Broken Fetters. A novel

Front matter

NEW NOVELS. In 3 Vols. (This day). THE TALK OF THE TOWN. In 3 Vols. ONLY TEMPER. By MRS. C. J. NEWBY, Author of "Wondrous Strange," "Kate Kennedy," "Common Sense," <__ " This is the best and pleasantest of Mrs. Newby's novels. The whole story is marked by good sense, which gives it piquancy, and makes it at once pleasant and profitable. We can recommend ' Only Temper ' as a novel to read aloud in the family circle." — Athemeuv.. In 3 Vols. (Second Edition). ROKE'S WIFE. By the Author of ' ' Little Miss Fairfax," " The Schoolmaster of Alton," & c. ' ' ' Roke's Wife' is one of those few novels that stand out from the mass of fictions. It is very clever and interesting, it piques the im agination, it touches the heart, it tickles the intellect, it excites, in terests, and pleases." — Atlas. ' ' The author is an able hand at delineating character.

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Chapter I

It was a summer's night, but owing to the absence of both moon and stars, it was a very dark one. As the wearied Lady Vannina de Matra and her friend Laurina Gavotti ascended the steep and narrow path that led, not only to the castle of Nonza, but also into the in terior of Capo Corso, a thick mist, rising from the waters of the gulf below, spread itself over the lofty crags and hung upon the walls and ramparts of the fortress like a shroud. VOL. III. B Vannina felt an unaccountable chill come over her heart, as she stopped before the an tiquated drawbridge which spanned the deep and frightful chasm that intervened between __ the narrow road and the ponderous portals of the castle. This feeling appeared the more strange to her when she reflected that this castle of Nou a was the cradle of her infancy.

In her child hood her father had defended his castle and stood a fierce siege of three months against the combined forces of France and Genoa, and then only yielded on capitulation most honourable to him. It was shortly after that siege and capitulation that he took the oath of allegiance to Genoa, on certain conditions — conditions broken more than once by that perfidious republic. A note from the bugle of her escort, an swered from the walls of the fortress, caused the old drawbridge to be lowered. The rattling of the ponderous chain, as it fell iuto its place, made Vannina shudder. Having crossed the bridge, a small wicket in the huge portal opening into the court-yard, and at which stood two Genoese soldiers with torches, admitted the tired ladies. Immediately on entering, an old domestic, whom she well remembered, came forward, and looking eagerly and wistfully into the face of his young mistress, shook his straggling grey hairs from his forehead, aud bowing low, but not uttering a word, led the way into the great hall, in which, notwithstanding the season of the year, blazed a large log fire ; around it were grouped soldiers in the uni form of the republic.

" I will now leave you, lady, to the care of your domestics," said the officer who had commanded the escort ; " my duty is done ;" and bowing, without another word, or wait ing for a reply, he turned away, and followed by his men, proceeded to another part of the fortress. b " Well, thanks to the Virgin !" said Laur ina, approaching the fire they now had all to themselves, " we are here at last. So this is the famous fortress of Nonza?" and she looked inquiringly round the lofty hall, against whose sides were hung old pieces of rusty armour, boar spears, weapons of all sorts and sizes, ancient and modern, a tat tered banner or two, hanging in dusty folds — all looking time-worn and neglected. " Yes," replied Vannina, with a sigh, " this is Nonza — never a very cheerful residence." " How long is it since you were last here?"

" Twelve years or more have passed and then I remained a few days only. Our family have rarely resided here since the siege, when I was an infant; and yet there is much picturesque though wild beauty about this fortress." The old domestic now came back, and with him his wife, and a rather comely woman his daughter. The old couple welcomed their lord's daughter to the home of her race, but the welcome was sad, and they appeared as if they were afraid to speak. " Will you be pleased, my lady," said the young woman, whose name was Martha, " to see the rooms which have been prepared for you ? We have done our best, but the notice we received from the Count Francisco de Carignano — " " Francisco de Carignano !" repeated Van nina, looking at Laurina with a meaning 7 -_ O glance. " You were right, cara, — we are captives to our worst enemy."

