenhound which he was Patting pat-ting the while broke in saying carelessly care-lessly And this Robert my lord is not the iman Tor a pretty girl to love He Is a sour fellow 1 I thank you for your counsel my Lord Tommasino smiled the duke I yet I love him Wfaereat Tommasino lifted his eyes and patted the hound again It is enough added the duke I 5iave promised Antonio It is enough Yes it is enough said Antonio and he and Tommasino having bowed low withdrew from the presence oC tthe duke But when fhe got clear outside out-side of the dukes cabinet Antonio laid his hand on Tommasinos shoulder s saying It is not well that Robert have her It is mighty ill said Tommasino And then they walked in silence toe th to-e city gate and I an silence still climbed the rugged hill where Antonio Anton-io s house stood But the duke sent for Robert de Beauregard into his chamber and said to him If yon be wise friend Robert little grass shall grow under youn feet this rade of your marriage This Antonio says not much but I have known him outrun Ms tongue with deeds If the lady were as eager as I the matter would not halt said > Robert with a laugh But she weeps and spits fire at me said cries for Antonio She will be cured after the ned ding said the duke But set that she be well guarded Robert Leb a company of your men watch her I have known the bride to be missing on a marriage day ere now If he can touch her he may wed her cried Robert The pikemen area close about her house and she can neither go in nor come out without heir < knowledge It is well said the duke l Yet de lay not They are stubborn men these counts of Monte Velluto Now had the Lady Lucia been of a spirit as stubborn as her lovers it may be that she would have refused towed I to-wed Robert de Beauregard But she was afraid When Antonio was with her she had clung to him and he loved L her the more for her timidity With him gone and forbidden to come near her she dare not resist the dukes will nor brave his displeasure so that a week before the day that the duke had appointed ap-pointed for the wedding shel went to Antonio bidding him abandon all hope that was vain and set him to forget a most unhappy lady I Robert shall not wed her said Antonio An-tonio putting the letter in his belt Then the Time is short said Torn msino They were walking together on the terrace before Antonios house whence they looked on the city across the river Antonio cast his eye on the I river aiid < on the wall of the dukes garden that ran along at fair trees I shrubs and flowers lined the top of the wall and he water gleamed in the sunshine I If is strange said Antonio musing mus-ing that one maiden can darken all the world that God lights with His I sun Yet since so it is Tommasino a man can be but a man and being a man he is a poor man if he stand by While another takes his dove And that other ai jrang r and I swear a cutthroat added Tommasino W2icn they had J dined and evening began to come on Antonio made his servants saddle the best horses in his stable though indeed the choice was small for Antonio was not rich aa a man of his rank counts riches and the two rode down the hill toward the city But as > they went Antonio turned once and again in < his saddle and gazed long at the old gray house the round tower and the narrow gate Why look behind anti not forward for-ward asked Tommasino Because there is a presage upon me answered Antonio that it will be lonf before I pass through that gate again Were there hope of persuading per-suading you Tommasino I would lyd you go back and leave me to go alone on this errand Keep your breath against when you have TO run laughed Tommasino pricking his horse and tossing his hair dark as Antonios was fair back from his neck Across i he bridge they rode and through the gates and having traversed trav-ersed the great square came tov the door of Lucias house where it rose fronting the dukes palace Here Antonio An-tonio dismounted giving his bridle into in-to Tommasinos hand and bade the servants carry his name to the Lady Lucia A stir arose among them and much whispering till an oldi man head of the serving men came forward saying say-ing ingPardon Pardon my lord but we are commanded I com-manded not to admit you to the Lady Lucia and he waved his hand toward to-ward the inner of the I part porch where Antonio saw a dozen or more pikemen of the dukes guard drawn I across the < passage to the house and their pikes flashed in the rays of the I setting sun as they leveled them in L Jfnfnt of their rank I Some of the townsmen and apprentice I appren-tice lads stout fellows each with a stuff had gathered now around Antonio I An-tonio whom they loved for his feats of i strength and his liberal gifts to the j I poor and understanding what was I afoot one came to see him saying There are some sir who would enter I with you if you are set on entering and the fellows eye sparkled for