Imatges de pàgina
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animal, contrived, in spite of his figure, to mount to some height in its branches, in hopes of espying a land mark, by which he might judge of his future

course.

To his great joy, he perceived a glimmering light in the valley beneath; and leaving his mule still fastened, he has tened to explore the somewhat sombre and precipitous descent.

This was a task of more difficulty than he had anticipated, for the path was tangled with underwood, and diversified with a pleasing variety of swamps, crags, and stumps of trees; so it was not until he had encountered many a slip, and one actual prostration, that he reached the spot from whence the light proceeded.

It was a solitary cottage, of the humblest pretensions to architecture: lovely in situation, and desolate in appearance; just such a habitation as a fanciful mind might conjure up as the abode of misery, or the hiding place of crime; so that in spite of his fatigues, and certain qualms of hunger which were growing fast upon him, he had scarcely resolution to rouse the inmates for admission.

This trouble was spared him, for the rough voice of some one within, as if disturbed by his approach, challenged him with a "Who goes there?" "An unlucky traveller that has lost his way," ," said Scarlatti; "and has no means of reaching home to-night."

"Then pass on," answered the voice, we have no accommodation here, signior, for travellers." Less daunted at this refusal than might have been expected, and perhaps prompted by an instinctive feeling, that there was but little danger to be apprehended from those who sought to avoid him, the Doctor recommenced his entreaties, with all the eloquence he was master of, summing up his oration with an offer of liberal reward for his night's shelter. Whether his eloquence or his promises were most persuasive it might be ungenerous to enquire; but at this juncture a female voice joined in the conversation, and after a very lengthy discussion within (which was carried on in a low whispering tone) the door opened, and our hero walked in.

There was nothing of a prepossessing nature in the appearance of the tenants of the cottage. The one was a woman of a tall and commanding figure, who might once have possessed some beauty, but sorrow, or perhaps some less worthy feeling, had given her features a

harsh, and almost ferocious character. The other, her husband, was a stern, dark browed peasant, of about forty, with so very sinister an expression of countenance, that Scarlatti involuntarily started as he looked upon him; and for a moment hesitated in his progress to a chair, which was left vacant at his approach.

The man, however, either saw not his embarrassment, or heeded it not, for placing some of the coarsest viands before his guest, he roughly apologised for his reluctance to admit a stranger, attributing it to his fears of a banditti who infested that neighbourhood.

Our hero was of too forgiving a disposition to quarrel with such satisfactory excuses, and seating himself at the table, he eagerly commenced an attack upon the provisions within his reach. Yet, alas! as the unlucky epicure forced down part of a tough brown loaf, and moistened his throat with some of the sourest wine that ever passed his critical palate; he could not but regret the unfortunate mischance which had brought him in contact with such execrable fare.

But this was not his only source of disquietude, he could not avoid remarking that his hosts were engaged in an earnest debate, carried on entirely in whispers; apparently too, upon some mysterious matter connected with himself; for ever and anon, looks of the most significant meaning were directed towards him. It was in vain that he attempted to mingle in the conversation, an air of sullen apathy and gloomy reserve, on the part of both peasant and his wife, defeated his most condescending endeavours; and at length, he felt glad enough to plead fatigue as an excuse, for requesting at an early hour, to be shown to his sleeping apartment.

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Stop Signor," here interrupted the female, in an agitated voice, and suddenly turning to her husband; "Filippo, you forget that the bed is not prepared, you must attend to that immediately!" Scarlatti did not exactly understand why Filippo should be selected to do the honors of his bed chamber; but he said nothing, and quietly re-seating himself, as the husband left the room, his mind unconsciously wandered over the events of the evening, and he gradually fell into a profound reverie.

From this he was disturbed by a strange and startling noise over his head, as though some weighty body had fallen, and was then being dragged heavily along the floor.

His glance accidentally fell upon the peasant's wife, who sat near him; her features were fearfully agitated with some sudden emotion, and as he gazed upon her pale and changing countenance, suspicions of the most horrible nature, rushed across his mind. It was, however, too late to recede, and Filippo returning soon after, he took the lamp from his hand, and wishing his hosts a good evening, ascended to his apartment with as much show of resolution as he could muster for the occasion.

His first care, nevertheless, was to bar the door very circumspectly, as soon as he found himself on the inside; his next, to examine very carefully the place in which he was about to pass the night; but vain was every search for trap doors, for secret closets, or concealed assassins; fruitlessly was each chink and crack in the partitions of his chamber subjected to the most rigid scrutiny. Nothing met his eye to confirm suspicion; and after heartily recommending himself to his favorite St. Antonio, he undressed, rolled himself into the intricacies of the bed clothes, extinguished the lamp, and fell asleep.