Martha listened to the words of Vannina apparently with great surprise. She made no remark, but, holding a lamp in her hand, she led the way up the great staircase leading from the hall. Turning to the right, and proceeding along a wide gallery, she threw open the door of a saloon, in which blazed a wood fire — Martha saying she had kept fires in all the rooms she thought might be wanted, as they were, from long neglect, quite damp ; and indeed, in that elevated re gion, the nights were never too hot. The saloon was not by any means either uncomfortable or ill-furnished. On the con trary, considering the simple habits and primeval customs of the Corsicans, richly decorated ; for the Genoese had by degrees introduced some of their luxurious habits and modes of living. Two chambers, one opening into the other, and looking out upon the gulf of Fan Fiorenzo and the broad waters of the Mediterranean, were selected by the ladies for their sleeping chambers.

Martha, having placed a large silver lamp upon the table in the saloon, retired, with the attendant Vannina had selected when sepa rated from her father, to prepare some refreshment of a light kind before they went to rest. " All tbis appears very strange, cara" said Laurina, seating herself by the fire. " I con fess I do not know what to make of it.'' " I have very unpleasant feelings with res pect to the issue of it," said Vannina ; " but I thank God you have been left to me, in this, my very severe trial. Depend on it, this horrid Count Francisco de Carignano has some deep project in view to force me to accept his hand, which I will die sooner than do." "We will baffle him yet, cara — never des pair. Who would have imagined we could have enjoyed a fire to-night, after the baking heat of this morning.

We must be very high up some mountain." " You are on the very summit of the loftiest hill in Capo Corso. I remember it was rarely ever too warm here in the hottest day, and the nights are always cool ; but here is Martha : I long to ask her a few questions." The young woman, who seemed both intelligent and kind-hearted, placed the refreshment before the ladies, and urged them to take something after their long and fatigu ing journey. " Tell me, Martha," said Vannina, " how long have you been residing here? I have no recollection of ever having seen you." Martha cast down her eyes for a moment, looking disappointed as she replied — " You may not remember me, lady, but when I was a little girl I nursed you and carried you many and many a time out and about this old castle. As to how long I have been here now, alas ! lady, only a few months, since my poor husband was killed at the taking of Ajaccio by our brave country men."

Vannina expressed her sorrow at remind ing her of her bereavement, and kindly en quired if she had any family. " No, lady, no family ; we were but just married. My husband lived at Nebbio ; he had a small farm, but he joined his country men under their unknown, but brave leader, and was shot just as the garrison surrendered ; I then, lady, returned to my parents, who are getting very aged." " When you came here first were the Genoese soldiers in possession of this fortress ?" " Oh dear, no, my lady. It is only about five days ago that Count Francisco de Car ignano arrived, with only another Signor and an attendant. It was always understood here, on the estates of my lord, that you were betrothed to the Count, so his arrival created no surprise. He ordered some rooms to be prepared for your reception, saying you were coming here for a time to be out of the way of the war.

" Under one pretence or another, though we did not conjecture anything wrong then, he dismissed the few men who had charge of the fortress, and the following night ad- B mitted about twenty soldiers of the republic, saying, ' he wished to leave a guard to pro tect you, as your father sided with the Genoese.' This we all knew was the case, for none of the de Matra vassals joined the patriots. " The Dext day large stores of all kinds arrived, and the evening before you came the Count de Carignano left, telling us when you would be here. There are now in the fortress, counting the men who brought you here, over fifty soldiers. They have mounted the two old cannons, formerly used when the castle was besieged, upon the rampart facing the bridge, and men are daily hard at work repairing every part of the defences, they having been injured by war or time ; just, lady, as if we were going to stand another siege."

" So, in fact, Martha, you had no idea but that I was coming of my own accord, or by the wish of my father?" " So we thought, my lady 5 and, indeed, up to this very morning — but the officer who conducted you here speaks openly enough. He says that Count Francisco de Carignano has received the sanction of the republic to complete his intended marriage with your ladyship, and that afterwards he is to raise a large force from your father's vassals to assist in this war against the Corsican patriots." " Neither of which projects will he be able to effect," said Vannina, in a determined tone, though it must be confessed she looked some what paler than usual. " He may drag me to the altar, but he can never force me to make vows my heart abhors; and as to forc ing my father's vassals to take up arms against their gallant countrymen, even my father would fail in that."

