The Weird of the Wentworths: A Tale of George IV's Time, Vol. 2

by Johannes Scotus

  CHAPTER XI.

  _Speed._--"Sir, we are undone! these are the villains That all the travellers do fear so much." _Two Gentlemen of Verona._

  Mr. Lennox, about seven years after the events we narrated in the lastchapter, was sitting in his drawing-room with several of his children,as well as his grandchildren, around him. Louisa, whom we recollect atthe picnic, we should have before stated had succeeded in captivatingour friend Mr. Scroop, of Scroop Hall, and rejoiced her lord's heartalready with two little Scroops, who promised to prove chips off the oldblock. Both she, her husband, and the two boys were present, as werealso two other married daughters, and the only son, a wild but amiableyoung fellow at Cambridge.

  Although Mr. Lennox had lost his partner in life since we last saw him,the world evidently had run smoothly with him. Through the Earl'sinterest he had obtained a very lucrative appointment in the RegisterHouse, in the Sasines office, and though his hair was sprinkled withsnow, otherwise he was the same comfortable looking, self-satisfied man;proud of himself, his house, his hospitality, his children and nowgrandchildren. He had managed to get off three of his six daughters, onehad died a few years ago, and one was engaged to a young Baronet; theyoungest, and best looking he destined for some still higher lover!Indeed, Caroline was worthy a better lot than awaited her. She was talland elegant in figure; her dark hair almost black, brilliant eyes andhigh colour gave an air of more than dashing beauty to her face. To thisshe added the accomplishments of singing and requisite artistic talents,besides possessing winning manners, wit and talent in conversation. Mr.Lennox considered her the flower of his family, the golden cord to hisseven-stringed lyre, of which one string was only as yet broken; he wasnever tired of showing off the painting and drawings of hisdaughter,--he was anxious to bring her out on every occasion, and tookcare that everybody heard and admired her singing, her conversation, andher personal charms. Of William his son he was also vain to a degree,and in his bringing up had totally neglected all proper discipline, orinculcating a style of economy in living at all commensurate with hismeans. The consequence was at seventeen young Lennox was aconglomeration of personal conceit--vanity of dress--and dogmaticalpedantry. From his father he had inherited a pleasing exterior, had beencrammed with learning from his infancy; and, from all he had heard ofthe way the young De Veres had behaved when they excited the wonder andenvy of all the country round, he had imbibed the idea it was a grandthing to be fast, and so he had shaped his course, quite forgetting hewanted the means to be so, and already he was deep in the secrets of theJews, and all the vices of juvenile depravity. When his follies weretold to his father he would say, "William is adolescent yet--when hegrows matured in years he will become wiser. The Earl of Wentworth wasalso fast when young, but he is now quite sobered down--every young manmust sow his wild oats."

  "Yo, ho! what a dull hole this is!" exclaimed William Lennox, yawning."What on earth shall I do with myself? Ha! I know, I shall go and seeMrs. Siddons act."

  "William, my son, I fear the stage has too great allurements for yourmind! but still I can fancy you must find this dulness intolerable. Atany rate you will be earlier to-night, won't you, my boy?"

  "I'll see, governor--don't wait up for me; I've got a pass key," and theyoung man sauntered from the room, leaving the rest to amuse themselveswithout him.

  "I am afraid William gets to no good at that theatre," said Scroop."What a state he came home in last night! he'll ruin his constitution ifhe goes on so."

  "He is but a boy--he will grow wiser in time--poor fellow, I do feel forhim!" said his father.

  "You should check it while he is young; look at John de Vere: it wasjust that way he began his course," said Scroop again.

  "I hope you do not think my dear William will turn out so utterlydegraded as that most unfortunate and evil principled young man! PoorWilliam! it is only a little harmless extravagance I can blame him foryet."

  "Little beginnings you know; watch the first sign of decay, stop theearliest symptoms of decline."

  "Have you ever heard any tidings of that singular character?--he was themost dark-minded, mysterious man I ever met in all my travels," said Mr.Lennox, anxious to change the conversation.