The fatigues and anxieties of the day, conspired to render the doctor's slumbers broken and confused; night-mares pressed upon his bosom ; visions of the most horrible nature crowded on his imagination; amongst others, he fancied himself awaking in the same room that he actually occupied, every thing seemed dark and still around him, when suddenly the door opened, the figure of Filippo stole softly in, and cautiously drawing forth a dagger, crouched down and crept softly beneath the bed. This was too much for his nerves, Scarlatti now awoke in earnest, alarmed and trembling, and so strong an impression had the vision left upon his mind, that with a desperate feeling of excitement, he could not help starting up and thrusting his hand under the bed! God of heavens! what was his horror to find that his fingers grasped the cold face of a corpse beneath.

His head swam round, the clammy dews of agony burst out upon his forehead. In an instant he rushed to the window, it was not more than a dozen feet from the ground; and scarcely stopping to put on the most indispensable articles of a gentleman's toilet, he lowered himself down, darted across a small enclosure at the back of the hut, and ran for more than a mile, without hazarding one single glance behind him.

At first every falling leaf,every breath of air startled him as he fled, he saw an enemy lurking in every bush, an assassin seemed gliding from every tree; but just as his breath and strength were about to sink under such unusual exertions, he began to discover that his flight was unnoticed, or at least his steps unpursued; and taking courage in perceiving that day was beginning to break, he coiled himself round at the foot of a tree by a road side, and completely exhausted with fatigue soon fell soundly asleep.

How long his slumber continued the doctor knew not, but the sun was high above the horizon, when he was awakened by the gingling of bells, and upon starting up he beheld, to his great joy, a Muleteer driving a team of mules in a wine cart, and shouting aloud a merry carol as he went.

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Stop, stop, my good friend," roared Scarlatti, for the love of heaven, save my life:"Eh Corpo di Bacco," exclaimed he, upon seeing the face of the very Muleteer who was in the habit of conveying his favorite wine from Gensana to Rome. "Is it you, Pepe? then heaven be praised."

"And is it you, Padrone?" said Pepe, in unfeigned astonishment," and have the banditti stripped as well as robbed you?"

"This is no banditti's work," said the doctor. "Pray friend Pepe, do you know the proprietors of that white cottage in the valley on the left of yonder wood?"

"Know them, to be sure I do," said Pepe, "and excellent good people they are, poor indeed, but as honest"

"Honest!" screamed the astonished Scarlatti, "listen to me." Upon which he recounted to the Muleteer his adventures of the preceding night.

"It is very terrible, to be sure," said Pepe, crossing himself most devoutly when the doctor had finished, "and I think this matter ought to be looked into. Now, Padrone, I am well armed, and if you will trust yourself to my care, we will leave the mules here, and cross over at once to friend Filippo's, before he thinks of making his escape."

Scarlatti did not much relish the arrangement, but afraid of showing any symptoms of cowardice before so gallant a protector, he at once led the way to the cottage, flourishing a huge broadsword, which his friend Pepe had lent him for a defence.

His astonishment was considerable, upon arriving at the scene of all the

MRS. F.

I hope they don't intend some joke by running of their rigs.

BOATMAN

Bill, shift them bags of ballast aft-she's rather out of trim.

MRS. F.

horrors of the previous night, to observe the peasant's wife in earnest and apparently sorrowful discourse with a priest at the cottage door. "You may sheath that weapon, Signor," said the latter, advancing to meet our hero; "if you are, (as I should guess by your appearance,) the gentleman who slept The wind is fresh-if she don't scud, it's not here last night, and made so unceremonious an exit from the window.

Poor

Great bags of stones! they're pretty things to help a boat to swim

BOATMAN

the breeze's fault

of salt

MRS. F.

BOATMAN

Bianca has told me all the circumstan- Wind fresh, indeed, I never felt the air so full ces, and although appearances were alarming enough, I believe you will al- That low that appearances, only, have caused you all this anxiety.'

"You will never persuade me," (interrupted the doctor, with great energy) "that I did not find a dead body under the bed?"

schooner, Bill, harn't left the roads, with oranges and nuts

MRS. F.

If seas have roads, they're very rough-I never felt such ruts

BOATMAN

It's neap, ye see, she's heavy lade, and couldn't pass the bar.