there was great enmity in the town 1 against the pikemen and a lusty 1 I youth with a stick in his hand is never loath to find a use for it jl For a moment Count Antonio hesitate j hesi-tate for they flocked closer to him I and Tommasino threw him a glance of appeal and couched the hilt of his sword But he would not that the I blood of men who were themselves loved by mothers wives and maId should be shed in his quarrel and he raised his hand bidding them be siMll I have < f no quarrel with the pike men said he and we must nt fight against his hignesss servants The laces of the townsmen grew long in disappointment Tommasino alone laughed low recognizing in Antonios < 1 > < gentleness the lull that heralds a storm The count was never more dangerous dan-gerous sion than when he praised submis II But continued Antonio I would fain see the Lady Lucia And with this he stepped inside the porch signing sign-ing to Tommasino to stay where he was but the lad > would not and leaping down mn to his kinsman and stood shoulder to shoulder with him I i Thus they stood facing the line of pikamen when suddenly the opposing rank opened and Robert de Beauregard himself came through Starting slightly slight-ly l at sight of Antonio he yet bowed I courteously baring his head and Antonio An-tonio with Tommasino did the like I What is your desire my lord I asked Robert I I have naught to ask of you answered an-swered Antonio and he took a step forward for-ward Roberts hand Hew to his sword and in a moment they had fought But now another figure came forward with uplifted hand It was the Duke himself and he looked on Antonio with his dark l smile and Antonio flushed red You seek me Antonio asked the Duke DultI I seek not your highness1 but my plighted wife saId Antonio Duke Valentine smiled still and Coming ing to Antonio passed his arm through his and said in most friendly fashion Come with me to my house and we < wKl talk of this and Antonio caught fast in the choice between obedienca and open revolt went frowning across the square the Dukes arm through his Robert on the Dukes older side and behind Thommas mo with the horses But as they went a sudden cry came from the house they left and a girls face Showed for an instant tearstained and pallid at an pen window A shiver ran through An ionio but the Duke pressing his arm he went still in silnce At the door of the palace a lackey tot ik the horses from Thommasino and to-t he four passed through the great hall and through the Dukes cabinet ibeyond and into the garden and the Duke sat down under the wall of the garden near by the fishpond and turning sad denly oi Antonio spoke to him fiercely u MenSJave died at my hands for less said he Then for each of such shall you answer an-swer Ito God retorted Antonio not less hotly hotlyYou You scout my commands in the faca of all the city said ithe Duke in low stern tones Now by heaven if you seek to see the girl again I will hang you from the tower of the gate So be warned now oncs there shall be no second warning He ceased and sat with1 angry eyes on Antonio and Robert who stood by his master glared as fierce But Antonio was silent for a while and rested his arm on Tommasinos shoulder My fathers have served and fought for your fathers said he at last What has this gentleman done for the duchy Then Robert spoke suddenly and scornfully his he is ready to do to punish an Insolent knave that braves his Hi ° h nesss will Antonio seemed not to hear him for he did not move but stood with eyes bent on the Dukes face looking whether wheth-er his appeal should reach its mark But Tommasino heard Yet never a word spoke Tommasino either but he drew off the heavy riding glove from his left hand and it hung dangling lathe fingers of his right and he looked art the glove and at Robert and at the glove again I would his Highriess were not here said Tiommasmo to Rdbert with a smile smileHod your ipeace boy said Robert or the Duke will have you iwhlpped Youth loves not to be taunted with its blessed state I have no more to say cried Tom masino and Without more caring naught for the presence of the Duke he flung his heavy glove full in Roberts face and starting back a pace drew I his sword Then Antonio knew that the dye was cast for Tommasino would gain no mercy having insulted the Dukes favorite and drawn his sword in the Dukes palace and he also drew out his sword and the pair stood facing fac-ing the Duke and Robert de Beaure gard It was but for an instant that they stood thus then Rcbert who lacked lack-ed not courage 1m resent a bow tm sheathed and rushe13at the boy Antonio An-tonio left his cousin ito defend himself and bowing low to the Duke set his sword at the Dukes breast before the Duke could so much as rise from his seat seatI I would not touch your Highness said the but these gentlemen must not be interrupted You take me afc 01 GisaUvantase cried the Duke If you will