"And we shall see the chief of one of these two parties this evening, no doubt?"
"Are we going to see an Orlandi or a Colona?"
"In the ruins of the Castle of Vicentello d'Istria."
"Ah! yes--they told me those ruins were close by."
"Yes, they are about a league from here."
"So in three-quarters of an hour we shall be there?"
"Lucien," said Madame de Franchi, "remember you speak for yourself. For a mountaineer as you are it is scarcely three-quarters of an hour distance, but recollect that our guest may not be able to proceed so quickly."
"That is true; we had better allow ourselves an hour and a half at least."
"In that case you have no time to lose," said Madame de Franchi, as she glanced at the clock.
"Mother," said Lucien as he rose, "you will excuse our leaving you, will you not?"
She extended her hand to him, and the young man kissed it with the same respect as he had previously done.
"If you prefer to finish your supper quietly, and to smoke your cigar afterwards----"
"No, no!" I cried; "hang it, you have promised me a bandit, and I must have one."
"Well, then, let us take our guns and be off."
I bowed respectfully to Madame de Franchi, and we left the room, preceded by Griffo, who carried a light.
Our preparations did not occupy us very long.
I clasped a travelling belt round my waist, from which was suspended a sort of hunting-knife, and in the folds of which I carried powder and ball.
Lucien soon re-appeared with his cartridge case, and carrying a double-barrelled Manton, and a sort of peaked cap, woven for him by some Penelope of Sullacaro.
"Shall I go with your Excellency?" asked Griffo.
"No, it will be useless," replied Lucien; "but you may as well loose Diamond, as we might put up a pheasant, and the moon is so clear we should be able to shoot as well as in daylight."
An instant afterwards a great spaniel bounded out, and jumped joyously around its master.
We had not gone many paces from the house when Lucien turned round and said--
"By-the-by, Griffo, tell them if they hear any shots on the mountain that it is we who have fired them."
"If we did not take some such precautions," said Lucien, "they would think that hostilities had recommenced, and we should soon hear our shots echoing in the streets of Sullacaro. A little farther on you will see a footpath to the right that will lead us directly up the mountain."