he gate,
naked as he was to the waist, after his lanthorn had been broke to pieces
on his head; and there he was joined by his domestic, who had not been
able to recover his apparel and effect a retreat, without incurring marks
of the same sort of distinction.

The Major, considering the risk he must have run in being detected,
thought himself cheaply quit for this moderate discipline, though he was
really concerned for his friend Renaldo, who, understanding the
particulars of the adventure, determined, as the last effort, to ride
round the castle in the open day, on pretence of taking the air, when,
peradventure, the Countess would see him from the place of her
confinement, and favour him with some mark or token of her being alive.

Though his companion did not much relish this plan, which he foresaw
would expose him to the insults of Trebasi, yet, as he could not contrive
a better, he acquiesced in Renaldo's invention, with the proviso that he
would defer the execution of it until his father-in-law should be absent
in the chase, which was a diversion he every day enjoyed.

Accordingly they set a proper watch, and lay concealed until they were
informed of Trebasi's having gone forth; when they mounted their horses,
and rode into the neighbourhood of the castle. Having made a small
excursion in the adjoining fields, they drew nearer the walls, and at an
easy pace had twice circled them, when Farrel descried, at the top of a
tower, a white handkerchief waved by a woman's hand through the iron bars
that secured the window. This signal being pointed out to Renaldo, his
heart began to throb with great violence; he made a respectful obeisance
towards the part in which it appeared, and perceiving the hand beckoning
him to approach, advanced to the very buttress of the turret; upon which,
seeing something drop, he alighted with great expedition, and took up a
picture of his father in miniature, the features of which he no sooner
distinguished, than the tears ran down his cheeks; he pressed the little
image to his lips with the most filial fervour; then conveying it to his
bosom, looked up to the hand, which waved in such a manner as gave him to
understand it was high time to retire. Being by this time highly
persuaded that his kind monitor was no other than the Countess herself,
he pointed to his heart, in token of his filial affection, and laying his
hand on his sword, to denote his resolution of doing her justice, he too