only to steal upon it again, in sudden and bright
surprise. The opposite slope of gentle mountains, as well as that which
the horsemen now descended, was covered with vineyards, trained in
alleys and arcades: and the clustering grape laughed from every leafy
and glossy covert, as gaily as when the Fauns held a holiday in the
shade. The eye of the Cavalier roved listlessly over this enchanting
prospect, sleeping in the rosiest light of a Tuscan heaven, and then
became fixed with a more earnest attention on the grey and frowning
walls of a distant castle, which, high upon the steepest of the opposite
mountains, overlooked the valley.

"Behold," he muttered to himself, "how every Eden in Italy hath its
curse! Wherever the land smiles fairest, be sure to find the brigand's
tent and the tyrant's castle!"

Scarce had these thoughts passed his mind, ere the shrill and sudden
blast of a bugle that sounded close amongst the vineyards by the side
of the path startled the whole group. The cavalcade halted abruptly. The
leader made a gesture to the squire who led his war-horse. The noble
and practised animal remained perfectly still, save by champing its bit
restlessly, and moving its quick ear to and fro, as aware of a coming
danger,--while the squire, unencumbered by the heavy armour of the
Germans, plunged into the thicket and disappeared. He returned in a few
minutes, already heated and breathless.

"We must be on our guard," he whispered; "I see the glimmer of steel
through the vine leaves."

"Our ground is unhappily chosen," said the Knight, hastily bracing on
his helmet and leaping on his charger; and waving his hand towards a
broader space in the road, which would permit the horsemen more room
to act in union, with his small band he made hastily to the spot--the
armour of the soldiers rattling heavily as two by two they proceeded on.

The space to which the Cavalier had pointed was a green semicircle of
several yards in extent, backed by tangled copses of brushwood sloping
down to the vale below. They reached it in safety; they drew up breast
to breast in the form of a crescent: every visor closed save that of the
Knight, who looked anxiously and keenly round the landscape.

"Hast thou heard, Giulio," he said, to his favourite squire, (the only
Italian of the band,) "whether any brigands have been seen lately in
these parts?"

"No, my Lord; on the contrary, I am told that every lance hath left the
country to join t