Manfred Anfosso, the eldest of the brothers, now thought it necessary to take-apart in the affair, and approaching Opizzone, in a voice peculiarly rough and unmodulated, thus addressed him:-" To the point, without delay. What wouldst thou?"

"Patience," replied the Malaspina. Signor Guido, a mortal insult has been offered by Guglielmo d'Uberto to the house of Malaspina, an insult which blood, alone, can cancel. Folchetto is resolved to be revenged but by lawful means. Thou knowest, oh Guido, that the sacred law of combat permits the offended to challenge the offender at the steps of the altar, when he is resolved to push his vengeance to the utmost: and such is the resolve of my kinsman. Sanctioned, then, by the legal right of challenge, nothing forbids Folchetto Malaspina to offer-defiance to Guglielmo d'Uberto, in such clear and precise terms, as to give-no-place to false interpretations. Guido Anfosso, I, Opizzone Malaspina, pray thee to raise no obstacle. Mortal was the insult-bloody must be the retribution."

Folchetto then made the circle of the hall, with slow and measured steps. He next approached Guglielmo, who, as we have said, sat at the head of the board. The most profound silence reigned-around, so great was the respect, whether religious or otherwise, always paid to a challenge, propounded in the form prescribed by law. The two antagonists were in full view of the whole assemblage, and the most intense interest was manifested in the whole proceeding.

"Guglielmo d'Uberto," cried Folchetto, with a voice of deep indignation, "I denounce thee as the vilest and wickedest among men. The shameless deed, by which thou hast stained the honor of my family, gives me the right to pluck the hair from off thy head; to drag thee through the mire; to strike thee with the scourge. But I come, instead, to treat thee as a brave and uncontaminated warrior. Guglielmo d'Uberto, I thirst for thy blood. To-morrow, I will await thee on the terrace, between the Tarquinian tower and the church of St. Bovon. I will be there, as thou now beholdest me, placing reliance, alone, in my sword, and the justice of my cause. Guglielmo, I proclaim thee, again, to be the vilest and wickedest among men, and there is my signal of defiance."

So saying, he took from his hand his steel gauntlet; and casting-it-down, scornfully, at the feet of Guglielmo, he retired two paces, expecting that the challenge would be accepted.

It is difficult to describe the internal struggle in the bosom of the guilty Guglielmo. Shame, rage and fear, assaulted him at once, and seemed to contend which should debase him, the most, before his numerous companions. He kept-silence, for a few moments-moved uneasily twice or thrice upon his seat-attempted to rise, as if to lift-up the challenge-unclosed his lips, as if to reply to the bitter taunts of his accuser, but the words died-away without utterance. Often had he been forced to unsheath his sword, in defence of his licentious proceedings, but never had he contended with a rival, so formidable as Folchetto. The respect in which his uncle, the bishop, was held, partly extended to himself; and, in more than one emergency, Guglielmo had benefited by the salutary protection of the sacerdotal mantle. But the Malaspina now attacked him with a vehemence, which awed and overwhelmed him, especially as his courage was none of the greatest.

His companions trembled from contempt and shame, for to each it appeared that every moment of silence, on the part of Guglielmo, was a century of infamy. They were, at length, beginning to betray unequivocal symptoms of their feelings, when Calpucio advanced to the assistance of his humiliated master:-" Signor Folchetto," he muttered, " 'tis strange-yes-'tis insolent. Our brave Guglielmo is overcome with indignation. What say ye, friends, saw ye ever a conduct so outrageous?"

"Silence," cried Folchetto, with a voice like thunder, "silence, vile satellite of a vile master, I speak-not with thee, and if another word be uttered by thy sacrilegious tongue, I will tear-it-out on the spot."

At these words, each started on his feet, and more than one-half unsheathed his dagger.

"Folchetto," then exclaimed Guido Anfosso, "thou shalt give-me-satisfaction for this insult."

"To whoever believes-himself aggrieved, retorted Folchetto, unable to restrain his wrath; "but not until I have chastised this serpent."

The commotion was at its height; but Guglielmo exerting-himself to the utmost, sought to assume an appearance of courage, and, at this last apostrophe from Folchetto exclaimed:-"This to me? Serpent? By our lady-Calpucio, hearest thou the slander of this dog?"

Reason and prudence had forsaken Folchetto, around whom his friends closed to restrain his violence, whilst the companions of Guglielmo also pressed-around him, and animated by their presence he made some shew of bravery. But Opizzone and Guido had no desire to turn the banqueting-hall into a field of battle, and calledout:-"Not here, back, back, Manfred; back, Gilberto. To-morrow, on the terrace, shall be the meeting. I myself will take-up thy gauntlet."

"No," exclaimed Guglielmo, roused, at last, by the universal ferment.

"Let no

one touch the challenge. It is mine; by the soul of my father, it is mine; let none other touch it.

"To-morrow, then," said Opizzone, as he retreated towards the door; "not later than the hour of nine. Anfosso, I rely on your word."

"He shall be there," cried all, "and cursed be he who is absent."

On hearing this, Opizzone and his three companions turned on their heels, and escorted by Guido passed through the door of the apartment.

Hardly had they retired, when the several guests began to comment on the scene, according to the impetuosity and violence of each individual's disposition.

Deep thought arose in the mind of the younger Anfosso, for he judged Guglielmo to be irreparably degraded, and, from this moment, he set no limits to his ambition. A stain of infamy was attached to the Uberto, and there was but one way to cancel it-to die in the field, since it was vain to expect he should gain a victory over the Malaspina; but Guido fixed his eyes on Guglielmo, with an interrogatory expression, though his lips were silent. This look made the base Guglielmo tremble to the inmost fibre of his heart, but he replied to it with a firm voice :-" I comprehend thee, Guido-I comprehend thee."

