Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 123: what you’re looking at

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110 my assistance. and assumed an air which was. best calculated to make an impression upon the bandit-chief. I suc- ceeded; and he appeared anxious to number me amongst his retainers. . But I offered my services only in a particular way; I proposed that, availing myself of my appearance, My manners, and so forth, I should frequent. the adjacent towns on both sides of the Etruscan Apennines—ascertain the hours at which travellers were to start—esti- mate whether they were worth plundering—and learn the precise roads they were to take,—all of which information I was with the least delay to carry to the tower.. A spy of this kind was pre- cisely what Marco Uberti ranted; and he readily accepted my proposals. You will understand that by the very duty I thus undertook—or rather was supposed to undertake—I was incapacitated from jeining the band in their plundering enterprises, because, as Marco Uberti himself suggested, if I were recognised by postilions, guides, and courvers, it would speedily become dangerous. for me to fre- quent the neighbouring towns. . You may easily conceive that it was my study at the very outset to procure this exemption from a participation in the banditti’s predatory proceedings; and by the course I adopted my purpose was served: namely, to procure a footing amongst them. I need not tell you, Joseph, that I never on any single occasion gave such information as led. to the interception of travellers: but on the contrary, I ayailed my- self of every opportunity to recommend the very roads which I knew might. be most safely taken. In the case of Lord Ringwold’s party some months back, I did all I could to put the banditti upon another scent—a false one, of course: but the out- burst of that storm caused a delay with your party which deranged all my calculations; and thus you fell into the hands of the brigands. Fre- quently would I ride forth from the tower by night, under the pretence of stopping lonely way- farers—but i in reality to warn away those whom I might encounter in dangerous proximity to the tower; and of this you had a proof on.the memorable night that you came disguised thither, Indeed, it was soon seen that I brought no useful information from the neighbouring towns: but, on the other hand, I was continuously taking gold to the banditti, with the assurance that it was the spoil derived from plundered wayfarers. You will ask how I obtained these supplies? My dear friend, I am rich—and the intendant of my estates made me frequent remittances to Pistoja, or else- where, according to the instructions I sent him, But because I brought no useful information from the towns on either side the Etruscan Apennines, the banditti did. not suspect my good faith: they Bupposed that I had a deficiency of aptitude for the business I had seemed to undertake: for on the other hand, those frequent sums of money which I poured into the general treasury, gave them the highest opinion of me, and made them look upon me as one who was as bold and success- ful in the avocations of a highwayman as he was imbecile in the capacity of a spy.” Here Marco Uberti opened his eyes, and looked from the chaise-window—doubtless to ascertain which road we were taking ; and haying satisfied I spoke with a hardy frankyess, JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAWN-SERVANT. “ By the means I have explained to you,” cons tinued Volterra, “I succeeded in establishing myself firmly in the confidence of the banditti. In every respect I sought to adapt myself to their tastes and customs—except with regard to ap- parel ; for I always dressed as a private gentle- man. I joined them in their orgies, and played my part so well that while in reality I drank with the extremest moderation, I appeared to plunge as deep into the revelry as they. I was always ready with a song : and when there was an oppor- tunity to talk fierce and big, without inflicting actual harm on any one, I omitted not to do so, You can easily comprehend that on the three or four occasions when prisoners were brought to the stronghold, I was painfully compelled to ab- stain from aiding them, except in the cases of Miss Sackville and yourself. I dared not as @ general rule render that succour which despite of all precautions would have laid me open to a suse picion not merely fatal to my life—for that I would have risked—but destructive of the lofty aim IT had in view. Therefore, whenever pri¢ soners were brought to the stronghold—and it was on rare occasions—I endeavoured to avoid being seen by them, for the natural purpose of preventing future recognition : but im the one case of the English gentleman who subsequently denounced me at _Dicomano, I was by an accident thrown in his way for a fewminutes. I hope that I shall meet him again that I may convince him of his error.’ “T recollect him well,” I observed; “and rest assured that should I ever see him, I shall noé fail to disabuse him with regard to you.” *T have but little more to say,’ resumed Ane gelo Volterra, “with respect to my existence amongst the banditti. You can easily understand how odious such an existence was to me, and what efforts it must have cost me to repress my feelings of aversion at their vile language and their filthy orgies. I should remark that no deed of blood was perpetrated by them during the whole time I was in theim midst: for rest assured that if the life of an unfortunate traveller, when imprisoned at the tower, had been at stake, I should have incurred any risk in order to save it.” * As you did mine!” I interjected, with grates ful feryour. “ Oh, I can indeed comprehend how terrible and revolting an existence amongst those banditti must have been !” “And you may therefore suppose, my dear friend,” rejoined Volterra, “ that I was cheered and sustained by some strong hope, and that I had anend to gain for which that life which I thus voluntary rendered so miserable should have been gladly given up. My purpose was paramount over all other considerations; and in order that from the very outset I might remain staunch to it, I registered an oath in heaven that I would never abandon my feigned name, nor resume what- soever honour or distinction may be attached to my real one, until I had accomplished the solemn, sacred object which I had in mew, You may judge that this object 7s solemn anu sacred indeed, when even my love for an amiable auc Beautiful creature was made secondary thereto —when from her knowledge even has my real name been con- himself, he sank back to slumber—or seeming | cealed—and “when my character being at stake, I slumber—again. | did not choose to pronounce the one “word which a Net COMmicoaoolks com