During dinner the ladies conversed freely about “that horrid man,” wondering what plan he would adopt to try to effect an entrance among them.  They were convinced that some such attempt would be made, and the servants of the inn who waited on them were strictly charged to see that no one disturbed them.  However, their dinner was not interrupted and after it was over they began to think of retiring, so as to leave at an early hour on the following morning.  Minnie had already taken her departure, and the others were thinking of following her example, when a knock came at the door.

All started.  One of the maids went to the door, and found a servant there who brought a message from the Baron Atramonte.  He wished to speak to the ladies on business of the most urgent importance.  At this confirmation of their expectations the ladies looked at one another with a smile mingled with vexation, and Lady Dalrymple at once sent word that they could not possibly see him.

But the Baron was not to be put off.  In a few moments the servant came back again, and brought another message, of a still more urgent character, in which the Baron entreated them to grant him this interview, and assured them that it was a matter of life and death.

“He’s beginning to be more and more violent,” said Lady Dalrymple.  “Well, dears,” she added, resignedly, “in my opinion it will be better to see him, and have done with him.  If we do not, I’m afraid he will pester us further.  I will see him.  You had better retire to your own apartments.”

Upon this she sent down an invitation to the Baron to come up, and the ladies retreated to their rooms.

The Baron entered, and, as usual, offered to shake hands ­an offer which, as usual, Lady Dalrymple did not accept.  He then looked earnestly all round the room, and gave a sigh.  He evidently had expected to see Minnie, and was disappointed.  Lady Dalrymple marked the glance, and the expression which followed.

“Well, ma’am,” said he, as he seated himself near to Lady Dalrymple, “I said that the business I wanted to speak about was important, and that it was a matter of life and death.  I assure you that it is.  But before I tell it I want to say something about the row in Rome.  I have reason to understand that I caused a little annoyance to you all.  If I did, I’m sure I didn’t intend it.  I’m sorry.  There!  Let’s say no more about it.  ’Tain’t often that I say I’m sorry, but I say so now.  Conditionally, though ­that is, if I really did annoy any body.”

“Well, Sir?”

“Well, ma’am ­about the business I came for.  You have made a sudden decision to take this journey.  I want to know, ma’am, if you made any inquiries about this road before starting?”

“This road?  No, certainly not.”

“I thought so,” said the Baron.  “Well, ma’am, I’ve reason to believe that it’s somewhat unsafe.”

“Unsafe?”

“Yes; particularly for ladies.”

“And why?”

“Why, ma’am, the country is in a disordered state, and near the boundary line it swarms with brigands.  They call themselves Garibaldians, but between you and me, ma’am, they’re neither more nor less than robbers.  You see, along the boundary it is convenient for them to dodge to one side or the other, and where the road runs there are often crowds of them.  Now our papal government means well, but it ain’t got power to keep down these brigands.  It would like to, but it can’t.  You see, the scum of all Italy gather along the borders, because they know we are weak; and so there it is.”

“And you think there is danger on this road?” said Lady Dalrymple, looking keenly at him.

“I do, ma’am.”

“Pray have you heard of any recent acts of violence along the road?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Then what reason have you for supposing that there is any particular danger now?”

“A friend of mine told me so, ma’am.”

“But do not people use the road?  Are not carriages constantly passing and repassing?  Is it likely that if it were unsafe there would be no acts of violence?  Yet you say there have been none.”

“Not of late, ma’am.”

“But it is of late, and of the present time, that we are speaking.”

“I can only say, ma’am, that the road is considered very dangerous.”

“Who considers it so?”

“If you had made inquiries at Rome, ma’am, you would have found this out, and never would have thought of this road.”

“And you advise us not to travel it?”

“I do, ma’am.”

“What would you advise us to do?”

“I would advise you, ma’am, most earnestly, to turn and go back to Rome, and leave by another route.”

Lady Dalrymple looked at him, and a slight smile quivered on her lips.

“I see, ma’am, that for some reason or other you doubt my word.  Would you put confidence in it if another person were to confirm what I have said?”

“That depends entirely upon who the other person may be.”

“The person I mean is Lord Hawbury.”

“Lord Hawbury?  Indeed!” said Lady Dalrymple, in some surprise.  “But he’s in Rome.”

“No, ma’am, he’s not.  He’s here ­in this hotel.”

“In this hotel?  Here?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’m sure I should like to see him very much, and hear what he says about it.”

“I’ll go and get him, then,” said the Baron, and, rising briskly, he left the room.

In a short time he returned with Hawbury.  Lady Dalrymple expressed surprise to see him, and Hawbury explained that he was traveling with a friend.  Lady Dalrymple, of course, thought this a fresh proof of his infatuation about Minnie, and wondered how he could be a friend to a man whom she considered as Minnie’s persecutor and tormentor.

