at the altar were united in the indissoluble bonds of matrimony-their hearts were united before.

A splendid banquet awaited them in the hall, and numerous tables were laid out on the lawn fronting the Castello, where the peasantry were regaled, whose loud acclamations when they heard that their lord was united to his Louisa were borne on the wings of the breeze to the neighbouring hills, where echo reveberated the sounds which long dwelt amongst their verdant recesses.

When the banquet was over, the abbot was going to take his leave; but Ricardo rising up requested to have a

few

few moments discourse with him, to which the venerable father consenting, they retired to an apartment, from whence after they had remained there some time, the abbot retired to his monastery, and Ricardo resumed his seat by the side of the lovely Marchesa de Carlentini; he, however, was silent on the subject of his conversation with the abbot.

In the evening the hall was brilliantly illuminated; the dulcet sounds of the musicians floated in the air; the peasants on the lawn, whose canopy was the beautiful Sicilian sky, whose light the silver beams of the moon, aided by myriads of bright stars, danced away

the

the sportive hours to the gay and airy Sicilian measures which resounded on all sides.

Thus concluded the happy day of the nuptials of Ricardo Marchese de Carlentini, who now had the felicity to behold irrevocably his own the sweet beauty whose form had captivated and whose mental accomplishments had so entirely enveloped him in the soft bondage of love, rendered the height of human bliss by its being mutual.

The Count de Leoni, when he left Ricardo, proceeded immediately to his estates, where he was joyfully received by his vassals and domestics, who had

was

fruitlessly endeavoured to trace his steps when in all the agony of despair he had left the Castello di Carlentini; having then arranged whatever requisite he repaired to the solitary residence of the banditti at the foot of the lofty mountains, which form the Vale di Demone; they were delighted to see him return, but their joy was turned to grief when they understood he was going to leave them. He selected amongst them such as he knew would form good members of society, and then proposed to allow them a certain tract of land on his estate, which they might cultivate and leave off their present desperate trade, which

sooner or later would bring them under the iron grasp of Justice.

Joyfully his offer was accepted, and leaving to those who still determined to carry on this trade of blood and rapine all their ill-got treasures, they bent their steps to the Count's estate, little regretted by the rest, who, in consequence of their departure, found themselves in possession of an immense booty.

The Count then returned to his estate, where, as he was allotting his new vassals their promised lands, one of them who had been in conversation with the Count's domestics came up, much

VOL. II.

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