The Sicilian Bandit / From the Volume Captain Paul""

ina for Palermo; it was the ransom of the Prince Moncada Paterno; which, in consequence of a financial operation, which did great honour to the imaginatio

t is as curious as it is authentic, we think it deserves the trouble of being told; bes

the island of Pantalleria. He was carried, along with all his followers, to Algiers, and there the price of his ransom and that of his attendants was modestly fixed at t

ange for which he was to be liberated. As the Prince of Moncada Paterno was one of the richest noblemen in Sicily, the sum was easily made up and sent to Africa; and faithful to his promise, like a

order came from Ferdinand IV., who, seeing that he was at war with the regency, had no wish that his subjects should enrich his enemies; he therefor

h were sent to the infidel Corsair, and the other third placed at Messina in the hands of the Prince de Carini, the agent of the Christian pirate. This was the sum the viceroy was sending to Palermo, the seat of government, under the escort of four g

elf in ambuscade on the road between Divieto and Spadafora. He had remained there about an hour, when he heard the wheels of a waggon and the tramp of horsemen. He looked to the priming of h

advanced to within fifty paces of the man who was waiting for its coming up.

d of a peculiar whistle, his powerful dogs, trained

s if he were about to shoot at a mark, determining not to fire until the horseman was within ten paces of him; but the instant he placed his finger on the trigger, and before he had time to fire, both horse and man rolled in the dust. Ali had stealthily followed without saying a word t

ns in the hands of the young Arab, he desired him to take the waggon and the brigadier to the fortress. Bruno himself then went up to the wounded horse, took the brigadier's carbine from the saddle, to which it wa

his shoulder, carried him into a room, and placed him on a mattress on which he was in the habit of throwing himself with all his clothe

really awake. It was then that he felt a pain in his forehead, and placing his hand on it, he withdrew it covered with blood: he found that he was wounded. The wound brought back his recollection, and he remembered he had been stopped

nduct of his men. He looked round the room to discover if possible where he was; but everything was strange to him. He rose, went to the window, and saw that it overlooked the c

ly took possession of his mind. He looked round to ascertain whether he was really alone, and when he was satisfied that no one had seen or could see him, he seized the weapon, in which he saw a more hazardous means of safety, but a speedier vengeance. After having ascertained tha

e; then he went to a cupboard formed in the wall, and took out two plates, two glasses, two flasks of wine, and a roast shoulder of mutton, whic

y between the two. The brigadier, now a captain of the gens-d'armes at Messina, who has given us all these particulars, was lying down, as we have said, parallel

ook hold of it between the lock and the butt-end, and then remained an instant in that position without daring to make another movement, alarmed even at the beating of his own heart, which was so violent that the bandit might almost have heard it had he not been so entirely lost in thought; th

at his feet, held the object to the light, and, turning t

e they will be only flattened against me in this manner. However, I am happy you have so far recovered

ling on his head, and the perspiration standing in thick drops on his forehead. T

brigadier discharged his carbine, that is all; make

d laid himself down across the first door-way up

ds the brigadier and filling the two g

nce I have not been able to kill you, were you

he table, took up the glass, touched the brim

ur name?" a

of gens-d'armerie, at you

s hand on his shoulder, "you are a brave fellow, an

?" asked th

, "obtain the reward of three thous

lent idea," obser

in the meantime, as I am not yet tired of my life, take a sea

e I eat?" said Tommassi.

unpleasant to you," said the br

you like,"

e, under very difficult and trying circumstances, all that a brave soldier could do. Bruno kept him nobly in countenance; and, certainly, to see these two men seated at the same table, d

which they were engaged, and partly from the preoccupation of their minds. Paolo Tomm

e, certainly, and you do the honours of the table like a right-good fellow; but I

runo. "You will not keep me here as a pri

e devil should I do with

is not so bad; but-" he continued, evi

said Bruno, filling

his glass up before the lamp; "it is

d Bruno; "I

gry, I hope, at wha

ow my character better b

hat well," said the brigadier. "I am speakin

" observed Bruno, holding his gl

e brigadier; "but you understand m

ou shall take it wi

ouch

rt, considering the sum it contains. I shal

much?" asked the bri

thousand ounce

id the brigadier; "a good many people

the matter, for I will give you a r

rising, "that's well thought of, for it rem

asy about them," observe

t service by returning them

make a few small corrections as to particular signs; for instance, I have added charmed: the third paper is a letter from his excellency the viceroy to the Countess Gemma, of Castel Nuovo; and I have too much gratitude for this lady, who has lent me this castle of hers, to place any restraint on her loving correspo

apers, "and you appear to me to be an honester fellow th

no, "you will sleep the more pleasantly; by-the-by, I must give you one caution,

ed Bruno, and he went out of the room, leaving the brigadier to contin

on, together with a magnificent horse, and all the harness that belonged to the animal Ali's yataghan had rendered unserviceable. Bruno begged of his friend, Tommassi, to accept of this present as a

aces off, he cried out, "Above all, do not forget to give t

his head and disappeared r

ived from Signor Caesar Aletto, the notary of Calvaruso: it is, that it is probable that on the road to the fortress, the bandit took the precaut

ons, and they are at perfect liberty