but spare his life; a promise which he faithfully performed: and so completely cowed was he that he uttered not a single word for very shame during the remainder of the journey. "After this occurrence, my bandit acquaintance appeared to regard me with even more respect than he had done before; "And should you," we demanded of L——, when he had finished speaking, "should you really have shot the man?" "Faith, I hardly know," he replied, "but I think I should.-The Captain," continued he, “ upon his return to England, called on my mother, and after describing me as travelling armed to the teeth in good fellowship with robbers, threw the good lady into a fit of consternation, by giving his own version of the scene in the mountains, concluding thus-" and he would have shot me, madam, as sure as there is a God in Heaven." "While residing at Cagliarli I met with more than one adventure of a rather serious nature, so far as regarded my personal safety. I will relate two which recur at this moment to my memory, not only on account of their singularity, but because they exhibit the Sardinian character, notwithstanding some dark shades, in a very favourable point of view. "I occupied a suite of rooms, in a large mansion, which contained many other inmates besides myself. One night, that I returned somewhat later from a party, I perceived, on approaching the gate of my mansion, two men stationed near it. I was sufficiently close to them to observe that they were armed, and to hear one say to the other ⚫ That is he!' This aroused me at once to a sense of my danger. I was without a weapon of defence of any kind about my person, but had the presence of mind to put my hand to my bosom, as if searching for arms, and threatened to fire at them if they did not immediately retire. This staggered them for a moment, and they fell back: but before I could reach the gate, one of them exclaimed, He has no pistol, it is only a make-believe,' and both instantly rushed towards me. I had now nothing left but to fly for my life. Being at that time very active, I sprung from them, and ran for shelter to the abode of a friend who occupied rooms in a large and ancient edifice, which, like many contitinental dwelling houses, was entered from the street by a wide and open staircase. I heard my assailants pursuing me; however I gained the stairs, and ascended towards the door of my friend's apartments, at which, when I had reached it, I was afraid to knock, lest the sound should direct my enemies to the spot where I was, before my friend should be sufficiently aroused to admit me. Fortunate was it for me, that 1 forebore to do so, for I heard the voices of my pursuers behind me; one of whom said, "He entered here, and must still be on the stairs ;-let us search." Judge of my terror, when I heard their steps on the stairs, and found by their manner that they were groping about, hoping to discover me, within a few inches of the spot where I stood. I drew myself close up to the door of my friend's room, and held in my breath as much as possible, so that no sound should give them intimation of my position. The stairs were luckily very wide and irregular, and in complete darkness; they passed me more than once, so as almost to touch my clothes, and after a long search retired. I once more began to breathe freely, but was still afraid to apply for assistance to my friend. After waiting a considerable time, without hearing either their footsteps or voices, I concluded that they supposed me to have taken refuge in my friend's apartments; and that in consequence they had given up the pursuit. In this belief, I at last ventured to knock, and had but just done so, when to my utmost consternation I heard this exclamation, 'madre di do! He is there still!' and both began to ascend the stairs again, as fast as the obscurity of the place would permit. I persevered in knocking, and gained admittance only just in time, for the door closed almost in the faces of my pursuers. "Upon consulting with my friend, we agreed to arm ourselves and go in search of the robbers, for such I presumed them to be, not being conscious of having given offence to any one which could call forth so deadly a hatred. On descending into the street, not a trace could we discover of the enemy, we proceeded therefore straight to the guardhouse, and detailed what had just occurred, and I was enabled to give a pretty accurate description of their persons. The officer of the guard said, that he would scrutinize very strictly every one who should pass out at the city gates in the morning; for it was probable that the men who had assaulted me would lose no time in making for the country. "Early in the morning, I received a summons to repair to the guardroom, where I found that two men had been detained on suspicion, answering to the description I had given. I at once recognised them for my assailants; but on fixing my eyes on their countenances, I read an expression there, which instantly determined me not to criminate them; and I declared that I could not identify them. The officer seemed astonished, if not disappointed, and said, "For some reason, Sir, best known to yourself, you do not choose to know them." However, as I persisted in denying all knowledge of their persons, they were dismissed. "A few days afterwards the same two men requested to see me, not only, they said, to set my mind at rest as to any further annoyance to be apprehended from them, but also to thank me for my generous forbearance, for,' added they, we saw that you recognized us; and freely confess that none but an Englishman could have acted with such magnanimity.' This attack upon me, originated they said, entirely in a mistake. Another person, whom they had expected to enter that house about the same hour, was the real object on whom they had intended to wreak their vengeance for injuries sustained. "I formed while at Cagliari, an intimacy with a Dominican Friar; he was a jovial fellow, full of wit and humour, and certainly no bigot. I do not mean to accuse him of not practising the rules of his religion in a quiet way, far from it; only he had none of the ardour of his church to urge him to attempt the conversion of heretics: at least he suffered me to continue in the error of my ways without reproof or expostulation. He was, as far as I could learn, of Irish extraction, and seemed to inherit no small portion of the character of that volatile race. Many were the pleasant hours we passed together; sometimes joined by my friend the Captain of the Venetian Galley. "On one occasion, I found myself involved in a very serious affair, when the Dominican proved that his professions were sincere, and that I was he was ready to evince his friendship by deeds as well as words. in the habit of frequenting a billiard-room, which was kept by a man whose daughter, a pretty black-eyed damsel of lively manners, proved almost as great an attraction as the billiard table. Seated in a raised recess, she acted as marker; and received, with the air of a little princess, the homage offered her by the gay gallants of Cagliarli. The room had a balcony looking upon the street, above which it was raised some six or seven