g what
passed, though they were then not far off. When we came up, we fired our
tromboni, but missed.'

Emily turned pale, at these words, and then hoped she had mistaken them;
while Bertrand proceeded:

'The gentleman fired again, but he was soon made to alight, and it was
as he turned to call his people, that he was struck. It was the most
dexterous feat you ever saw--he was struck in the back with three
stillettos at once. He fell, and was dispatched in a minute; but the
lady escaped, for the servants had heard the firing, and came up before
she could be taken care of. "Bertrand," said the Signor, when his men
returned'--

'Bertrand!' exclaimed Emily, pale with horror, on whom not a syllable of
this narrative had been lost.

'Bertrand, did I say?' rejoined the man, with some confusion--'No,
Giovanni. But I have forgot where I was;--"Bertrand," said the Signor'--

'Bertrand, again!' said Emily, in a faltering voice, 'Why do you repeat
that name?'

Bertrand swore. 'What signifies it,' he proceeded, 'what the man was
called--Bertrand, or Giovanni--or Roberto? it's all one for that. You
have put me out twice with that--question. "Bertrand," or Giovanni--or
what you will--"Bertrand," said the Signor, "if your comrades had done
their duty, as well as you, I should not have lost the lady. Go, my
honest fellow, and be happy with this." He game him a purse of gold--and
little enough too, considering the service he had done him.'

'Aye, aye,' said Ugo, 'little enough--little enough.'

Emily now breathed with difficulty, and could scarcely support herself.
When first she saw these men, their appearance and their connection with
Montoni had been sufficient to impress her with distrust; but now, when
one of them had betrayed himself to be a murderer, and she saw herself,
at the approach of night, under his guidance, among wild and solitary
mountains, and going she scarcely knew whither, the most agonizing
terror seized her, which was the less supportable from the necessity
she found herself under of concealing all symptoms of it from her
companions. Reflecting on the character and the menaces of Montoni,
it appeared not improbable, that he had delivered her to them, for the
purpose of having her murdered, and of thus securing to himself, without
further opposition, or delay, the estates, for which he had so long and
so desperately contended. Yet, if this was his design, there appeared
no necessity for sending her to suc