The Baron at once proceeded to explain how the matter stood, and to ask Hawbury’s opinion.

“Yes,” said Lady Dalrymple, “I should really like to know what you think about it.”

“Well, really,” said Hawbury, “I have no acquaintance with the thing, you know.  Never been on this road in my life.  But, at the same time, I can assure you that this gentleman is a particular friend of mine, and one of the best fellows I know.  I’d stake my life on his perfect truth and honor.  If he says any thing, you may believe it because he says it.  If he says there are brigands on the road, they must be there.”

“Oh, of course,” said Lady Dalrymple.  “You are right to believe your friend, and I should trust his word also.  But do you not see that perhaps he may believe what he says, and yet be mistaken?”

At this the Baron’s face fell.  Lord Hawbury’s warm commendation of him had excited his hopes, but now Lady Dalrymple’s answer had destroyed them.

“For my part,” she added, “I don’t really think any of us know much about it.  I wish we could find some citizen of the town, or some reliable person, and ask him.  I wonder whether the inn-keeper is a trust-worthy man.”

The Baron shook his head.

“I wouldn’t trust one of them.  They’re the greatest rascals in the country.  Every man of them is in league with the Garibaldians and brigands.  This man would advise you to take whatever course would benefit himself and his friends most.”

“But surely we might find some one whose opinion would be reliable.  What do you say to one of my drivers?  The one that drove our carriage looks like a good, honest man.”

“Well, perhaps so; but I wouldn’t trust one of them.  I don’t believe there’s an honest vetturino in all Italy.”

Lady Dalrymple elevated her eyebrows, and threw at Hawbury a glance of despair.

“He speaks English, too,” said Lady Dalrymple.

“So do some of the worst rascals in the country,” said the Baron.

“Oh, I don’t think he can be a very bad rascal.  We had better question him, at any rate.  Don’t you think so, Lord Hawbury?”

“Well, yes; I suppose it won’t do any harm to have a look at the beggar.”

The driver alluded to was summoned, and soon made his appearance.  He was a square-headed fellow, with a grizzled beard, and one of those non-committal faces which may be worn by either an honest man or a knave.  Lady Dalrymple thought him the former; the Baron the latter.  The result will show which of these was in the right.

The driver spoke very fair English.  He had been two or three times over the road.  He had not been over it later than two years before.  He didn’t know it was dangerous.  He had never heard of brigands being here.  He didn’t know.  There was a signore at the hotel who might know.  He was traveling to Florence alone.  He was on horseback.

As soon as Lady Dalrymple heard this she suspected that it was Count Girasole.  She determined to have his advice about it.  So she sent a private request to that effect.

It was Count Girasole.  He entered, and threw his usual smile around.  He was charmed, in his broken English, to be of any service to miladi.

To Lady Dalrymple’s statement and question Girasole listened attentively.  As she concluded a faint smile passed over his face.  The Baron watched him attentively.

“I know no brigand on dissa road,” said he.

Lady Dalrymple looked triumphantly at the others.

“I have travail dissa road many time.  No dangaire ­alla safe.”

Another smile from Lady Dalrymple.

The Count Girasole looked at Hawbury and then at the Baron, with a slight dash of mockery in his face.

“As for dangaire,” he said ­“pouf! dere is none.  See, I go alone ­no arms, not a knife ­an’ yet gold in my porte-monnaie.”

And he drew forth his porte-monnaie, and opened it so as to exhibit its contents.

A little further conversation followed.  Girasole evidently was perfectly familiar with the road.  The idea of brigands appeared to strike him as some exquisite piece of pleasantry.  He looked as though it was only his respect for the company which prevented him from laughing outright.  They had taken the trouble to summon him for that!  And, besides, as the Count suggested, even if a brigand did appear, there would be always travelers within hearing.

Both Hawbury and the Baron felt humiliated, especially the latter; and Girasole certainly had the best of it on that occasion, whatever his lot had been at other times.

The Count withdrew.  The Baron followed, in company with Hawbury.  He was deeply dejected.  First of all, he had hoped to see Minnie.  Then he hoped to frighten the party back.  As to the brigands, he was in most serious earnest.  All that he said he believed.  He could not understand the driver and Count Girasole.  The former he might consider a scoundrel; but why should Girasole mislead?  And yet he believed that he was right.  As for Hawbury, he didn’t believe much in the brigands, but he did believe in his friend, and he didn’t think much of Girasole.  He was sorry for his friend, yet didn’t know whether he wanted the party to turn back or not.  His one trouble was Dacres, who now was watching the Italian like a blood-hound, who had seen him, no doubt, go up to the ladies, and, of course, would suppose that Mrs. Willoughby had sent for him.