swear not to summon1 the guard I will sheath my sword my lord or if you will honor me iby crossing yours on mine you shall draw yours The place where they sat was hidden from the palace windows yet the Duke trusted that the sound of the cashing steel would bring aid therefore not desiring de-siring to fight with Antonio for Duke Valentine loved to scheme rather than to strike he sat still answering noth ing And now Tommasino and Robert were engaged Robert attacking furious ly and Tommasino I parrying him as coolly as tlhough they tfenced for pastime in the school It was Tommasinos fault to think of naught but the moment and he did not remember that every second might bring the guard upon them And Antonio Would not call it to his mind but he said to the Duke The boy will kilt him sir He is a finer swordsman than I and marvel lously active Then the Duke Waving ben ponder ing on his course and knowing Antonio sitting there with the Counts sword against his breast did by calculation what many a man braver in fight had not dared to do There was in truth a courage in it ifor all that it was born of shrewdness For thus with the sword on his heart fixing a calm glance on Antonio the cried loudly as he could Help help treason Antonio drew back his arm for the stroke and the duke sat still Then swift as thought Antonio laughed bowed to Duke Valentine and turning turn-ing rushed between the figures strik ing up their swords In amazement they stood for a moment Antonio i drove his sword into its sheath and while Robert stood yet astounded he rushed at him caught him by the waist and putting forth his strength swung him clear and far into the fishpond fish-pond Then seizing Tommasino by the arm he started with him at a run for the great hall The duke rose crying loudly Treason Treason But Antonio cried Treason Treason l yet louder than the duke and presently present-ly Tommasino who had frowned at his pastime being interrupted fell alaughing and between his laughs cried Treason treason with An 11ftifr I ri 0 4 f if I r c c1 si 13 e C I i r f y7 I t I r r1 z J2 ft 5 J = 4 j v I I r or I cl J r i f 4 0 l l ii lC > 54T rl I I r 1 I l Antonio Iictiiictl on Him nnd Drove Hit Sword Through Hit Ilcurt tonio And at the entrance of the hall they met a dozen pikemen running and Antonio pointing over his shoulder shoul-der called in tones of horror Treason Trea-son treason An Tomnvasino cried The duke Help ithe duke So that they passed Tintouchedr l through the pikemen who hesitated an instant in bewilderment out then swept on for they heard the dukes own voice crying cry-ing still Treason treason And through the hall and out of the portico por-tico passed the cousins echoing their cries of Treason Anti every man they met went whither they pointed I and when they leaped on their horses the very lackey that had hejd them dropped the bridles with hasty speed I and ran into the palace crying Treason Trea-son Then Antonio Tcmmasino ever following and both yet crying Treason Trea-son dashed across the etrutire and on the way they met the pikemen who guarded the Lady Lucia and the townsmen who stood mocking and snarling at the pikemen and to pike men and townsmen alike they cried though Tommasino hardly could speak now for laughter and lack of breath Treason treason And all to whom they cried flocked to the palace pal-ace crying in their turn Treason treason so that people ran out of every house In the neighborhood and hurried to the palace crying Treason Trea-son and every one asking his neighbor neigh-bor what the treason was And thus by the time in which a man might count a hundred a crowd was pushing and pressing and striving round the gate of the palace and the cousins were alone on the other side of the great square I I Now thanks be to God for that 1 idea gasped Tommasino But Antonio gave not thanks till his meal was ended Raising his voice aa he halted his horse before the Lady Lucias house he called loudly no longer Treason but Lucia Amt she knowing his voice looked again out from the window But some hand plucked her away as soon < xs she had but looked Then Antonio leaped from his horse with an oath and ran to tho door and finding it unguarded ha I rushed in leaving Tommasino seated on one horse and holding the other with one eye on Lucias house and thE other on the palace praying that by the favor of heaven Antonio might come out again before the crowd around the dukes gates discovered why it was to a man crying Treason Trea-son Now in the palace of the duke there was great confusion For the pikemen finding Robert de Beauregard scrambling scramb-ling out of the fishpond with a drawn sword in his hand and his highness crying Treason with the rest of them must have it that the traitor was none other than Robert himself and in their dutiful zeal they came nigh to making an end of him then and there before the duke could gain silence si-lence enough