and I could not spill the blood of one who had saved my life. "Without hesitation I awoke the Signor Valvano, and bid him arise and dress himself. Unarmed as he was, resistance was useless, and the glittering steel of my dagger told him the fate that awaited his non-compliance with my orders. "At that hour I had little fear of meeting with any one to interrupt my purposes; and after I had passed through a few stradas, I left the city, and wound along the sea shore. at seeing himself in the power of a man on the beach at the solitary hour of midnight, and in accents of the highest distress frequently entreated me not to murder him. "Had your life been my object, Signor, (said I,) I could have accomplished my purpose when you were asleep. "This seemed to comfort him, and at length, after walking a considerable time, I came to the residence of my associates, which was in a lone house on the beach, more than a league from Palermo. It was here I determined to keep the Signor Valvano; for though the remembrance of the service service he had rendered me made me resolve not to deprive him of life, yet I had no scruples in confining him, even though that confinement were to last as long as I lived. "In the lower parts of the house were many secure places well adapted to my purpose, and in one of them I left the unfortunate Valvano. "The next morning I waited on the Marchese de Carlentini. · Well, Ugo,' said he, have you been successful? Yes my lord, I replied, his body is now food for fishes. "He seemed not to approve of what D. 5 I pretend I pretended I had done with the remains of Valvano; I however invented as the reason a tale of his having fled from me toward the sea shore, into which, after having stabbed, I had cast him. He then gave me the forty ducats, and I retired well pleased with the success that had attended my proceedings. "The unfortunate Signor Valvano remained for some time in confinement; during which period I continued to obtain further sums of money from the Marchese de Carlentini, threatening him, in case of refusal, to publish to the world his having employed me to murder the Signor. "Thus "Thus passed away near five years, when our retreat being discovered, and learning that the officers of Justice were proceeding to apprehend us, we escaped in a vessel which was always in readiness for such an emer gency. "The Signor Valvano was taken with us, and as we were connected with the banditti at the foot of the solitary castello near the Val di Demone, we hasted thither, and from that period made it our residence. "The Signor Valvano was forced by me to take an oath never to attempt to leave the Castello, on which |