  "The Earl has I believe caused every inquiry to be made, but up till nowwithout any result. The last, you know, that was ever heard of them wastheir sailing in a terrific snow-storm from Leith. I say them, for Ineed no longer hide the fact that the Count Czinsky was none other thanEdward L'Estrange."

  "You astonish me. Why did you never let this transpire before? does theEarl know it?"

  "He does not; to tell the truth my promise not to let this out was anextorted one, and I consider myself no longer bound to keep it,especially as there is little doubt that both of them have long sincepaid the debt of nature, and no doubt secured a fearful reckoning withtheir Maker. Certainly that Weird in the family is a wonderful thing! Atfirst I doubted it--but now we have the evidence of our own senses! Onlythe Earl left! Lady Arranmore burned at nineteen, Lady Florence dead ofconsumption at almost the same age, Frank de Vere killed in India at thehead of his men gallantly cutting his way through the enemy, and theCaptain, as far as we know, drowned years ago! The Earl is young yet,and if he does die so I shall think it the most marvellous curse."

  "The untimely fates of that family," said Louisa, "have quite cast agloom on the Old Towers: the Earl has not been there since the funeralof his son: he has become quite a foreigner. I think he always lives atNaples now."

  "How I should like to do so," said Caroline; "that charming Naples--itis my day dream to see it some day. Do you not think, papa, we shouldmake the tour some winter when you have your leave?"

  "I should certainly like nothing better, Carry. We have travelled--letme see--through France, Germany, Prussia, the Rhine and Switzerland,Italy alone remains; we shall see, darling. Some day perhaps I may takemy Caroline to show the Italian donnas what an English beauty is."

  "Louisa, love," said Scroop, "our little boys should be off tobed--shouldn't they?"

  "I will take them upstairs, and then we can have some music or playcards. I wish William would stay more at home! Come, dears, it's time tosay good-night to grandpapa."

  Scarcely had the young Hopefuls departed with their mother than the postcame in, and a foreign letter arrived for Mr. Lennox. He broke the seal,and read it with an expression of great joy on his face.

  "Whenever we converse about our friends we are sure to hear about them.Here's a letter from Lord Wentworth, in which he says, as he knows Igenerally take a tour during my winter's vacation, he hopes I will payhim a visit at Foggia, where he is now residing, a lovely place inCapitanata. He wishes us to come by Naples, as he trusts I will bringone or more of my family. I am sure this is most considerate and kind.As I require amusement after my toilsome labours as much as William doesafter his Cambridge term, I shall most decidedly accept for myself,William, who must see the world, and my little Carry; you will come,won't you, my darling?"

  "Oh, I shall be so delighted--I did so wish to see Italy!"

  "And then, my love, think under what auspicious circumstances we shallsee it with the Earl, and that will give us an introduction to the bestsociety there!"

  "I fancy Foggia cannot boast of much society--the Earl is quite retirednow I hear," said Scroop. "However, it is an interesting town--there isthe Cathedral, with the famous image of the Virgin, the gates ofFrederick's palace, and there Manfred won his victory. Then, on the way,you see Naples. By-the-by though, you pass the Val di Bovino--the hauntof all the brigands! you will have to take care of them!"

  "Oh! we shall have no need to fear them. I and William armedcap-a-pie--and the postilions and all, will be enough to scare them."

  "Don't be over sure, and take some sbirri with you, I advise you; thereis Luigi Vardarelli, the great chief there, and his band is so powerfulhe will stop whole tribes of peasants, and rob them of their cattle andgold."

  "Ha!
he will find William and me different metal, if the rascal tries tostop us!"

  In this way they all talked on till late. William Lennox was stillabsent, and the lady part of the family retired, whilst Mr. Lennox andScroop sat up to let him in. They had a long watch, for it was onlyafter three had struck the young worthy made his appearance in a horridstate of intoxication. Mr. Lennox was really much concerned, and annoyedat this _expose_ of his favourite to his own son-in-law, however, he gothis poor boy to bed as quietly as possible, and himself soughtMorpheus's charms.