to render his account of the affair audible And when the first pikemen were informed there cam others and those others finding the first thronging around tho duke and Robert cried out on them for the traitors and were on the point of engaging them and when they also had with difficulty been convinced con-vinced and the two parties with his i highness and Robert turned to thus pursuit of the cousins they found thus whole of the great hall utterly blocked by a concourse of the townsmen delighted de-lighted beyond measure at the chance of an affray with the hated pikemen who they conceived must beyond doubt be the wicked traitors that had risen in arms against the dukes life and throne Narrowly indeed was a great battle In the hall averted by the duke himself iwho Heaped upon a high seat and spoke long and earnestly to the people persuading them that not the pikemen but Antonio and Tom masino were the traitors which the townsmen found hard to believe III part because they wished not to believe be-lieve ill of Antonio and more inasmuch inas-much as every man there knewand the women and children also that Antonio An-tonio and Tommasino and none else of all the city had raised the alarm Bat some hearkened at last and with these and a solid wedge of the pikemen the duke and Robert with much ado thrust their way through the crowd and won access to the door of the palace In hat time a thousand men may ba convinced you may hope to turn one womans mind and at the instant that the duke gained < < < the square with his friends and his guards Count Antonio had prevailed on the Lady Lucia to brave his lughnesss wrath It is true that he had met with some resistant > from the steward who was in Robert pay and had I tarried to buffet the fel I low Into ODedience and with more from Ij an old governess who since she could not be buffeted had perforce to be II locked l in a cupboard yet the better i j part of the time had to be spent in I Smplonng Lucia herself At last with s many fears and some tears she had i yielded and it was with glad eyes that Tomiuaeino saw the count come I i forth from the door carryang Luda in I tos arms and < others saw him also for aI great shout came from the dukes II c party across the square and < the pike raen set out at a run with Robert him eelf at their head Yet so soon as they were started Antonio also bearing I Lucia in Ms arms had reacbe where I t Tommusino fvvas with < the horses and an instant latter = he was mounted and cried To the gate and he stuck in his spurs and his horse bounded forward < for-ward Tommasino following JCo more T than a hundred yards ay between them and the gate of the city and bet be-t fore the pikemen could bar their path they had reached the gate The gate I wardens were un the act of shutting It having perceived the tumult but Tom maslno struck at them with the flat of ibis sword and < they gave way before the rushing homes and before the ereat gate was shut Antonio and he were on their way through and the hoofs of their horses clattered over the ridge Thus Antonio was clear of < he city with his ady In his arms and Toiranasino his cousin safe by his sideYet Yet were they not pafe for neither Duke Valentine nor Robert de Beaure gard were men who sat down under defeat But few moments and passed before there issued from the gate a company of ten mounted and armed men and Robert riding in their front saw hard on a mile away the cousins heading across the plain toward the spot where the spurs of ML Agino rundown run-down for there was the way ofeafety but it was y t ten miles away And Robet and Ins company galloped furiously furi-ously in pursuit while Duke Valentine Valen-tine watched from the wall of the garden above the river Now Count Antonio was a big man r and heavy so that > his horse was i Weighted down toy the twofold burden ou his back and looking behind him I ho perceived that Roberts company drew nearer and yet nearer And Tormnanno looking also said i doifot they are too many for us for yo i have the lady in your arms We fchall not get clear of the hills Then Antonio drew In his horse a lit tie and letting his bridle fall took the Lady Lucia in both his arms and kissed her and having thus done lifted her and set her on Tommasinos horse ThanK God said he that you are no heavier than a feather Yet two feathers may be too much said Tommaslno Rid on said Antonio I will check them for a time so that you hall come safe to the outset of the billTommasino Tommasino obeyed him and Antonio aiding more softly placed himself be tween Tommasino and the pursuers Tommasino rode ou with the swoon ing lady in his arms but his face was grave and troubled for as he had said two feathers may be overmuch and Roberts company rode well and swiftly If Antonio an stop them it is well I I aid he but if not I shall not reach the thills and < he looked with no great love on the unhappy lady for it seemed