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"I will not attempt to do so," said the The bar! what, roads with turnpikes, too? I priest, scarcely repressing a smile. "It was indeed the body of this poor woman's son, who expired but a few hours before you arrived, and was actually laid out in the room above, when you entreated shelter for the night-the whispering which so much alarmed you, was only a discussion as to where it could be removed. The noise you heard over head, its actual removal to the only place of concealment in the house, beneath the very bed on which you were about to sleep. Poverty, Signor, and the tempting reward you promised, in-: duced these poor people to commit an act so repugnant to their feelings. They saw and lamented your suspicions, but Be hoped all might escape discovery. If, Signor, you wish for further confirmation, and will wait here with me, the procession for the interment of the dead body is now on its way hither, and must speedily arrive.

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keep her full! what daring work when full, she must go down! BOATMAN

Bill, it lulls! ease off a bit-it's coming

off the town!

Steady your helm! we'll clear the Pint! lay right for yonder pink!

MRS. F.

steady-well, I hope they can! but they've got a pint of drink!

BOATMAN

Bill, give that sheet another haul-she'll fetch it up this reach.

I'm

MRS. F.

getting rather pale, I know, and they see it by that speech!

I wonder what it is, now, but-I never felt so queer!

BOATMAN

Bill, mind your luff why, Bill, I say, this yawing-keep her near!

MRS. F.

toward circumstances) the future objects Keep near! we're going further off! the land's of the doctor's liberality.

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behind our backs.
BOATMAN

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Run out the jib, and rig the boom; keep clear They'll drown me, and take all I have! my

of those two brigs.

life's not worth a pin!

BOATMAN.

no one; and he was so much dreaded Look out you know, be ready, Bill—just by his men, that none dared displease

when she takes the sand!

MRS. F.

The sand-O Lord! to stop my mouth! how every thing is plann'd.

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TOWARDS the close of the fourteenth century, the north western provinces of France were infested by numerous hordes of banditti, who styled themselves Free Companions. They owned no king or country, but assembled in towns and castles, where they made their living by force, and at the expence of the neighbourhood.

Among the numerous leaders of these sons of rapine, who made the province of Auvergne in particular their haunt, "two were distinguished (says the author of the new series of Tales of a Grandfather), above the others by their courage, intelligence and activity; their names (at least the epithets by which they were distinguished in the wars) were Amergot Marcell and Geoffrey Tete-noir, that is, Black-head. They both professed to espouse the English cause; but it may be supposed that they only chose it because it afforded the most unlimited privilege of plunder. Froisart's account of the death of these two celebrated Companions is one of the most picturesque passages of his lively work, and will make you better acquainted with the lawless men who existed in that disturbed time, than a long dissertation from me.

Geoffrey Tete-noir obtained, by bribing a domestic, the means of obtaining possession for himself and company, of the strong castle of Ventadour, belonging to an aged earl of that name, a quiet, peaceful man, whom the robbers dismissed without injury: such indeed had been the bargain of his treacherous squire, who surrendered the place. Geoffrey Tete-noir here prosecuted his profession with great success. "He was a hardy man," says the historian, "who knew neither fear nor pity, and would put to death a knight or squire as soon as a peasant, for he cared for

him." This chieftain assembled a band of 400 men, to whom he paid high wages monthly with the utmost regularity. He protected the country around Ventadour, so that no one dared to make incursions upon the territory.

In his castle he held a kind of open market, where goods and furniture, cloth of Brussels, peltry and mercery, with iron and steel ware, leather and other commodities, were to be found as plentiful as in the city of Paris. The castle was fully victualled for a siege, had it been to last seven years. Nay, occasionally, to show his independence, Tete-noir chose to make war on the English as well as the French; and this jovial course of life he led for many years, more dreaded than any lawful authority in the country where he lived.

But when the French interest began to recover itself in these districts, the nobles and knights united themselves together, for the purpose of besieging the forts and castles of which these robbers had possession, and delivering the country by fair means or by force, from these lawless Companions.

