1831.] a Milanese Legend. 501 



sound to die away ere the pretended parent entered the apartment of his 

 son. Bolts were quietly withdrawn ; and the baron, holding a light in 

 his hand, made his appearance. Alberto made a motion as of one 

 awakening from sleep, and strove hard to convert his look of indignant 

 aversion into a gaze of simple astonishment. " I crave pardon for dis- 

 turbing thy slumbers,, gentle son," said the Castellan ; " but our own 

 sleep hath been strangely broken to-night, and we come to know if thine 

 hath partaken of the disturbance." " The greatest disturbance my night 

 hath known," answered Alberto, oddly, " is your presence, sir father, at 

 such unseemly hour." " And this is (in very truth) the greatest, the 

 only disturbance, thou hast experienced this night ?" asked the baron, 

 rolling an eye of fearful inquisition over the countenance of his intended 

 victim. " But how now, fair son ? methinks thy visage is somewhat 

 changed towards us. Oh ! thou chafest at our uncourtly but very 

 parental freedom in drawing the bolts of thy chamber !"' te In verity," 

 answered the knight, " I have been little used to be locked up like a 

 helpless monk or a prisoned maiden." " But hark thee, fair son, thy 

 good hand must forthwith indite us some half-dozen lines to our good 

 cousin of Balsano, praying him to return us, by our own trusty messen- 

 ger, farther notices on the subject he treats so well of. My hand hath 

 lost its cunning in clerkly doings ; but here be materials for writing. I 

 will dictate to thee. Thou wottethso well of what importance this matter 

 is to our house, that I will not tax thy filial courtesy by vain excuses for 

 disturbing thee. My messenger must depart ere sunrise. To-morrow, 

 my noble son, all shall be explained to thee, nor shall my too officious 

 care for thy safety draw one more bolt on thy fair freedom." " I pray 

 you, my lord my father," said the young man, endeavouring to stifle 

 the indignation which this treacherous proposal excited " I pray you 

 let your good pleasure be postponed to a more seemly hour. I am but a 

 sorrry clerk, and can only indite my letters by the broad light of day." 

 " Sir 'son, I am not in the habit of being contradicted." " Sir father, I 

 am not in the habit of being commanded." ft So a choice spirit I have 

 to deal with !" said the Castellan, with a look in which the affectation of 

 good-humoured, parental forgiveness of youthful obstinacy struggled 

 with an awfully contrasted expression. fe But come, young sir, thou 

 wilt not, for a moody fit of surly insubordination, ruin the fair prospects 

 of thy father ! Here, take thy pen. In filial courtesy do my pleasure 

 to-night then sleep in peace, and wake to-morrow to thine own plea- 

 sure to feast, to mirth, and pastime. Thou wilt not?" " My lord 

 my lord!" began the knight, off his guard for a moment. " My lord, 

 too ! so stiff so ceremonious !" said Carmelo, bending on Alberto a 

 look which might have withered a less stout heart. " Young man," he 

 added, " I like not thy bearing this night ; I understand not the changed 

 expression of that eye. Say speak out boldly for what dost thou 

 take me?" The Castellan was evidently about to retreat as he spoke, 

 perhaps to summon his attendants ; but the active young knight wound 

 his stout arms around his pseudo-parent. " For what do I take thee?" 

 he repeated. " Stay in my filial embrace, and I will tell thee. I take 

 thee for a coward, and a villain, and a traitor for one unworthy to be a 

 good man's friend, or a brave man's enemy for one capable of betray- 

 ing the innocent and the unsuspecting for one ripe for Heaven's 

 avenging thunderbolt for the base, the pitiful, the wily lord of Mali- 

 nanza !" 