  Young Lennox was well pleased when he next morning heard the plan, anddeclared he would give the Italian robbers cause to know he had not beenunder Angelo in vain, should they risk an encounter. In a few weeksanother letter in answer to Mr. Lennox's acceptance was received, inwhich the Earl pressed him to come immediately; they were quite alone,excepting the Marquis, who was paying the Countess and himself a visit.In conclusion, he begged Mr. Lennox to call at the Towers and give anenclosed note to old Andrew, who would give him a jewel-case of theCountess's, who was anxious to have them for the spring at Rome; hebegged him not to let Luigi, the terror of the Capitanata, get hold ofthe jewels, and also impressed on his friend the necessity of taking anescort of sbirri on the road from Naples to Foggia. Mr. Lennox wascertainly somewhat alarmed at these notices, and almost determined toleave Caroline behind; but the young lady so coaxed her father to lether go, he at last consented, saying only, if she was run off with, andbecame Luigi's bride, it was not his fault. The romantic girl was quiteready to run any risk for the pleasure of seeing Naples and Italy, andWilliam was quite wild in his anxiety to show off his fencing, andalmost began to wish an encounter with this celebrated bandit.

  Early in December, Mr. Lennox, his son, and youngest daughter started ina vessel from Leith bound for Naples, carrying with him the case ofjewellery, which was somewhat larger than he imagined, and from oldAndrew's special caution not to let his eye off it, seemed to be ofimmense value. He was rather sorry he had been chosen to carry them, andcould not help wishing the Earl had selected any other person in theworld but himself. Nothing unusual happened on their voyage. They hadrough weather in the Channel, rougher in the Bay of Biscay, and roughestin the Mediterranean, which Mr. Lennox had assured his children would belike a millpond. None of them proved very good sailors, and they wereall delighted when Vesuvius appeared and they came to rest in the PortoGrande. Two or three days at Naples quite re-invigorated them aftertheir stormy passage, and they made all the excursions that travellersgenerally make; saw the galleries, the lions of the city, walked everyevening along the Villa Reale, and were quite charmed with the foreignaspect of the place, the costumes of the peasants, and white housesalong the whiter sands edging the dark blue Mediterranean. They werealso disgusted with the lazzaroni beggars, passport officials, and theextreme dirtiness of the back streets, as well as broiled by the sun.The vettura corriere, or mail coach, started at midnight for Otranto,and as it passed Foggia, Mr. Lennox determined to take it so far. Atmidnight, accordingly, he and his party appeared at the coach office tosecure places; unfortunately, though they got their places and werecomfortably settled, some passengers for Taranto, Bari, and other placesstill further on the route, also arrived, and they were accommodatedwith seats, whilst Mr. Lennox, his son, and Caroline in the most surlymanner were bid to alight and informed they could not be taken. Mr.Lennox stormed, swore, and threatened the English ambassador should beconsulted, and a hundred other calamities occur for stopping him andturning him out in this unjustifiable way. It was all to nopurpose,--their baggage was tossed out, and the mail drove off. After agood deal of fighting, Mr. Lennox managed to get his fares refunded, anda couple of hours later drove off in a hired vehicle with four horsesand two postilions. At Marigliano our travellers stopped for breakfast,spending a couple of hours in seeing what was to be seen. They againstarted off with fresh horses to Cardinale, a small village at the footof the mountains; here they took advantage of a miserable table d'hote,and gladly set off again up the steep hill-side. First a valley wascrossed full of vineyards and nut trees, besides orchards filled withapples and other fruits, above them spread dense chestnut forests.Crossing a deep ravine, their carriage slowly climbed a tremendousascent, from the top of which they commanded a grand view of the wideplains of Lavoro, till at last they rested half an hour at Monteforte,and thence began the descent to Avellino through a narrow valley, withthe hills on either side thickly wooded with nut trees. Soon they sawthe poplar rows which told them their first day's labours were over, andthey gladly put up at a far more comfortable inn than they had yet seensince they left Naples. Young Lennox took a stroll through the town, anddeclared he saw more beauty than he had ever seen in one evening beforeall his life. Indeed they had an excellent example of the famous beautyof the women of Avellino in the daughter of their host, a most perfectItalian beauty, who might have sat for the Madonna della Seggiola. Earlynext morning they breakfasted with all the travellers by the vettura,which had also rested there the first night. During the meal a good dealwas said about the celebrated banditti that then haunted the Val diBovino.[C] The most wondrous stories of the power and prowess of LuigiVardarelli were freely conversed on, and Mr. Lennox began quite to wishhimself at home again. His son professed to discredit them, and declaredhis feats must be grossly exaggerated. After their morning meal, a smartdrive up the hilly but romantic road brought them to Dentecane; thencethey drove to the Grotto Minarda, situate in the middle of cornfields,where they lunched, and then passed on past Ariano, also celebrated forits female beauty, to Savignano, which they reached as the light beganto decline, having loitered a good deal by the road. Here nothing butthe name of Luigi filled every mouth, and the landlord, anxious todetain customers, assured them it was madness to think of passingthrough the Val di Bovino that night, as they would certainly beattacked. Having no wish to come to close quarters with the desperados,Mr. Lennox and his daughter readily obliged their host by staying, andWilliam was fain, much against his will, to rest there too. It was amiserable post house--one which is now totally disused,--but the Italianlandlord did everything to try and make the evening pleasant, and hisdaughter, a fine, handsome young girl of twenty, was quite in William'sway, and he talked his best Italian to her, whilst his father and sisterlistened to their host's tales of horror about the two Vardarelli, tillthey almost trembled with fear. Shortly after their dinner a horsemanrode up to the inn, and, dismounting, said he would stay there for thenight. Our host left his friends, and was busy introducing his newarrival to the remains of the table d'hote served up as new. Thetraveller, however, appeared exceedingly moderate in his tastes, andhardly touched anything. Mr. Lennox and Caroline could not helpoccasionally turning their eyes on the new guest; he was short and veryslight in form, but his face was perfect; a slightly arched, finelychiselled nose, dark, piercing eyes, and well-made mouth, gave quite apoetic cast to his features, which his long black hair and melancholycountenance fully kept up. He seemed agitated and flushed, as if he hadeither met with some disaster, or was travelling at an unwonted speed.Mr. Lennox, after he had seen his wants satisfied, with English bonhomieasked him if he would not join their table, and drink wine together?After a little hesitation the invitation was accepted, the young man'smelancholy quickly passed away before the social glass, and he beganlaughing and talking like any of them. He seemed well-educated andconnected, and by-and-by let out he was a Count Cesare, who lived nearFoggia, knew the Wentworths well, and had just started from their villaat Foggia towards Naples. He said he had been chased by some of thenotorious brigands nearly up to the inn yard, and that might account forhis excited conduct when he first arrived. The ice being once broken,Mr. Lennox, like all Englishmen, told his new acquaintance his wholehistory in a couple of hours; how he was an intimate friend of LordWentworth; was then going to see him, and carrying valuable jewellery.