Accordingly, Sir William Lignac, Sir John Bon-lance, and many other knights of Auvergne of the district of the Limosin, formed the siege of Ventadour, for the safety of which Tete-noir was no way distressed, having plenty of ammunition and provisions. But one day, as he was leading his men in a sally, he received a cross-bow shot in his face. The medical persons thought that the wound was unattended with danger, had the patient observed the regimen prescribed; but he was a free-living person, unwont to self-dial of any kind. The consequence of his careless course was, that the wound proved mortal. When Geoffrey Tete-noir felt himself very ill, he summoned the principal officers of his Free Company to his dying bed. He reminded them that he had long been their true captain, and, being about to die, was desirous to see them unite to choose a chieftain in his stead, who might be able to defend this strong and well furnished castle, until the French should raise the siege. "I have served," he added, "chiefly under the shadow of the king of England,— holding the service to be one in which there is much to be got; and you will do well to choose one who shall follow the same policy." The Companions beard their commander's words in silence, and when they answered, it was

to offer to Tete-noir the choice of his successor. Having named a kinsman of his own to this office, the patient proceeded to make his will; and it was one which, while it shows the wealth acquired by such people, is a curious evidence of their superstition, and their wild irregular ideas of property, even when it was their own.

"In yon chest," said the dying brigand," are 30,000 marks. I will give them according to my conscience. First, to the Chapel of Saint George, in this castle, 1500 marks, to be spent in repairing the same; next, to my mistress, who has truly and faithfully attended me, 2500 francs; to Allan Roux, whom I have named your captain, 4000 francs; 500 to the varlets of my chamber; 1500 to the officers of my household; the rest I give and bequeath thus:-Ye be about thirty Companions, all of one band; ye ought to be brethren without debate, anger or strife among you. Having paid these legacies, I will that you divide the residue of the money, which you shall find in yonder chest, truly and equally among you thirty. But if you be not content with my bequest, and that the devil do set debate amongst you, there stands a stont axe, break up the coffer, scramble for the money, and get it who can!"

The residuary legatees replied, that as they had always regarded their captain, while living, with love and awe, so they would follow his behests when dead.

They continued to respect Geoffrey's testament after his death. But his successor, Allan Roux, being surprised in a piece of intended treachery, was put to the sword, and the Castle of Ventadour taken.

The history of Amergot Marcell, whom we have mentioned as a brother in the trade of war, and an occasional partner of Tete-noir, gives us a similar picture of their life. This worthy had, in like manner, acquired the strong castle of Aloys, in Auvergne; from it he made many successful inroads upon the country, which produced him a revenue of 20,000 florins. But about the time of Tete-noir's death, the Earl of Armagnac, and several French lords, were commissioned to get these robbers out of the country by bribery, if that should be necessary, since force was a doubtful and dangerous remedy. Marcell was after a time persuaded that he had better accept the offer made him, renounce his unlawful and violent proceedings, and, by means of the trea

sure he had acquired, live in future a peaceful life. In these sentiments he delivered up to the Earl of Armagnac the Castle of Aloys, situated in the very heart of Auvergne.

But when he had resigned this stronghold, he began to repent of having done so, and of having adopted reformed courses. He felt that there was a diminution of the respect and awe which he formerly inspired whenever his name was pronounced. The brigand is said to have lamented his change of condition to the old companions of his rapine; and his recollections, as delivered by the historian, gives a lively picture of his successful robberies.

"To pillage and rob," he said, " all things considered, was a good life!" and so he repented him of his good resolutions, and thus addressed his old companions:

"Sirs, there is no sport or glory in this world among men of war, but to use such a life as we have done in times past. What a joy was it to us when we rode forth at adventure, and found sometimes by the way a rich prior or merchant, or a route of mules of Montpelier, of Narbonne, of Toulouse, or of Carcassonne, laden with Brussels' cloth, or with furs, coming from the fairs, or of spicery ware from Bruges, from Damascus, from Alexandria!Whatever we met, all was ours, or else ransomed at our pleasure. Then for our living, the peasants of Limosin daily brought to our castle wheat, flour, ready-baked bread, forage for our horses, good wines, beeves and fat sheep, pullets and wild fowl. We were furnished as though we had been kings. When we rode forth, the whole country trembled for fear; all was ours, going and coming. How we took Carlushe, and James the Bourge of Compeigne ; and how I and Perot of Bernoys took Chalucet! How did we scale with little aid the strong Castle of Marquel, and how I received in ransom thereof 5000 francs, told down on a fair table, and showed my gentleness by forgiving another thousand, for respect to the dauphin's children! By my faith, this was a fair and good life! and I repute myself sore deceived when I rendered up the fortress of Aloys; since, well victualled as it was, I could have kept it against all the world."

Marcell's regret for the licence of his early life, naturally led to his resuming his former profession. It would be useless to trace his further exploits, though they are singular enough. His

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