n
the present condition of affairs, as my life would not be worth a
moment's purchase were I to fall into the hands of the enemy; but it is
very doubtful whether the chateau could hold out beyond an hour or two
against a determined attack, every man I could possibly spare being away
with my brother."

"Would not your own countrymen help you in such a case?" I inquired.

"There is no help available, except that of the banditti," replied the
count, "and, with the single exception of Bell' Demonio's band, I would
almost as soon throw open my gates to the French as to them. If Bell'
were at hand at such a time, we should be perfectly safe, but one can
never tell where she is to be found; her movements are as uncertain as
those of the wind, and it is quite probable that she is now at the north
end of the island, co-operating with my brother."

"Who is this Bell' Demonio?" I inquired. "Is it possible she can be
the beautiful woman I saw in the camp to which I was taken after being
wounded, and where I fell ill?"

"The same," answered the count. "She is the leader of the band into
whose hands you fell. Poor soul! her story is a very extraordinary as
well as a very terrible one; the mere mention of her name is sufficient
to excite a Corsican to frenzy at the remembrance of her wrongs.

"Six months ago Isabel di Solzi was one of the happiest girls in all
Corsica. Her father, Count Robert di Solzi, a descendant of the most
ancient and most distinguished family of all the Corsican nobility,
idolised her, and gratified her every whim, no matter how extravagant it
might be, and she ruled the chateau as its absolute queen.

"Her lover, as handsome and gallant a young fellow as maiden could wish,
doted upon her, as a matter of course, and she returned his love with
all the passion of her fiery and enthusiastic nature, and the prospect
before her seemed to be one of almost perfect human happiness.

"Her father, fond as he was of her, and reluctant as he was to part with
his only daughter, nevertheless viewed the match with unqualified
favour; the proposals had been formally made and accepted; the
preliminaries were all arranged, and the marriage was fixed for a
certain day.

"Time passed on, slowly enough, we may be sure, to the impassioned
lovers, and at length the day arrived on the morrow of which the wedding
was to take place. Isabel's lover rode out early to the chateau,
ostensibly for the purpose of concluding th