  The Count praised his judgment in not proceeding further that night,advised him to place the jewellery in the trunk-b
ox of his carriage, andnot to carry it inside as he had been doing, and, above all, charged himnot to trust the sbirri, who, he said, were usually confederate with thebanditti, and even if not were worthless cowards. He said he couldrecommend two young men who were relatives of their host, who wouldaccompany them next day through the valley into the Apulian plains asfar as Pozzo d'Alberto; thence it was only ten miles to theirdestination. Mr. Lennox thanked his friend much, and willingly followedhis advice. The two young men were introduced by their host, and lookedwell able to defend their charge, armed as they were with pistols andstilettos. Mr. Lennox also took pistols, and his son carried a sword, sothey were well prepared at least, and the Count told them they wouldprobably have no need of weapons, only prevention was better than cure.Mutually pleased, they separated for their different apartments,bestowing their praises on the accommodation, Mr. Lennox to dream of theEarl's reception of him and his children, William of the fair Giuliawith whom he had lost his heart, Caroline of brigands, and the Count, ashe called himself, not to dream, but to think what a gull he had gothold of in Mr. Lennox! Count Cesare was in fact only a member of theVardarelli's band, who had thus gleaned all the information he wantedfor Luigi, and left two of his men to act the part of guardians. Thelandlord and his daughter Giulia were old hands at their trade, andwould probably share their guest's plunder.

