Montoni, you are a villain! If there is treachery in this affair, look to yourself as the author of it.IF--do I say? I--whom you have wronged with unexampled baseness, whom you have injured almost beyond redress! But why do I use words?--Come on, coward, and receive justice at my hands!'
'Coward!' cried Montoni, bursting from the people who held him, and rushing on the Count, when they both retreated into the corridor, where the fight continued so desperately, that none of the spectators dared approach them, Montoni swearing, that the first who interfered, should fall by his sword.
Jealousy and revenge lent all their fury to Morano, while the superior skill and the temperance of Montoni enabled him to wound his adversary, whom his servants now attempted to seize, but he would not be restrained, and, regardless of his wound, continued to fight.He seemed to be insensible both of pain and loss of blood, and alive only to the energy of his passions.Montoni, on the contrary, persevered in the combat, with a fierce, yet wary, valour; he received the point of Morano's sword on his arm, but, almost in the same instant, severely wounded and disarmed him.The Count then fell back into the arms of his servant, while Montoni held his sword over him, and bade him ask his life.Morano, sinking under the anguish of his wound, had scarcely replied by a gesture, and by a few words, feebly articulated, that he would not--when he fainted; and Montoni was then going to have plunged the sword into his breast, as he lay senseless, but his arm was arrested by Cavigni.To the interruption he yielded without much difficulty, but his complexion changed almost to blackness, as he looked upon his fallen adversary, and ordered, that he should be carried instantly from the castle.
In the mean time, Emily, who had been with-held from leaving the chamber during the affray, now came forward into the corridor, and pleaded a cause of common humanity, with the feelings of the warmest benevolence, when she entreated Montoni to allow Morano the assistance in the castle, which his situation required.But Montoni, who had seldom listened to pity, now seemed rapacious of vengeance, and, with a monster's cruelty, again ordered his defeated enemy to be taken from the castle, in his present state, though there were only the woods, or a solitary neighbouring cottage, to shelter him from the night.
The Count's servants having declared, that they would not move him till he revived, Montoni's stood inactive, Cavigni remonstrating, and Emily, superior to Montoni's menaces, giving water to Morano, and directing the attendants to bind up his wound.At length, Montoni had leisure to feel pain from his own hurt, and he withdrew to examine it.
The Count, meanwhile, having slowly recovered, the first object he saw, on raising his eyes, was Emily, bending over him with a countenance strongly expressive of solicitude.He surveyed her with a look of anguish.
'I have deserved this,' said he, 'but not from Montoni.It is from you, Emily, that I have deserved punishment, yet I receive only pity!' He paused, for he had spoken with difficulty.After a moment, he proceeded.'I must resign you, but not to Montoni.
Forgive me the sufferings I have already occasioned you! But for THAT villain--his infamy shall not go unpunished.Carry me from this place,' said he to his servants.'I am in no condition to travel:
you must, therefore, take me to the nearest cottage, for I will not pass the night under his roof, although I may expire on the way from it.'
Cesario proposed to go out, and enquire for a cottage, that might receive his master, before he attempted to remove him: but Morano was impatient to be gone; the anguish of his mind seemed to be even greater than that of his wound, and he rejected, with disdain, the offer of Cavigni to entreat Montoni, that he might be suffered to pass the night in the castle.Cesario was now going to call up the carriage to the great gate, but the Count forbade him.'I cannot bear the motion of a carriage,' said he: 'call some others of my people, that they may assist in bearing me in their arms.'
At length, however, Morano submitted to reason, and consented, that Cesario should first prepare some cottage to receive him.Emily, now that he had recovered his senses, was about to withdraw from the corridor, when a message from Montoni commanded her to do so, and also that the Count, if he was not already gone, should quit the castle immediately.Indignation flashed from Morano's eyes, and flushed his cheeks.
'Tell Montoni,' said he, 'that I shall go when it suits my own convenience; that I quit the castle, he dares to call his, as I would the nest of a serpent, and that this is not the last he shall hear from me.Tell him, I will not leave ANOTHER murder on his conscience, if I can help it.'
'Count Morano! do you know what you say?' said Cavigni.
'Yes, Signor, I know well what I say, and he will understand well what I mean.His conscience will assist his understanding, on this occasion.'
'Count Morano,' said Verezzi, who had hitherto silently observed him, 'dare again to insult my friend, and I will plunge this sword in your body.'
'It would be an action worthy the friend of a villain!' said Morano, as the strong impulse of his indignation enabled him to raise himself from the arms of his servants; but the energy was momentary, and he sunk back, exhausted by the effort.Montoni's people, meanwhile, held Verezzi, who seemed inclined, even in this instant, to execute his threat; and Cavigni, who was not so depraved as to abet the cowardly malignity of Verezzi, endeavoured to withdraw him from the corridor; and Emily, whom a compassionate interest had thus long detained, was now quitting it in new terror, when the supplicating voice of Morano arrested her, and, by a feeble gesture, he beckoned her to draw nearer.She advanced with timid steps, but the fainting languor of his countenance again awakened her pity, and overcame her terror.