feet: a large lamp suspended over the table gave light to the apartment at night. One evening after dark, I happened to be there and was conversing with the pretty marker; few people were in the room, and just at that time no game was being played, when a young nobleman, the son of Prince Z-, entered the room, followed by several companions and attendants. His appearance seemed to create a general uneasiness; for, from his notorious profligacy and violence of temper, he was the terror of the whole city. Immediately on his entrance he exclaimed, in an insolent and authoritative tone, Let him who dares touch a ball in my presence!' On hearing this imperious speech, I said to the young female,That would not be tolerated in my country.' He heard my voice, and turning to the marker demanded What it was that the Englishman had been saying.' The poor girl, who knew his character, answered, 'I do not know, my lord he spoke in French, and I do not understand French.' On receiving this reply, he instantly addressed me, and insisted on knowing what I had said. I repeated without hesitation the observation I had made to the marker. Upon this, he cast a scornful look on me, and said, 'Let me see any one presume to play.' : I My plan of proceeding was instantly resolved on. Indeed, I felt that to submit tamely to this insult, would be, in a great measure, to compromise the honour of my country, particular as the only other Englishman in the place was in bad odour regarding that common quality, courage. I instantly rose from the seat I had occupied near the damsel, and taking down one of the largest cues I could find, and which, from its great weight, could be converted into a very formidable weapon, proceeded to the table; but before I could strike a ball, the arrogant noble, as I had fully expected, rushed forward to seize it. I saw his intention, and measuring my distance well, struck him, as he approached, a blow upon the head with the heavy cue, which laid him prostrate on the floor. Almost in the same moment I gave the lamp suspended over the table a blow which shivered it to atoms, and left the room in total darkness. then slipped under the table, reached the balcony, and let myself down into the street. Proceeding to the nearest guard-house, I told the officer there, that a dispute had arisen in a certain billiard-room, indicating the place, and that I suspected murder had been committed. A party of the soldiers were dispatched, and I had the temerity to accompany them to the very room, from whence I took away my hat, forgotten in the excitement of the moment when I made my exit, and had the fortune again to effect my escape, before those within had sufficiently recovered from the astonishment my sudden re-appearance had created, to prevent me. I gained my own quarters, where my friends soon informed me of the consequences of my blow. The young nobleman's skull was badly fractured, and he was not expected to recover. The greatest confusion had taken place, they told me, in the room, on the light being extinguished; and those assembled there being ignorant of my evasion, swords had been drawn, and cuts and thrusts made at random, which were intended for me. Fortunately, nothing serious had happened in the scuffle. The poor billiard-table keeper had had a narrow escape, his shirt having been perforated in several places by the points of the weapons. The wounded youth was conveyed to the palazzo of his father, Prince Z-, in the vicinity of Cagliarli. "The result of his wound became a subject of intense interest to me; at that time, I must confess, only as connected with my own safety. My good friend, the Dominican, did not desert me in that hour of peril; not only did he cheer me with his company, and aid me by his counsel, but concerted a plan for ultimately saving me, in the event of the case terminating fatally. He said he had taken measures to procure the earliest intelligence, and would take care to have me conveyed to his convent before the officers of justice could seize me, should the son of Prince Z die; "till which time you are, by the law of the island, secure in your own house. When once in the convent,' said he, 'you are safe; for I can soon make arrangements with your friend of the mountains, to conduct you to a still more secure retreat, until you have an opportunity of embarking.' "I employed an advocate, a personal acquaintance and very worthy man: this was deemed advisable, in case of the worst happening. Several days elapsed, and affairs continued to wear a gloomy aspect. The young nobleman still lingered on in great danger. This state of suspense had lasted a considerable time, when one day I received a note from Prince Z-, requesting me to favour him with a visit. I shewed the note to my advocate, and requested his opinion. He said he hardly knew what to advise in so singular a case-it might be a ruse to get me into his power and sacrifice me in resentment for the injury and the indignity I had inflicted upon his son. On the other hand the Prince's character ranked high for justice and benevolence. At last I decided to go, be the consequences what they might; and my advocate generously said I should not go alone, but that he would accompany me, and recommended that we should go armed, so that in the event of danger we might sell our lives as dearly as possible. "On entering the palace, we were inmediately ushered into the presence of Prince Z——, a middle-aged man of a dignified deportment, and evidently high-bred manners. He received us most courteously and addressing himself to me, said that he had sent for me not only to assure me of my perfect safety, whatever might be the result of the accident, but to thank me for the lesson I had given his son-'for' he added, should he survive, I trust he will be a wiser and a better man ; and should he unfortunately die, it will only be the fate his profligate acts must sooner or later have brought him to. He wishes to see you, sir, and assure you himself, of his forgiveness.' "I was then conducted into a chamber where I found the young man reclining on a couch, his head bound up with numerous bandages, and his face of an ashy paleness. How different from his appearance when I last saw him; on that evening when I had felt it my duty to humble in so severe a manner his overbearing pride. I could not behold him without emotion. Every spark of enmity was in an instant extinguished in my breast: he was unable to speak, but held out his hand to me. I grasped it eagerly, and its pressure assured me, that there was in the youth's nature a true nobility and generosity which had. only lain dormant, and which might yet bring forth fruits." "But little remains to record; but that little is of a pleasing character. The nobleman did recover-became an estimable member of society, my friend." and FROM THE ODES OF VICTOR HUGO. "WILT thou leave us? O say shall the treacherous sail And transport thee, young stranger, far far from our world? "I was beautiful then; but though sorrow and tears May have rendered the charms which enchanted thee, few— "O remain with us still! thou shalt not deny me: Say, in what have I wronged thee that now thou woulds't fly me, |