280 A Trtte Adventure. [March, 



by laying the couch open to view ; and it was only with a different, 

 though by no means lessened feeling of disgust, that I perceived one 

 dark continuous mass of blood, which had spread itself over the entire 

 sheets. The pillow alone was fresh, and heightened the sickening con- 

 trast — but on displacing this, the under part was literally clotted with 

 some of the human hair stiffened in the gore. I turned away, sick at 

 heart, carefully closing the pannel after me ; and before I had time to 

 reflect on my future movements a young girl had brought candles, 

 lighted some wood in the grate, and was preparing my bed. In a few 

 minutes appeared Sebastian, with my omelette and a bottle of wine ; and, 

 with as much carelessness as I could assume, I questioned him respect- 

 ing the state of affairs below. " Non dubitate, Signor," was his reply ; 

 " there is a fine blazing fire in the kitchen, and a noble one it is — and 

 our only inmates the old landlady and her servant girl." — " What then 

 has become of that sinister-looking fellow with the couteau 9 " — " Oh, 

 Signor, he is gone home to F — , where he lives, and is only occasionally 

 employed here out of charity. Non dubitate," he added, his kind open 

 brow lighting up, and apparently all the kinder for the fire and the food 

 of the cucina. I beckoned him to follov/ me, and at once shewed him 

 the cause of my uneasiness. The poor fellow turned away instinctively, 

 but after a pause, his eye glancing on the open missal and crucifix. " Ah ! 

 Signor, sara una povera morta nelle doglie del parto ! " I then slowly dis- 

 placed the pillow, and held the light to the offending part — the palpable 

 evidences of guilt. The effect was like lightning on poor Sebastian ; his 

 face and form alike M'ere white and still as marble. " Veramente, Signor, 

 questo e troppo orrible ! " and he rushed from the oratory. The girl soon 

 made her appeai'ance to remove my almost untasted supper. Uninten- 

 tionally offering her a glass of wine, she pushed it from her with a rude 

 hasty gesture, which escaped neither of us. It had been agreed between 

 us that we should separate no more, and Sebastian having intimated his 

 intention of sleeping in my chamber, the girl withdrew, and shortly aia 

 uniform stillness reigned throughout the old chateau. It was now late, 

 and the moon would set in half an hour ; we debated whether we should 

 quietly attempt to reach F — , or retrace our steps to A — . We had 

 ample ground for suspicion, but nothing like proof to declare those sus- 

 picions as a ground for our departure at this unseasonable hour ; nay, we 

 deemed it wiser to keep the secret of cur horrible discovery in the very 

 scene of its action, as any intimation of our dark knowledge of such a 

 crime (if crime there had been) could only hasten the catastrophe ; 

 the dmouement of which appeared entirelj- at the option and in the 

 power of our mysterious hosts, (for such there must have been), though, 

 we communicated only with the old beldame and her servant. It was 

 clear if any evil was intended, and if the character of the people to 

 whom we conceived ourselves committed was such as we had reason to 

 expect — it was clear we were in their toils ; the hasty disappearance of 

 the ruffian of the outhouse, the time which had elapsed, and the conse- 

 quent means of collecting his associates, would baffle any attempt of 

 effectual escape at this crisis, and we accordingly agreed to await the 

 issue where we v, ere, than hasten, by any overt act of suspicion and 

 distrust, the violent solution of an affair on less defensible ground. I 

 had a brace of pistols with me and a sv,'ord-stick, and having pnmed the 

 former, and laid the sword upon the table, I proceeded to pledge Sebas- 

 tian on the prospect of holding out till morning, supplied as we. were. 



