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

by Johannes Scotus

  CHAPTER XII.

  "Of horrid stabs in groves forlorn, And murders done in caves."--_Hood._

  From the time he heard the first shot up to the moment he saw his sonpierced by the brigand's weapon, Mr. Lennox had sat as if he was aneffigy and not a man, the father of him who had nobly died for him, andthe senseless girl who had sunk against him in a swoon. Whether it wasabject fear, or whether he was stunned by the horrid murder of his sonand the fainting state of Caroline, or whether both preyed on the oldman's mind we know not, but certain it is he sat as if powerless,insensible, crushed.

  "To work, comrades," cried the captain of the band; "you, my Pedro, haveably spun yon fiery coxcomb, but more remains to be done. Pedro, lay ahand on the jewels, you know where they lie. I myself will see what theold dotard is about."

  Whilst Pedro hastened to the trunk where the jewels were hidden, Luigidismounted; followed by Adrian and several others, he approached thecarriage-door. Roused for an instant from his fearful lethargy, Mr.Lennox aimed the pistol he held in his hand at the first intruder'shead, and fired, narrowly missing Luigi, who little expected such awelcome. As it was, the smoke so clouded him, suffocating him with itssulphurous vapour, that for an instant he was as it were knocked back.

  "The old devil! who would have thought of that? Iddio! I had a narrowescape: the rascal! he shall suffer for it!" exclaimed the iratechieftain, as he rushed forward at the old gentleman, who had after thissudden outburst again relapsed into dastardly inaction. "You old viper!I've got you now, and by Heaven I'll teach you to fire at me that way!here, Adrian, help us to drag the venomous old toad from his hole."

  Without waiting for the assistance he asked, Luigi, seizing the old manby the shoulder, dragged him forth notwithstanding his cries for mercy.

  "Pity my grey hairs! pity a father you have left sonless! spare me, oh!gentlemen, for God's sake! mercy! misericordia! for the sake of God--forthe Virgin!"

  "Cease whining in your villainous Italian, and ask for mercy in goodEnglish, you drivelling old poltroon," cried Luigi, in that tongue, forhe had hitherto spoken in Italian.

  He still held his prostrate foe by the arm with an iron grip, menacingdeath with his naked dagger. Had it not been for the dire reality andfatal signs of murder around, there was something almost ludicrous inthe scene. Lying on his back, with his grey hair tangled and torn by hisrough usage, his hands clasped together in beseeching agony, tears ofterror streaming down his face, his countenance betraying awful fright,Mr. Lennox presented a remarkable contrast to the stern brigand, who,kneeling with one knee on his fallen captive, played with a shiningdagger in one hand, whilst with the other he held his prisoner firm. Therobber's countenance showed mingled contempt for his antagonist, if aresistless prisoner may so be called, and joy at having thus a foe inhis power. But the scene was too terribly bloody for a smile; thefather's foot rested against the body of his dead son, a little furtheroff lay the corpse of the postilion with his limbs drawn together in theagony of his dying struggle, whilst fierce men on all sides cursed andswore as they dragged forth the baggage from the carriage, rudelybreaking the lids, and scattering the articles on the road in theirsearch for gold or precious things. Some of the band stood mute admirersof the scene of carnage and rapine, others were passionless lookers on,whilst one appeared to regard with horror the whole outrage. Thissolitary instance amongst a band infamous for its butcheries was AdrianVardarelli. Leaning against his horse from which he had dismounted, heregarded the various incidents with a look approaching to disgust,--oncewhen he saw the face of Mr. Lennox as he was torn from his carriage,this look changed to one of intense surprise; but again he reposed intohis former state of indolent disapproval. When Mr. Lennox heard hisnative tongue spoken where he least expected it, and by one he leastimagined to know it, a sudden feeling of joy thrilled through him.

  An Englishman, then, the captain of the band was, he knew it by hisaccent; he knew that some of the fiercest brigands had been hiscountrymen, but he felt a conviction, bad as he was, brutal as was hisconduct, there was yet an appeal to his mercy as a fellow countryman,and he would try if there was not in his black heart a chord thatresponded.

  "Capitano," he cried, "I am an Englishman, so are you. Oh! for the sakeof our mutual land--for the love of God and man--for the sake ofEngland, your native home,--spare me, spare my daughter; take my money,take all, but save my life."

  "Look at me, you cowardly old rascal, look at me; do you not know me?then ask yourself if you have cause to expect mercy; no, by G-- I toldyou a reckoning time would come, it has come, and d--n me if I let itslip."

