upper
part of the convent--there can be no doubt of it! Take Piero and half a
dozen of the men, and hasten up that staircase. Secure the front gate of
the building, and possess yourself of the plate and treasure. But no
violence, remember--no violence to the nuns."

Lomellino, Piero, and six of the banditti hastened to obey these
commands, while Stephano remained below to act as circumstances might
require. He went the round of the five cells belonging to the penitents,
and enjoined those who were yielding to their terrors to hold their
peace, as they had nothing to fear, but much to gain--at least, he
observed, if they valued their freedom; and to those who were tranquil
he repeated the assurances of speedy liberation already given by his
men.

For thirty years the old woman had not seen a being of the male sex; and
she was terrified by the appearance of an armed man in that place which
she had so long deemed sacred against the possibility of such an
intrusion.

"Fear nothing," said the marquis, "no one will harm you. But what will
be the effect of that alarm which you have rung?"

"Merely to warn those above that something unusual is taking place
below," answered the old woman.

"And by what means can access be obtained to this subterrane?" demanded
the marquis.

"There is a staircase leading from the chamber of penitence up into the
hall of the convent----"

"Of the existence of that staircase I am aware," interrupted the
marquis, who had seen the abbess and Sister Alba enter the chamber of
penitence a few minutes previously, as stated in the preceding chapter;
"but are there no means of ingress or egress?"

"Yes; follow me," said the sextoness.

Taking up a lamp from the table in her cell, she led the way to the
further end of the passage, threw open a door, and thrusting forth the
light beyond the opening, exclaimed in a tone denoting a reminiscence
the bitterness of which long years had scarcely mitigated--"That is the
road whereby I came hither; and many, many others have traveled the same
downward path!"

The marquis seized the lamp, and beheld, a few paces from from him, a
wicker chair, to which two ropes, hanging perpendicularly down, were
fastened. He raised his eyes, following the direction of the ropes, but
as there was now no other light in the pit than the feeble, flickering
one shed by the lamp which he held, his glances could not penetrate the
dense obscurity that prevailed above.

"What