Several days passed without any occurrence taking place to disturb the monotonous solitude of the two captives, for such, in truth, they were. The views from the windows of the Castle of Nonza were magnificent, extending over a great extent of land and sea. Van nina and her friend were allowed to take ex ercise upon a broad rampart overhanging the gulf of San Fiorenzo ; but beyond the castle they were not permitted to stir. There was no garden of any kind attached to the castle, which, in fact, stood upon the bare surface of a vast rock. In the meantime, while Vannina and her friend were enduring the tediousness of con finement to the narrow limits of the castle of Nonza, the Count de Briesbach was secretly advancing, at the head of five hundred men, upon the town and citadel of Corte. Otho being aware that the Count de Matra was suspected by the commandant of Corte of being inclined to abandon the cause of the republic of Genoa, set it down in his own mind that de Matra and his daughter would be prevented by the commandant from leaving their own mansion ; he therefore antici pated finding the Lady Vannina still at her residence in Corte.

Marching mostly during the night, and avoiding inhabited parts of the country, de Briesbach and his adventurous band entered the difficult gorge of the mountains through which they were to gain the entrance into the forest that lined the side of the mountain opposite the citadel, and which extended to within a mile of the town. In this wild and almost impassable defile Otho halted his band, while Tomassi and another of the men, simply habited as peas ants, went forward as scouts. They were to proceed and enter the town, and learn, if possible, how matters stood — whether any knowledge of de Briesbach's movements were known or suspected. They returned the following night with the intelligence that all was tranquil, and nothing whatever was suspected ; that a very careless guard was kept in the castle, as the passes through the mountains were well guarded and They had also learned that the Count de Matra and his daughter, with several of his domestics, had left Corte for his own estates in Capo Corso.

This intelligence extremely astonished as well as disappointed our hero ; it disconcerted some of his plans. However, as this could not be remedied, he turned his thoughts en tirely upon the expedition he was engaged in. The assault upon the fortress of Corte must be made, he was well aware, during the night, and the nights were short at that period of the year, and unless favoured by the weather, by no means dark. His chief trust was that the garrison, relying on their outposts, and quite unaware of a force ad vancing against them — for they had heard of Paoli's retrograde movement — would keep but a careless guard. Unless taken by sur prise, Corte was quite impregnable to any force he could bring against it, unprovided as he was with artillery. The gorge in which de Briesbach and his band were encamped was one of the wildest and most picturesque defiles in the whole island.

It had every appearance of the bed of some mighty torrent, though such could not have been the case, as the mountains on each side of it were not of sufficient altitude or extent to form a stream capable of hurling such vast masses of rock one upon the other. Between these gigantic rocks grew those majestic pines for which Corsica was famous, even at the period of the Boman invasion. There is a strange tradition of which Theophrastus speaks: that the Bomans, struck with the size and vastness of the woods in Corsica, built a prodigious ship, which carried the vast number of fifty sails, and which perished in the ocean. It wanted two or three hours of sunset as de Briesbach and his lieutenant, Vachero, armed with their rifles, left their men stretched out upon the green spots here and there straggling for existence among the wild debris of the gorge.

They had lighted fires, and were, some of them, busily engaged in preparing the evening meal ; some were brightening up their guns and pistols ; whilst others were recounting old traditions to a group of listeners lying with their feet to wards the fire — a custom of which the Corsi cans are extremely fond. It was de Briesbaeh's intention to ascend the right side of the defile, having learned that a most magnificent prospect of the entire west coast was to be obtained from the sum mit; and that the woods above were greatly frequented by that strange animal, peculiar to Corsica, which the inhabitants call the muffolo — half stag, half goat — one of the wildest animals in existence, and which, when chased, throws itself from rocks twenty or thirty feet high, and pitching upon its horns unhurt, escapes the hunters.

Active and vigorous, the young men, after an hour's toil, reached the summit, and hav ing gained the desired spot, looked down upon a view ofthe most striking description. " Well, Count, this amply repays the exer tions we have made to get here," said Vachero, seating himself on the rock, and wiping the perspiration from his heated brow. M By Jove ! it's hot work, though." " There is not the slightest doubt of that," returned our hero, also wiping the large drops from his head and face. " What a vast ex tent of country lies before us ! we cannot be less than two or three thousand feet above the level of the sea. The gorge itself must be of great height, for we have been ascending since yesterday morning." Beneath them an immense forest stretched apparently almost to the sea — a distance of twelve or thirteen miles.