  It is not in the power of language to tell the surprise of Mr. Lennox,as he gazed on the speaker, and in Luigi Vardarelli, the terror of theCapitanata, the scourge of the Abruzzi and all the south of Italy,beheld his old acquaintance Captain John de Vere.

  "Ha! Lennox, old boy," continued the robber, "you little thought LuigiVardarelli was your old friend the Captain. Egad I little thought, whenPedro brought me the news to-day an old gentleman, his son and daughter,with rich jewels, passed this way, that it was my old friend Lennox. Itold you a dozen years ago you might live to repent your words to methat night; you have lived to do so, and by the Almighty you shallrepent it,--your life alone shall satisfy me."

  Poor Mr. Lennox, who had been comforting himself with the hopes that oldfriendship would at least save his life, saw all his visions vanish likesmoke with the last dreadful words; yet he determined he would not losehis life for want of asking. During their converse the Captain had lethis unfortunate prisoner loose from the iron grip with which he had tillthen detained him, and now stood calmly scrutinizing his suppliant.

  "Oh, Captain de Vere, noble Captain de Vere, for the sake of oldfriendship, spare me, for the sake of the Earl, your departed sister,have pity on me, an aged, helpless man. Why should you take my life? Ihave done you no harm; leave me to finish my life in peace; spare me tomy daughter. Oh! you have had your revenge in slaying my son, the hopeof my age. Oh! stay your sword."

  "Name not your son in the same breath with your abject supplications; hedied a man, he had some pluck in him, but sirrah! you are a disgrace toyour name--a disgrace to Britain, and all your entreaties will not moveme. I will hang you on the next tree and rid the world of such apoltroon."

  "Then if you have no mercy in your black heart--if you have no naturalpity in your reptile blood--hear me as an Englishman. I tell you a heavyretribution will fall on you if you shed my blood. I am a Briton, andHis Majesty's liege subject. I am his special servant; dread him, boldrobber, he will send his armies and root such accursed bloodthirstywolves from this country."

  "Ha, you speak very fine, my brave fellow, but I scorn your threats asmuch as your entreaties. I have long renounced my allegiance to yourbesotted king; here his armies and navies are alike useless: besides, mybravo, who will tell his most sacred Majesty that his servant hangs likea felon on a nut-tree? But egad, we waste time arguing with a cowardlyold miscreant like this. Pedro, swing him up on yon tree."

  "You dare not--oh heavens! you dare not--the Earl--the King--oh, no,no," embracing the very hessians of the bandit. "Captain de Vere, forauld lang syne, pardon me, I know not what I say, hang me not like adog."

  "As you are one, that were no great fault; but perhaps you wish a littletorture first. Pedro, Antonio, twist the rope round his forehead first,till his eyes start a little."

  "Good God! you surely joke, you would not, you could not do so,"exclaimed the unfortunate man, as he saw these desperados approach tofulfil their master's order.

  "I joke not," replied the Captain; "you think I am a woman, and turnpale at the sight of blood. I have not been pirate and bandit a dozenyears for nothing, by G--. I have not roamed torrid and temperate zone,or pitched shiploads of niggers into the sea to grow sick at a littlebloodshed, or merciful because an old coward asks for mercy. I have seena dozen better men than thee, old dotard, tortured and beheaded, andthink you I joke; ye gods, you will find me another
man than you think.Did you hear me, sirrahs? do my bidding, or Iddio! I'll serve you thesame. And hark you, if he chatters for mercy any more, tear his viletongue out by the roots."

  These awful commands would doubtless have been carried out to the letterhad not Adrian, or, as our readers must have already guessed, EdwardL'Estrange, then stepped forward, and pleaded for an old friend.

  "Nay, Luigi, hurt not the poor old imbecile, he is not worth yourinterest. Hands off, villains!" (to the two ruffians who were about tobegin their work of butchery). "Heed them not, old man, I will not letthem harm you, for the sake of old and better days."

  "God bless you, Edward L'Estrange, you had ever a feeling heart! Godbless you for befriending an old, and friendless man, who has fallenamong thieves! God be merciful to you for saving a poor fellowcreature's life!" exclaimed the poor man when his tormentors departed.

  The Captain bit his lips. "You were ever a soft-hearted fool, and wouldbe better occupied in wooing your lady-love, or in writing sonnets toanother's bride, than aiding in any manly exploit; but, hark you, I willspare only his tortures--not his life. He fired at me, and by heaven hedies for it! I am captain here, no one shall countermand my orders."

  "Edward L'Estrange, for the love of God, say something for me."

  "I can do no more; he is captain. God knows if I was, your blood shouldnot stain my hand; be thankful I have saved you from torture."