  Early next morning, after a most unpleasant night, owing to themusquitoes and other insects that prevented them from almost closingtheir eyes, our travellers arose, little dreaming what was in store forthem. They were disappointed to find that their friend, the Count, hadleft for Naples at an early hour--so he bade the inn-keeper say--as theyhad anticipated his pleasant company at breakfast. Mr. Lennox then hadto pay a most extortionate charge, notwithstanding his utmost efforts toreduce it. William after actually prevailing on his inamorata to bestowa parting salute, buckled on his sword, loosened it in the scabbard, andfelt himself a hero. The two false guards mounted behind. Mr. Lennoxhanded his daughter into the carriage, and after his son, who talkedloud of his hopes for a brush with the miscreants, got in himself also,the postilions whipped up and began the steep descent into the Val diBovino, shortly after leaving Montaguto.

  The early sun was bright and warm, the air clear, the scenery exquisite;every one felt in grand spirits as they trotted down the narrow defilethrough cornfields and hemp-fields, with the river Cervaro gushing by.Soon the mountains, so steep as to seem inaccessible, closed nearer in,dense woods on either side of acacia and other trees almost shut out thedaylight. When they were perhaps more than half way through, apistol-shot resounded through the woods! In an instant the postilionsdrew up their horses with a loud cry--"The bandits--the bandits--theVardarelli--we are undone!"[D]

  "Drive on, drive on, for the love of heaven," cried Mr. Lennox, palewith fear--but his voice was unheard.

  Another pistol-shot resounded, and this close by; its aim was fatal tothe foremost postilion, who fell a corpse off his terrified horse. Theother man leapt down and fled into the woods like a hare. William leaptout too, and drawing his sword whirled it round his head, crying totheir guards to fight, to do their duty, and defend his sister! Alas!the guards were not there--they too had disappeared! He now lookeddespairingly for aid; his father, poor old man, was white as a sheet,and trembling with fear held the pistol cocked in one hand, andsupported Caroline, who was in a dead swoon, in the other. Thepostilions--one was dead, the other flown! What should he do to save hisfamily from their as yet unseen foe? A thought struck him, he woulddrive on! Just as he was about to put his thought into execution, anddrive on the horses, which stood as if petrified too--a confused soundof trampling of steeds--oaths of men, clashing of arms--rose on everyside, and as if by magic the carriage was surrounded by at least fortybrigands. One, a dark-looking man, but evidently not a native, wasconspicuous from the coal-black steed he bestrode, and his commandingmanner. This was Luigi Vardarelli. Near him rode another singularlyresembling him: this was Adrian Vardarelli; he saw another there heleast expected to see--their friend the Count, of last evening! Close tothis man rode two others, their quondam guardians! The remaining robberswere all fierce, bloodthirsty looking men. All this was seen in a momentby the unfortunate youth. He saw they were betrayed--he saw his deathwas near--and with a high resolve we could scarcely have thought theyoung man capable of feeling, he determined to try and save his fatherand sister by self-devotion.

  "Gentlemen," he cried in Italian, "you could not hurt my aged parent,nor helpless sister! I think too highly of you--you are too noble to doso! take all we have--take me--and have your vengeance on my head, butspare my father,--spare my sister! You too, sir," addressing the falseCount, "who have shared our hospitality, turn not your hand againstthem."

  Adrian Vardarelli seemed moved by the young man's speech, and saidsomething in his favour to the chieftain; but alas! in his face therewas not the shadow of mercy. He said something aside to the false Count,who advancing, leapt off his horse and gave a command in Italian to thetwo who had been their guards, who instantly cutting the traces, smotethe liberated horses, which set off at full speed, leaving the carriagealone on the road. The bandit then walking up struck the unfortunateyoung Lennox a blow on his cheek with the side of his sword, andcommanded him to draw. Smarting with the blow, which drew blood, andstill more with the insult, William rushed on his cool, wary antagonistwith blind fury. The conflict was short; all Angelo's tuition went fornothing against the robber, who was a master in the art of fencing. Inless than three passes he disarmed his foe, and stepping forward ran hisvengeful blade through and through William Lennox's heart! Then wipingthe blade on his fallen victim's clothes, he walked to his captain forfurther orders.