"What, then, thinkest thou that I will let-myself-be-insulted with impunity, by these dogs? Dost thou attribute my moderation to fear? To-morrow, shall the point of our sword be made red, but, in the mean time, here's to the spouse of an hour, Alice Malaspina."

So saying, he filled a cup to the brim, and swallowed its contents, as if to quench the last remains of his reason.

"This is speaking like a man," said Calpucio; but he could scarcely comforthimself like one, and he was carried-off into another chamber, where he fell into a disturbed and drunken slumber.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE PENITENT.

THE senseless allusions of Guglielmo vanished with the fumes of the wine which had engendered them. Towards the third hour of the night, in a spacious chamber, lighted with two ancient lamps, he might have been seen, pacing-up-and-down with hasty strides, whilst Calpucio, seated in one corner, with his arms crossed was following him with looks of perplexity and disturbance. At last, Calpucio, breakingsilence, exclaimed:-"Wherefore, signor, distress-thyself for an evil, which may be met with twenty remedies?"

Guglielmo smiled, bitterly:-"Let us hear by what way thou wouldst lead-meout of this thorny labyrinth?"

"The first would be by thy choosing a champion in thy place. The ancient Longobardian laws authorize such a procedure, the more certainly, as thou took'st-notup the challenge."

"Miserable expedient!" exclaimed Guglielmo. "Worthy of him who suggested it. Am I a paralytic or a maimed, to have recourse to it? Am I not in the flowerof-my-age? Bear I not the knightly spurs? Have I not fought with Raoul? Delegate the combat to another? Never!"

"Then, wherefore dost thou hesitate ?" returned his counsellor, somewhat piqued at the contemptuous reception of his proposal."

"Because, I know-myself inferior, ten times, to that cursed crusader; because, I know he wields a sword, which would cleave cuirass and helm to the centre; because, in short, to expose-myself to his vengeance, is like casting-myself into the torrent, with a stone round my neck."

"Curses on him," muttered Calpucio. "The devil has given him of his power, because he has sent-to-hell a heap of infidels."

"Fools that we were to provoke the lion's wrath. I, more than all, to have yielded to thy stupid counsel. And wherefore, and for what? For a jade who, although she believed-herself my wedded wife, has refused me the slightest proof of love. I swear I have never yet received a single kiss from her. And that witch, Pattumeia, who constantly refused to give-me-entrance into the castle, after the death of the plaguy old woman, under pretence that Alice had-not consented. Would that we had got-back that cursed parchment; that, doubtless, is the cause of all this present dilemma."

"If thou hadst-not, thyself, judged the risk too great to attempt an entrance by the secret passage, we might have succeeded. Pattumeia did-not refuse to aid us, only she set-forth the peril."

"Well! Nothing remains of all this fine affair, but the shame of having deceived an innocent girl, who, they say, has drowned-herself in the Scrivia, though, in truth, she had no cause to abandon-herself to such despair. But what is worse is, that I have to answer with my blood for that silly deed-the produce of thy

ass's brain."

X. 2-45.

C

""Tis true, it was a foolish business, but the old lady insisted on having an authentic copy of the marriage-contract; and she could-not read-besides which, it was indispensable to invent one for the satisfaction of the bride. But it is no use to dwell-on these trickeries. We must rather consider how to escape from them. What think ye of sending two stout bravos to the young baron's gate, and, as he goes-forth to mass, at sunrise, two mortal stabs, and the business is finished."

"This might do, but that every finger would be pointed at us as the assassins. This affair is too grave for thy management, Calpucio. But, enough. I will that thou takest this chalice, and placedst it on the altar of St. Martin-he was ever the protector of our family-who knows but that he may be induced to favor me? And take, also, this offering, to the altar of our dark lady; she has wrought-miracles for those who have heartily invoked her. Go, next, to the convent of St. Bovon-bring me a friar, to absolve me, and he shall be welcome. In the mean time, I will examine my armour. I must have my cuirass of Milan, also my sword of Brescia. Ho! Lucchino bring hither my gauntlet, my corslet, and my breast-plate. If I must die, there shall be a struggle for it, and Folchetto shall-not escape, unharmed, from my hands. And have I not courage and strength, and vigor? Have I not crossed swords with Roberto Massa, in Pavia? Have I not been declared second, in the tournament of Lilla of Lancelotto."

Thus did the unhappy youth endeavour to animate-himself with former remembrances; but, as he spoke, the words died upon his pallid lips, and his frame shook with dread. Calpucio was-not deceived by his affected bravery, and kept-silence, as one who meditated great designs.

66

"Well," said Uberto, at last, are we to await death, as the criminal destined to torture? Wherefore dost thou not depart? They will be expecting the preparations for the combat."

"That is the office of the challenger."

"Who must signify it to the judge, the marshal of the fight? Who tell the priest to offer the mass of expiation ?"

"The challenger!"

"And," answered Guglielmo, his voice trembling more and more, coffin."

"and-the

"The challenger," answered Calpucio, rising with an agitated countenance. "Curses on my brain, it has never before failed me at need, but it is more restive than a horse reckless of bit and spur. I can see no escape; yet thou wilt be crushed beneath the force of the crusader, as a string of pearls in the hand of a fool." "Of what use are thy stupid similies," exclaimed Guglielmo, angrily. "Do what I have ordered thee, and leave-me-to-myself."

"As you please," muttered Calpucio, as he wrapt-up the chalice and the offering in cases of leather; "but I shall offer the chalice to St. Martin, with a reserve. If he be not propitious.

"No, no," cried Uberto, "no reserve. If I fall, what imports it to me, who possesses it? I shall need but a mass for my sinful soul Away, I say. But, above all, remember to send me the friar."