  Poor Lennox thought he had small cause for thankfulness.

  "Are we to loiter here all day? By heavens, my comrades! heard you eversuch a noise about an old fool's life before? Egad, one would thinkthere were two captains here. Every command is reversed! Which will youhave as a leader--Adrian or me? Which will do most for you--he or I?Whom will you obey? By G--, it's time there was some understanding."

  "You, you, you shall be our chief, _al diavolo_ with Adrian, thefaint-hearted fool!" exclaimed Pedro; all the rest assented.

  "Then obey me only," said the Captain; "we shall have the sbirri here inhalf an hour more, unless we come to quarters. Here, hang, shoot,strangle, or behead yon rascally dotard--which will you have, Lennox?there's store of deaths, choose away and be sharp! You are dumb, areyou? Then I'll choose for you. Antonio cut his head off, and stick it ona pole; he ever soared high, he shall be higher after death than beforeit. Toss that carrion into the ravine," pointing to the postilion, "andwhip off that lad's head, too, and stick it on a pole opposite hisfather's; and now for the girl."

  We turn our backs on the scene that followed, and shut our ears to theheart-rending cries for mercy. Enough to say in less time than we havetaken to write this, the heads of the unhappy father and son were cutoff, and whilst the bleeding trunks were left as they lay, the ghastlyheads were stuck on two poles, and elevated on either side of the road.

  Turning a deaf ear and merciless eye to the butchery, the Captainapproached the carriage, on the floor of which the hapless Caroline layin a dead faint.

  "Ha! not ill-looking by any means. Come, my girl, cheer up," applyingsome brandy to her nose, whilst another robber flung some water on thesenseless girl's face. These restoratives had the desired effect, andthe poor girl opened her eyes; at the same time crying out, "My poorfather, is he alive? Oh! spare him, noble sirs!"

  "He is well--that is the old man--and will remain so if his daughterwill be Luigi's bride," said the hard-hearted Captain.

  "Oh, God be thanked--but my brother?"

  "Heed not him, come away; here Pedro, Adrian, you were ever a lady'sman, give this girl a swing on my horse, and take her down to the cave;she will do to drive away my hours of ennui."

  L'Estrange stooped down and lifted her in his arms: taking her out ofthe carriage, he let her slowly fall down from his arms till her feettouched the ground; he turned her head away from the poles with theirghastly heads. His face betrayed convulsive emotions, as if he wasplanning something within.

  "Why burden yourself with her, Capitano?" said Pedro, "there are fairergirls than she in Avellino; she will be a burden, and ever moping andcrying, like your last Inglese girl."

  "You speak sooth, d--n me if you don't. What do I want with the pigeon?Wring her neck, and let's be off with our booty."

  "Luigi," said L'Estrange, for by that name he had long learned toaddress him, "you have had your way with the old man--you have dippedyour hands already in innocent blood--leave this girl to me, let her bemy prize."

  As he spoke these words poor Caroline had detected the cruel reality,and, giving a wild scream as she glanced towards the fatal poles andtheir dreadful burdens, again swooned and sunk down on the ground at herprotector's feet.

  "You chicken-hearted fool, you were ever a blockhead when women fell inyour way, but this girl is my prize, and I'll do what I please with her.See, the silly dove has gone and swooned again. Egad, you make a nicepair. Come, Adrian, away with such folly; run your dagger through herheart, and let's away, or we shall bring the whole country buzzing aboutour ears."

  "Protect me, sir; oh, protect me," cried Caroline, awakening again fromher swoon, and as if by instinct seeing in him a deliverer.

  "I will--fear not, maiden."

  "Can you?" roared the Captain. "Are you able? Ye powers! he dares me,his captain!"

  "You are not my captain, I renounce my allegiance. I have long beensickened by your brutalities. I wanted but an excuse to shake off anaccursed yoke. I am free; henceforth I forsake your band. I will protectthis girl. Thank God, black as my heart is--dark as my crimes havebeen--I have something human left still; let me see who will touch her!"

  Whilst he spoke these words a dark light beamed on his face, his eyesseemed to flash fire; beneath him knelt the poor girl, who had flown tohim for protection, around him scowled the brigands, struck dumb at thissudden rebellion.

  The Captain's very aspect darkened, as with a stern voice he againasked, "Comrades, who is to be captain?--whose is the girl?"

  "Thou art--she is yours," exclaimed twenty voices.

  "Then renounce your booty, give up your prize, obey your chief!miscreant, fool, rebel, accursed and d----d, yield thee!" he shoutedrather than spoke these words, and, as he spoke, he advanced to whereL'Estrange stood.