Away to the right they could easily distinguish, by the deep indenture of the coast, the Gulf of San Fiorenzo, and nearer to them the town and port of Ajaccio, while Isoli, Rossa, and Calvi were hidden by the loftiness of the cliffs in their vicinity. The deep blue Mediterranean lay before them, glowing in the gorgeous crimson of a setting sun ; and stretching far away to the south was the long dark line of the Sardinian c_ coast. The hundred islands of the Straits of Bonifacio were distinctly visible, and the numerous craft navigating the Mediterranean appeared like dark spots upon the sparkling waters. Behind them the prospect was shut in by vast masses of lofty rocks and thick clumps of pines. An exclamation roused Otho from a reverie. Vachero had started to his feet, having seen three or four of the muffoli on a range of rocks two or three hundred feet below them to the right.

" Let us descend here to the right," said Vachero ; " screened by that thick brushwood and pines, we shall get within shot of them." The young men were led a much longer chase than they intended, for the extreme keenness of sight and hearing of the animal is wonderful. They had descended for more than a mile, and as they thought, had just got a long range of rock and low brushwood between them and their game. Vachero had crept fonvard, and was raising his rifle ready for a shot through a fissure ofthe rocks, when he suddenly let fall the weapon into the hollow of his arm, while he motioned to de Briesbach to advance cautiously ; he did so, and Vachero whispered in his ear : " By the Mass ! there is other game besides venison — look!" Otho knelt down and gazed through the fissure of the two immense masses of rock, and he was certainly greatly surprised at the sight that met his gaze.

Beneath them, some eighty or a hundred yards, was an extremely verdant patch of pasture, surrounded by tufts of the ilex, or evergreen oak ; a clear stream of water fell from the rocks behind which our two spectators stood, and running across the little field, disappeared in the thick wood beneath. Seated and stretched upon this carpet of Nature's formation were twenty or more men. All kinds of edibles covered the green sward, nor was there any lack of wine flasks ; whilst a fire, with something roasting or boiling, at a little distance, was tended by two ofthe men. At a very short distance from this group, all armed to the teeth, with gun, pistol, and sword, were three natives of the island, hand cuffed, and fastened by a stout rope to a tree. "Do you know who those rascals are?" whispered Vachero to the Count.

" They are a party of Genoese, no doubt, though their uniforms and arms show they are none ofthe republic's soldiers." " They are the assassin corps — some of the infamous troops lately embodied with the Swiss and Grisons. Two or three parties of these ruffians are scattered over the island, as you heard, to cut off the Corsican leaders at so much per head," replied Vachero. " I tell you what, Julio," said the Count, after a moment's thought ; " we must stop the career of these miscreants ; they have, as you see, three prisoners. Hasten as fast as you can — bring up a dozen or so of our men. I will keep watch here. You can get back before sundown, and half an hour more will be sufficient to send those vile wretches to their long account." " I will be back in less than an hour," said Vachero, laying down his rifle and starting off at a rapid pace, leaving his friend gazing do_n upon the group of assassins below.

Taking an accurate survey of the surround ing locality, de Briesbach perceived that he could approach to within fifty yards of the party, and perhaps be able to discover by their conversation something concerning their appearance in that part of the country, and who were their captives. Taking Vachero's rifle with him, he slowly and cautiously continued his way along the singular amphitheatre of rocks that, in a manner, encircled the party below. In this way he contrived to get within a very few paces of the group, and then paused, finding he could distinctly hear their voices. After a few moments' investigation, he found a spot behind a lofty rock, covered with a mass of creeping evergreens and stunted shrubs, through which he could distinctly observe the party. A more ferocious, cut-throat looking set of villains it were scarcely possible to collect together.

They wore a sort of uniform of dark green, high boots, a broad untanned belt, in which was stuck the long poignard of Genoa. In addition, some of them had two and even three pistols, and a heavy, iron-handled, straight sword. Their heads were covered with the dark brown beaver, with broadbrim and drooping feather. The leader of this villanous band was easily distinguished by the additional plume in his hat, and the superiority of his arms, which appeared highly polished. He was a man of colossal height and im mense bulk— his features almost hid in a mass of hair, griz zled and curling over his cheeks and chin. " Now, then, my beauties," said their chief, " let us to business. Now that we have satisfied our appetites, bring up those rascals ; I'll give them one chance more to save their necks from the halter ; but curse me if they hang fire any longer, they shall swing from the branch of yonder oak."