I like enough that Antonio would be slain for her sake and Tommasino i prized him above a thousand damsels i Yet he rode on obedient But Antonios scheme had not passed undetected by Robert de Beauregard and being a man of guile and cunning he swore aloud an oath that though rI he died himself yet TommasInO should not carry off Lucia Therefore he charged this men one and all to Tides Tide-s ter Tommasino and bring back Lucia leaving him alone to be content with i Antonio and they were not loath to I obey for ic was little to their taste or wish to surround Antonio and kill him Thus when the company came within fifty yards of Antonio the ranks suddenly sud-denly parted five diverging to the I right and four to the left passing Antonio in sweeping curves so far off I that he could not reach them iwhile Robert alone rode straight at him Antonio perceiving the stratagem would fain have ridden again after Tommasino but Robert was hard upon him and he was in peril of toeing thrust through the back as he fled So he turned and faced his enemy But although Robert had sworn so boldly l before his > men his mind was not what ihe had < declared to them and he desired I de-sired to meet Antonio alone not that < he might fight a fair fight with him but in order treacherously to deceive lhima thing he was ashamed to > do before tiis comrades Coming up then to Antonio he reined in Ms horse cryIng cry-Ing IngMy lord I bring peace from his highness Antonio wondered to hear him yet when Robert his sword lying untouched un-touched in tos sheath leaped from his hors and approached him he dismounted I dis-mounted also and Robert said to him I have charged them to injure t neither the Lady Lucia nor your cousin > v Ct much as a hair for the duke bids me to say that he min not constrain con-strain the lady Is she then given to me cried Antonio his face lighting up with a marvelloxis eagerness Nay siot so fast answered Robert with subtle cunning The duke will not give her to you now But he will exact from you and from me alike an oath not to molestno not to see her Cor three months and then she shall choose as she will between us While he spoke this fair speech he had been drawing nearer to Antonio and Antonio not yet convinced of Ms honesty drew back a pace Then Robert let go hold of his horse unbuckled un-buckled his sword and flung it on the ground and came to Antonio with out tstreteired hands Bdhold l said he I am in your mercy my lord If you do not believe me slay me Antonio looked at him with searchIng search-Ing wistful eyes He hated to war against the duke and his heart was aflame with the hope that dwelt for Slim in Roberts words for he did not doubt but that neither three months ncr three years nor three hundred years could change his laflys love I You speak fair sir said the but what warrant have I And save your honor what warrant have I < who stand here unarmed before you asked Robert For a while Antonio pondered Then he said My lord I must crave your pardon for my words but the matter Is so great that to your word I dare not trust but If you will ride back with your men and pray the duke to send me a promise under his own hand to that 1 will trust And meanwhile Tominasino with the Lady Lucia shall aibide 4n a safe place and I will stay here awaiting your return and if you will let two of yotir men stay iwitlh me Many a man my lord returned Robert would take your caution in bad part But let it be so Come we will ride after my company And her he-r se and caught Antonios horse by the bridle and brought It to him Mount my lord said he standing by Antonio believing either that the man was true or that ibis treachery if treacihery there were in him was foiled and seeing him to all seeming unarmed save for a little daggeisln his belt Which would hardly suffice to kill v 1 < < < C a man and was more a thing of ornament orna-ment than use set his foot in the stirrup stir-rup and prepared to mount And in so doing the turned his back on Robert de Beauregard The moment for which that wicked man had schemed and bid was come Still holding Antonios stirrup with one hand he drew swift as lightning from under his cloak aI dagger different from the toy in tiis I beltshort strong broad and keen I And that moment toad been Antonios last had it not chanced that on the instant Robert drew the dagger the horse Started a pace aside and Antonio An-tonio taken unawares stumbled forward for-ward and came near falling on the ground His salvation lay in that stumble for Robert having put all his strength into the blow and then strik ing not Antonio but empty air in his turn staggered forward and could not recover himself before Antonio turned round a smile at his own unwariness on his lips Then he saw the keen broad knife In the hands of Robert Robert breathed quickly and glared at him but did not rush on him He stood glaring the knife in his ihands his parted lips