But soon they heard Ludovico speaking loud, and the voice also of some other person, and Du Pont immediately extinguished the lamp. “Ah! it is too late!” exclaimed Emily, “what is to become of us?” They listened again, and then perceived, that Ludovico was talking with a sentinel, whose voices were heard also by Emily’s favourite dog, that had followed her from the chamber, and now barked loudly. “This dog will betray us!” said Du Pont, “I will hold him.” “I fear he has already betrayed us!” replied Emily. Du Pont, however, caught him up, and, again listening to what was going on without, they heard Ludovico say, “I’ll watch the gates the while.”
“Stay a minute,” replied the sentinel, “and you need not have the trouble, for the horses will be sent round to the outer stables, then the gates will be shut, and I can leave my post.” “I don’t mind the trouble, comrade,” said Ludovico, “you will do such another good turn for me, some time. Go—go, and fetch the wine; the rogues, that are just come in, will drink it all else.”
The soldier hesitated, and then called aloud to the people in the second court, to know why they did not send out the horses, that the gates might be shut; but they were too much engaged, to attend to him, even if they had heard his voice.
“Aye—aye,” said Ludovico, “they know better than that; they are sharing it all among them; if you wait till the horses come out, you must wait till the wine is drunk. I have had my share already, but, since you do not care about yours, I see no reason why I should not have that too.”
“Hold, hold, not so fast,” cried the sentinel, “do watch then, for a moment: I’ll be with you presently.”
“Don’t hurry yourself,” said Ludovico, coolly, “I have kept guard before now. But you may leave me your trombone,* that, if the castle should be attacked, you know, I may be able to defend the pass, like a hero.”
(*Note: A kind of blunderbuss. [A. R.])
“There, my good fellow,” returned the soldier, “there, take it—it has seen service, though it could do little in defending the castle. I’ll tell you a good story, though, about this same trombone.”
“You’ll tell it better when you have had the wine,” said Ludovico. “There! they are coming out from the court already.”
“I’ll have the wine, though,” said the sentinel, running off. “I won’t keep you a minute.”