As for the ladies, their excitement was great.  The doors were thin, and they had heard every word of the conversation.  With Mrs. Willoughby there was but one opinion as to the Baron’s motive:  she thought he had come to get a peep at Minnie, and also to frighten them back to Rome by silly stories.  His signal failure afforded her great triumph.  Minnie, as usual, sympathized with him, but said nothing.  As for Ethel, the sudden arrival of Lord Hawbury was overwhelming, and brought a return of all her former excitement.  The sound of his voice again vibrated through her, and at first there began to arise no end of wild hopes, which, however, were as quickly dispelled.  The question arose, What brought him there?  There seemed to her but one answer, and that was his infatuation for Minnie.  Yet to her, as well as to Lady Dalrymple, it seemed very singular that he should be so warm a friend to Minnie’s tormentor.  It was a puzzling thing.  Perhaps he did not know that the Baron was Minnie’s lover.  Perhaps he thought that his friend would give her up, and he could win her.  Amidst these thoughts there came a wild hope that perhaps he did not love Minnie so very much, after all.  But this hope soon was dispelled as she recalled the events of the past, and reflected on his cool and easy indifference to every thing connected with her.

Such emotions as these actuated the ladies; and when the guests had gone they joined their aunt once more, and deliberated.  Minnie took no part in the debate, but sat apart, looking like an injured being.  There was among them all the same opinion, and that was that it was all a clumsy device of the Baron’s to frighten them back to Rome.  Such being their opinion, they did not occupy much time in debating about their course on the morrow.  The idea of going back did not enter their heads.

This event gave a much more agreeable feeling to Mrs. Willoughby and Lady Dalrymple than they had known since they had been aware that the Baron had followed them.  They felt that they had grappled with the difficulty.  They had met the enemy and defeated him.  Besides, the presence of Hawbury was of itself a guarantee of peace.  There could be no further danger of any unpleasant scenes while Hawbury was with him.  Girasole’s presence, also, was felt to be an additional guarantee of safety.

It was felt by all to be a remarkable circumstance that so many men should have followed them on what they had intended as quite a secret journey.  These gentlemen who followed them were the very ones, and the only ones, from whom they wished to conceal it.  Yet it had all been revealed to them, and lo! here they all were.  Some debate arose as to whether it would not be better to go back to Rome now, and defy the Baron, and leave by another route.  But this debate was soon given up, and they looked forward to the journey as one which might afford new and peculiar enjoyment.

On the following morning they started at an early hour.  Girasole left about half an hour after them, and passed them a few miles along the road.  The Baron and the Reverend Saul left next; and last of all came Hawbury and Dacres.  The latter was, if possible, more gloomy and vengeful than ever.  The visit of the Italian on the preceding evening was fully believed by him to be a scheme of his wife’s.  Nor could any amount of persuasion or vehement statement on Hawbury’s part in any way shake his belief.

“No,” he would say, “you don’t understand.  Depend upon it, she got him up there to feast her eyes on him.  Depend upon it, she managed to get some note from him, and pass one to him in return.  He had only to run it under the leaf of a table, or stick it inside of some book:  no doubt they have it all arranged, and pass their infernal love-letters backward and forward.  But I’ll soon have a chance.  My time is coming.  It’s near, too.  I’ll have my vengeance; and then for all the wrongs of all my life that demon of a woman shall pay me dear!”

To all of which Hawbury had nothing to say.  He could say nothing; he could do nothing.  He could only stand by his friend, go with him, and watch over him, hoping to avert the crisis which he dreaded, or, if it did come, to lessen the danger of his friend.

The morning was clear and beautiful.  The road wound among the hills.  The party went in the order above mentioned.

First, Girasole, on horseback.

Next, and two miles at least behind, came the two carriages with the ladies and their maids.

Third, and half a mile behind these, came the Baron and the Reverend Saul.

Last of all, and half a mile behind the Baron, came Hawbury and Scone Dacres.

These last drove along at about this distance.  The scenery around grew grander, and the mountains higher.  The road was smooth and well constructed, and the carriage rolled along with an easy, comfortable rumble.

They were driving up a slope which wound along the side of a hill.  At the top of the hill trees appeared on each side, and the road made a sharp turn here.

Suddenly the report of a shot sounded ahead.

Then a scream.

“Good Lord!  Dacres, did you hear that?” cried Hawbury.  “The Baron was right, after all.”

The driver here tried to stop his horses, but Hawbury would not let him.

“Have you a pistol, Dacres?”

“No.”

“Get out!” he shouted to the driver; and, kicking him out of the seat, he seized the reins himself, and drove the horses straight forward to where the noise arose.

“It’s the brigands, Dacres.  The ladies are there.”

“My wife!  O God! my wife!” groaned Dacres.  But a minute before he had been cursing her.

“Get a knife!  Get something, man!  Have a fight for it!”

Dacres murmured something.

Hawbury lashed the horses, and drove them straight toward the wood.