"Now, my brave followers!" he cried, suddenly halting, "be prepared to march at a moment's notice."
Such an injunction was perfectly useless; for it so happened that his gallant followers had no other preparation to make than to rise and march, having no baggage to encumber their operations beyond the very slender equipments which they carried on their persons.
"But!" exclaimed Cañeri, in the midst of his exultation, "Alagraf, if we depart immediately, how is thy promise concerning the fair Christian to be fulfilled?"
"Fear not, Cañeri," answered the renegade; "I have promised you that Theodora will be yours to-night or never."
"Or never!" re-echoed Cañeri, dismally shaping his face into most unwarrantable elongation: "Or never! We have yet some time to remain, and I would gladly wait for such a prize."
"It wants," observed the renegade, "but an hour to midnight,—the time approaches,—my heart feels confident Theodora, will soon be in your power, and I shall then have the means of accomplishing my revenge."
CHAPTER XIV.
Si! m'ingannai: scerner dovea, che in petto
Di un traditor mai solo un tradimento
Non entra.
Alfieri.
Le cruel, hélas! il me quitte,
Il me laisse sans nul appui!
Berquin.
"In the name of Heaven, Don Lope," said Roque; "let me again conjure you to pause before you finally resolve upon this undertaking: my heart misgives me strangely."