displaying grinning teeth Not aword spoke Antonio but he drew his sword and pointed where Roberts sword lay on the grass The traitor recognizing the grace that allowed him to take his sword shamed it may I be by and drew it and withdrawing to a distance from the horses which I quietly cropped the grass the two faced one another I I Calm and easy were the bearing and l the air of Count Antonio if the pictures pic-tures of him that live in the words of I I those who knew him be truthful calm and easy ever was he save when he fought but then it seamed as though there came upon him a sort of fury akin Ito madness or as the ancients would have fabled to some inspiration from the god of war whlc3i transformed trans-formed him utterly imbuing him with a rage and rushing impetuosity Here lay his danger when matched with suCh a swordsman as was little Tom maslno but after all that few cared to meet him some saying that though they called themselves as brave as others yet they seemed half appalled when Count Antonio set upon them for he fought as though he must surely sure-ly win and as though God were with him Thus now he darted upon Robert I de Beauregurd in seeming recklessness of receiving thrust < himself yet ever escaping them by his sudden resources and dexterity and ever himself attacking at-tacking leaving no space to take breath and Bewildering the others practised skill by the dash and brilliance bril-liance of his assault And < it may be also that the darkness which was now falling fast hindered Robert the more for Ant l1 o was famed for the keenness of his eyes toy night Be those things as they may 5n > the very moment when Robert < pricked Antonio In the left arm and cried out in triumph on his I stroke Antonio leaped on him and drove his sword through his heart and Robert with the sword yet in him fell to the ground groaning And when Antonio An-tonio drew forth the sword the man at his feet died Thus if it be Gods will may ail traitors perish Antonio looked around the plain but it grew darker still an even his sight did not avail for more than some threescore three-score yards Yet he saw ai dark mass on his right distant as he judged that space or more Rapidly It moved surely it was a group oficnen galloping gallop-ing and Antonio stood motionless regarding re-garding them But they swept on not turning whither he stood and he un able to tell what they did whether they sought him or whither they went watched them till they faded J away in i the darkness and then leaving Robert Rob-ert where he lay mounted his horse and made speed toward the hills praying pray-ing that there he should find his cousin cou-sin and the Lady Lucia escaped from the pursuit of the flukes men Yet had he known what those dimly discerned dis-cerned riders bore with them he would have been greatly moved at all costs and at every hazard to follow after them and seek to overtake them before they came ito the city On he rode toward the hills quickly yet not so hastily but that he scanned the ground as he went so well as the night allowed him The moon was risen now and to see was easier When he had covered a distance of some two miles he perceived some thing lying across his path Bending to look the found it to be the corpse of a horse he leaped down and bent over i it It was the horse Tommasino had I ridden it was hamstrung and its throat had been cut Antonio seeing it in sudden connection with calamity I cried aloud and to his wonder his cry was answered iby a voice which came from a clump of bushes fifty yards on the right He ran hastily to the spot thinking nothing of his own safety nor of anything else than > of what had befallen his friends and under the shelter of < the bushes two men of the dukes guard their horses tethered near them squatted on the ground and between lay full length on the ground Tommasino His face was white his eyes closed and a bloody bandage was about his head One of the two by him had forced his lips open and was giving him to drink from ai bottle The other sprang upon up-on sight of Antonio and laid a hand I to his swordhilt Peace peace said Antonio Is I the lad dead He is not dead my lord but he is I sore hurt And what do < you here with him I And how did you take him We came up with him here and surrounded him and while some of us I held ham in front one cut the hamstrings ham-strings of his horse from behind and the horse fell and with the horse the lady and the young lord He rwas up in an instant but as he rose the lieutenant lieu-tenant struck him on the head and dealt him the wound you see Then he could fight no more and the lieutenant lieu-tenant took < the Jady and with the rest rode back toward the city leaving us charged with the duty of bringing the young lord in BO soon as he was in a state > to come with us They took the lady Even so my lord Awl why did J they not seek for meThe fellow Martola was his name smiled