Ludovico smiled, and Emily also, who enquired what was the motive of
these men for carrying him off.
'I soon found out, madam,' resumed Ludovico, 'that they were pirates,
who had, during many years, secreted their spoil in the vaults of the
castle, which, being so near the sea, suited their purpose well. To
prevent detection they had tried to have it believed, that the chateau
was haunted, and, having discovered the private way to the north
apartments, which had been shut up ever since the death of the lady
marchioness, they easily succeeded. The housekeeper and her husband, who
were the only persons, that had inhabited the castle, for some years,
were so terrified by the strange noises they heard in the nights, that
they would live there no longer; a report soon went abroad, that it
was haunted, and the whole country believed this the more readily, I
suppose, because it had been said, that the lady marchioness had died
in a strange way, and because my lord never would return to the place
afterwards.'
'But why,' said Emily, 'were not these pirates contented with the
cave--why did they think it necessary to deposit their spoil in the
castle?'
'The cave, madam,' replied Ludovico, 'was open to any body, and their
treasures would not long have remained undiscovered there, but in the
vaults they were secure so long as the report prevailed of their being
haunted. Thus then, it appears, that they brought at midnight, the
spoil they took on the seas, and kept it till they had opportunities of
disposing of it to advantage. The pirates were connected with Spanish
smugglers and banditti, who live among the wilds of the Pyrenees, and
carry on various kinds of traffic, such as nobody would think of; and
with this desperate horde of banditti I remained, till my lord arrived.
I shall never forget what I felt, when I first discovered him--I almost
gave him up for lost! but I knew, that, if I shewed myself, the banditti
would discover who he was, and probably murder us all, to prevent their
secret in the chateau being detected. I, therefore, kept out of my
lord's sight, but had a strict watch upon the ruffians, and determined,
if they offered him or his family violence, to discover myself, and
fight for our lives. Soon after, I overheard some of them laying a most
diabolical plan for the murder and plunder of the whole party, when I
contrived to speak to some of my lord's attendants, telling them what
was going forward, and we consulted what was best to be done; meanwhile
my lord, alarmed at the absence of the Lady Blanche, demanded her, and
the ruffians having given some unsatisfactory answer, my lord and Mons.
St. Foix became furious, so then we thought it a good time to discover
the plot, and rushing into the chamber, I called out, "Treachery! my
lord count, defend yourself!" His lordship and the chevalier drew their
swords directly, and a hard battle we had, but we conquered at last, as,
madam, you are already informed of by my Lord Count.'