Otho watched their proceedings with great interest, turning his gaze now and then back upon the spot where he expeced to see Vachero and his men make their appearance. The prisoners were brought forward and placed before the assassin leader. With a start of surprise and pain de Briesbach per ceived at a glance that they were three of his own men, left behind at Damani ; the Corsican patriots wore no uniform, but attired themselves in the usual dress worn by almost all classes, differing only in the fine ness of the materials, yet our hero, who wished to distinguish the men of his band, induced them to wear a broad belt of leather over the shoulder, so contrived as to carry the short carbines he had provided, and with which nearly all his men were furnished. One of the three was the nephew of Tomassi, almost the most enterprising and active of his scouts.

Though the situation of the captives was one of extreme peril they confronted their brutal captors witb undismayed looks. " Well, my men," began the leader of the band, sitting up and leaning on his elbow, after casting a fierce look upon his prisoners, " how do you feel astir fasting for twenty four hours ?" and he laughed grimly. "Will fasting open your mouths and loosen your jaws, or must I hang one of you to make the other two speak ? By the mass I'd think as little of shooting or hanging you as I do of draining this goblet," and he tossed off* a large can of sour wins. " Now tell me, as you be long to the rebels, partieulariy to that band of rebellious rascals healed by the German adventurer who stiles himself a Count de Briesbach, whereabouts in this vicinity are this said count and his men located?

Answer me that first." " You may spare yourself both your threats and your breath," boldly answered one of the prisoners. " Neither fasting nor threats of hanging will make me betray my leader to a set of cut-throats; so do your worst." " Oh !" roared the huge brute, as he raised vol. ut. c himself on his feet, " you won't, won't you ? Cent o Diavolo ! we'll try. Here, my beauties, take that fellow and hang him from yonder branch ; he's in prime order for a journey to the other world, seeing that he has been both fasting and praying for the last twenty-four hours. Up with him. His comrades will learn a lesson by his example ; they have a lock-jaw at present : but you will see what wonderful effect my medicine will have on their disease." Four of the ruffians laid violent hands upon the true-hearted and courageous Corsican, dragged him under the fatal tree and com menced fastening a rope round his neck amid boisterous laughter, oaths, and coarse jokes.

De Briesbach cast an anxious glance to wards the height above, visible to himself, but not to those below him. Vachero was not yet in sight, but our hero determined not to allow his faithful follower to die such a death without an effort to save him. Moving some twenty yards further up, and taking a good position, just as the men were about to pull upon the rope round the neck of the Corsican, Otho raised his rifle and fired. The man who held the cord sprung a yard from the ground, and dropping the cord, fell dead. The wildest astonishment seized the band of miscreants ; for an instant they stood para lysed; then rushing to their guns, piled in a heap, they gazed upward, and catching a glimpse of the thin, grey smoke as it curled upon the still air, with a burst of curses and shouts, fired a volley on the spot, but Otho had sunk behind the rock, and the storm of bullets rattled against the stone harmlessly.

Instantly rising, with Vachero's rifle, he singled out the bulky leader, and agaiu fired. The villain would have fallen but for the sudden movement of one of the men, who received the ball in his breast and fell against his leader a corpse. With shouts and execrations against their c hidden enemy, a simultaneous rush was now made to climb the rock. De Briesbach coolly re-loaded both rifles without stirring, for at that instant he caught sight of Vachero and his men hurr ying down the hill. The rocks were difficult to climb, though scarcely thirty feet high, and the three or four men who first gained the height caught sight of Vachero and the Corsicans coming down the steep. With a shou t of warning to their comrades, they leaped back, but not before the rifle of our hero had stretched another upon the sward.

It was rapidly getting dusk, for the twilight of the south is short, and the baffled miscreants after receiving and returning a volley from Vachero and his men, plunged into the deep shade of the forest and disappeared . " It is quite useless, Julio," said the Count, . to pursue the rascals. It will be a dark night in a short time, and the wood, as we saw from above, is many miles in extent." " They have left four of their number here, at all events," said Vachero, as his men turned over the bodies and stripped them of their arms and ammunition — two things Corsicans never neglected. The joy of the released captives was, in truth, great. Vachero's surprise was equal to his leader's on recognising the men. " How is this, Jacomo?" he exclaimed, as he cut the cords that confined their hands. " By all the Saints, Captain, easy enough told.