grimly and his comrade loOking I look-ing up answered Maybe they did not wish to find you my lord They had been eight to one and could not have failed to take you in the end Ay in the end aid Martolo laughing low Nor added he had the lieutenant such great love for Robert de Beaure i gard that the would rejoice ito deliver you to death for his sake seeing that you are a Monte Velluto and he a SensoyU Peace He is dead said Count Antonio You have kIlled him they cried with one voice He attacked me in treachery and I have killed him answereduAntonia For a while there was silence Then Antonio asked The lady did she go willingly She was frightened and dazed by I her fall my lord she knew not what I she did nor what they did to her And the lieutenant took her in front of him I and holding her with all gentleness so I rode toward the city I God keep her said Antonio I Amen poor lady said Mortolo doffing his cap Then Antonioi l whistled toi his horse which j came to his side with a gesture he bade the men stand aside and they obeyed Mm and lie gathered Tomma sino 5n his arms I Holdf my stirrupthat I may mount said he and still they obeyed But when they saw he mountedwith Tom masino seated in front of him Mar tolo cried But my lord we are charged to take him back and deliver him ito the duke dukeAnd Sf you do asked Antonio Ulartolo made a movement as of one tying a noose And if you do netahk d Antonio Then we had best not show ourselves our-selves alive to the duke Antonio looked down on them To whom bear you allegiance said he To his highness the duke they answered uncovering as they spoke And to whom besides asked Antonio An-tonio r tonioTo none besides < they answered wondering Ay but you do aid he To one who wills not that you should deliver to death a lad who has done but what his honor bade him Gods counsel God knows said Mar tolo We are dead men if we return i to the city You had best slay us yourself your-self my lord if we may not carry the young lord with us You are honest lads are you not he asked By your faces you are men of the city iSo are we my lord rout we serve the I duke in his guard for reward I love tb men of the city as they 1 love me Sltid Antonio And a few I pence a day should not buy a mans soul as well as his body The two men looked at one another in perplexity The fear and the deference def-erence in which hey I held Antonio forbade for-bade them to fall on him yet they < dared not led him take Tommasino Then as they stood doubting he rpoke Low and softly to ithem When he that should give law and uphold right deals wrong and makes white black and black white it as for gentlemen and honest men to be a law unto themselves Mount your horses then and follow me And so long > as Tam T-am safe you shall be safe and so long as I live you shall live and while I eat and drink you shall hove to drink and e aiL and you shall be my servants And When the time of Gods willwhereof God forbid that I should doubtIs come I will go baCk to her I love and you shall go back to them that love you and men shall say that you have proved younselv true men and good Thus It was Chat the two men of the Dukes guard < Martolo1 and he whom they caQled Bena though of his Crue name there is no record went together with Count Antonio and his cousin Tommassino to a secret fastness in the hills and there In the course of many days Tommasinoi was healed oC the wound which the lieutenant of the guard had given him and rode his horse again and held next place to Antonio An-tonio himself an the band that gathered rourid them For there came to them every man bhat was wrongfully oppressed op-pressed and some came for love of adventure ad-venture and because they hoped to strike good blows and some came whom Antonio would not receive inasmuch as they were greater rogues 4than were thoSe whose wrath they fled from Such is the tale of how Count Antonio was outlawed from the dukes peace and took to the hills Faitibfulfy have I set it down and whoso will may blame the count and whoso will may praise him For myself I hank heavent that this same troublesome passion of love I that likens one man to a lion and another an-other to a fox has not come nigh me But the Lady Lucia being brought back to the city by the lien tenant of the guard was lodged in her own house and the Charge of her was commenueti toy the duke in the hands of a discreet dis-creet lady and for a while his highness for very shame forebore to trouble her with suitors For he said in his bitter humor as he looked down on the dead body of Robert de Beauregard I have lost two good servants and four strong arms through her and mayhap If I find her another suitor she will rob me of yet another stalwart gentleman So she afooue in peace indeed but in sore desolation and sorrow longing for the day when Count Antonio should come back to seek her And again was she closely guarded by the duke To be continued |