  Never did fierce tiger guard its prey as L'Estrange did his suppliant;his whole frame trembled with passion, his mouth quivered, his eyesrolled fire.

  "Back on your life; tempt me not," he cried, in a voice shuddering fromwrath; "she is mine, I will guard her to death--I will save her, I will;fear not, maiden."

  As the dove trembles when the hawk approaches--as the chicken hidesbeneath its mother's wing when the kite poises above--so trembledCaroline, so did she crouch beneath her protector, as the fierce Captainstepped forward.

  The rest of the brigands stood still in a circle round, they were men,and they loved to see manly resistance; it would be hard to tell whichof the two had most well-wishers. They saw L'Estrange was no coward, nofaint heart, although merciful. They knew the Captain's character, andin silence watched. There was not one there who would give unwarrantableassistance to either,--the two must fight it out--they only looked on.

  "Save _yourself_, Adrian, save yourself, L'Estrange; see yonder come thetroops," pointing down the vale, up which came a large detachment ofmounted sbirri; "yet," laying his hand on Caroline's shoulder, whilstshe shrunk from his touch, "never shall it be said mortal man bearded meliving. I am captain, I will have my lawful captive, and," lifting hisbright dagger, "now yield thee, give her up. I will be chief--nothingbut death shall make me yield my authority."

  "Then die!" cried L'Estrange, striking a back-blow at his enemy with hisstiletto. It sunk beneath the blade of the Captain's right shoulder.

  "Oh, God! you have killed me, villain! oh, God! I am done for!"ejaculated the unhappy man, as he sunk backwards. At the same instant adozen gunshots rent the air, and the robbers were surrounded on everyside by enemies.

  "What have I done?" exclaimed L'Estrange, gazing at the ghastly face ofthe Captain. "I have killed him! God forgive me!"<
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  Then, throwing Caroline across the saddle-bow of his horse which stoodbeside him, he himself mounted in an instant, and, casting a hurriedglance at the new foe and his late comrades, struck his spurs into hiscourser's flanks, and dashed through the sbirri, managing his horse withhis knees; holding Caroline with one hand, whilst with the other hewhirled his sabre over his head, cutting his way right and left throughthe sbirri. A dozen pistol-balls followed his flight from bothfriends--at least former ones,--and enemies; but he seemed charmed,--nobullet struck him, and he was soon beyond range both of ball and vision.

  The fight and its awful end had so engaged the bandits, they did notmark the new enemy approach, and gradually surround them: when, however,the first shot was fired, and one of their band fell mortally wounded,they were soon up and doing.

  The two conflicts went on together for a few moments; then the Captainfell, and the sbirri, seeing the champion sink, rushed again on theirfoes with renewed energy.

  The robbers were not men to be taken by surprise, as the sbirri found totheir cost. They were all mounted in an instant; and the most of them,well acquainted with the ground, which their antagonists were not,disappeared in the woods, and from behind the trees kept up a tellingfire. Man after man dropped before the unseen shots, and the fewremaining soon began to lose spirit. When their Captain fell, and Adriangalloped off with his prize, a yell of vengeance arose from thebrigands; and one of joy from the sbirri. The former--at least half adozen who still remained--rushed to protect him from the latter, whostrove to gain possession of the prize. A terrible hand-to-hand conflictwas fought over the wounded man, who laughed as he saw them so grimlyengage; for though mortally, he was only wounded as yet, and might livemany hours.

  Several bullets were, as we have already said, fired after theretreating L'Estrange. The battle still went on over the Captain; thesbirri wavered,--they yielded, and then fled. But they did not escape;every man was shot or cut down, and not even one escaped alive to tellthe tale! The successful belligerents then took up their woundedcaptain, as well as the plunder, and diving into the woods, sought theircave, leaving five dead, and carrying home four more wounded besidestheir chief Luigi.

  About half an hour after the conflict had ceased, and the brigands weregone, a solitary figure emerged from the woods, crossed himself when hesaw the numerous corpses, and the poles with their bleeding trophies,and whistled, faintly at first, as if afraid of the reappearance of theenemy, then louder. His whistle was answered by plaintive neighs, and inless than ten minutes two of the four horses trotted up to thepostilion; by-and-by a third also appeared; after some time he succeededin harnessing his horses to the despoiled carriage, and set off alonefor Foggia.

  He had not proceeded far, however, ere the temporary fastenings he hadmade gave way, and the carriage once more came to a stand-still. Thepostilion alighted, and then, giving the other horses their freedom,mounted one, on which he galloped to the Earl's villa, bearing with hima scarf dyed with blood which had belonged to Caroline, as a dread tokenof the truth of his tale.