502 The White Spectre of Malinanza : [MAY, 



It must be remembered that Carmelo had commanded his followers 

 not to make their appearance until summoned by the voice of their chief. 

 In the strong grasp of his powerful prisoner, the proud Castellan now, 

 therefore, struggled but struggled in vain for breath to summon his 

 attendants ; while the knight, who could not spare a hand to seize his 

 poniard, felt that on the prolongation of that strong embrace depended 

 the few remaining minutes of his existence : the moment when his dire 

 foe should recover the use of his lungs must, Alberto felt, be his last on 

 earth. The Castellan was evidently struggling for his stiletto. O ! could 

 the knight but close for one moment the inner fastenings of that door ! 

 A light form rushed from the anti-chamber ; a slight, grating noise was 

 heard ; and, ere the relaxing grasp of Alberto gave the baron breath to 

 summon his attendants, the hand of the faithful Portia had effectually 

 precluded their entrance. "My guardian angel! God of heaven, I 

 thank thee !" ejaculated the grateful knight, now withdrawing one hand 

 from the Castellan, and seizing his poniard. " Now strike, thou paltry 

 and base entrapper ! I have met bolder and purer hands than thine. 

 Strike do thy worst I have weapons to meet thee." " What, ho ! 

 knaves traitors ! come to the aid of your chief ! To the rescue, ho !" 

 exclaimed the baron, in the tone of a baffled demon. The combatants 

 made two desperate but ineffectual passes at each other as they spoke. 

 The knight then bore back his foe, and, without relinquishing his grasp 

 on him, sprang from the bed. 



The attendants were now heard endeavouring to effect an entrance into 

 the chamber. " Break open the door !" thundered the Castellan, who 

 had himself no hand free to remove its fastenings " break open the 

 door !" he added, in a dreadful voice. " Use bills use axes set fire to 

 the chamber !" " No no, man of blood and treachery ! thine hour is 

 come !" exclaimed Alberto, relinquishing his hold on the baron, and 

 placing his back against the door. The knight held the point of his 

 weapon to the ground. Though well acquainted with the arts of single 

 combat, the now furious Castellan could not resist the tempting sight of 

 his foeman's exposed bosom : he made a desperate thrust at Alberto, 

 leaving his own body unguarded. The knight's poniard was raised with 

 the quickness of the lightning's flash. He struck off the weapon of his 

 adversary ; and, ere the Castellan had time to recover guard, his captive's 

 weapon drank to its very hilt the life-blood of that dark and treacherous 

 bosom ! 



Carmelo di Malinanza stood for one moment like a scathed spirit of 

 darkness then fell with a violence that sent forth the crimson stream of 

 life in a gushing tide from his deep and mortal wound. He was in the 

 convulsions of death. A dead silence followed. The generous knight 

 and the maiden instantly knelt over him. " His dark soul is passing," 

 said the young man, solemnly. " Turn thee away, my gentle deliverer, 

 from such unfitting sight." " God of mercy ! and he must die without 

 ghostly aid," exclaimed the maiden, horror-stricken. " O ! dear and true 

 knight, on my bended knees I praise God for thy victory ; but, as a 

 generous foeman, use it for the weal of thy fallen enemy. Thou art now 

 lord of this dread castle. O ! use thy new authority to get spiritual help 

 for this dying man it may not yet come too late !" The attendants, 

 perceiving the sudden stilness in the chamber, and uncertain which com- 

 batant had gained the advantage, now deemed a neutral conduct the most 

 politic, and therefore ceased their efforts to force an entrance into the 



