l among the grass, which grew between the pavement
of the first.

They passed, without interruption, the dreadful gates, and took the road
that led down among the woods, Emily, Monsieur Du Pont and Annette on
foot, and Ludovico, who was mounted on one horse, leading the other.
Having reached them, they stopped, while Emily and Annette were placed
on horseback with their two protectors, when, Ludovico leading the way,
they set off as fast as the broken road, and the feeble light, which a
rising moon threw among the foliage, would permit.

Emily was so much astonished by this sudden departure, that she scarcely
dared to believe herself awake; and she yet much doubted whether this
adventure would terminate in escape,--a doubt, which had too much
probability to justify it; for, before they quitted the woods, they
heard shouts in the wind, and, on emerging from them, saw lights moving
quickly near the castle above. Du Pont whipped his horse, and with some
difficulty compelled him to go faster.

'Ah! poor beast,' said Ludovico, 'he is weary enough;--he has been out
all day; but, Signor, we must fly for it, now; for yonder are lights
coming this way.'

Having given his own horse a lash, they now both set off on a full
gallop; and, when they again looked back, the lights were so distant
as scarcely to be discerned, and the voices were sunk into silence. The
travellers then abated their pace, and, consulting whither they should
direct their course, it was determined they should descend into Tuscany,
and endeavour to reach the Mediterranean, where they could readily
embark for France. Thither Du Pont meant to attend Emily, if he should
learn, that the regiment he had accompanied into Italy, was returned to
his native country.

They were now in the road, which Emily had travelled with Ugo and
Bertrand; but Ludovico, who was the only one of the party, acquainted
with the passes of these mountains, said, that, a little further on, a
bye-road, branching from this, would lead them down into Tuscany with
very little difficulty; and that, at a few leagues distance, was a small
town, where necessaries could be procured for their journey.

'But, I hope,' added he, 'we shall meet with no straggling parties of
banditti; some of them are abroad, I know. However, I have got a good
trombone, which will be of some service, if we should encounter any of
those brave spirits. You have no arms, Signor?' 'Yes,' replied Du Pont,
'I have the vi