Having formed this resolution, he walked towards the place where the letters from the ladies were usually brought, and found one lying there from Elvira, who sent him word that she should expect to see him that night, as she had something very particular to impart to him. He little thought that Elvira appointed this interview with him unknown to the beautiful Moor, to have the opportunity of conversing with him in private. He conceived that Daraxa would also be there as usual, and that he might communicate to her in their own language, even in the presence of her friend, what he wished her to know previous to their separation. But let us leave Ozmin until the time appointed for this interview, and return to notice the alarming preparations that were making by Don Lewis to interrupt it.
He caused all the arms, offensive and defensive, that could be found in the house, to be carried by two faithful domestics into his own apartment, such as muskets, musketoons, pistols, halberts, pikes, partizans, helmets, and targets; the whole of them covered with rust; but the danger was too near at hand to think of having them cleaned. One would have thought, from the active and terrible preparations that were going forward, that it was at least apprehended that the enemy was advancing to take the house by assault; for though Don Lewis had never been himself in the wars, yet, being son and grandson to general officers, he would not have it said that he knew nothing of the matter. He dispatched one of his most trusty servants to purchase powder and ball sufficient to load about seventeen or eighteen fire-arms, which he designed to entrust to some of the bravest of his domestics. All these preparations were made without any noise, being aware that great undertakings required secrecy. Every thing was so well conducted, that he even managed to conceal his designs from his son and daughter, on account of their affection for Daraxa, who had not the least suspicion of what was going forward.
When he had thus arranged everything agreeably to his desire, and the clock had struck eleven, his two confidential servants brought up all the other domestics, whom he posted in different places, distributing the arms among them according as he judged each able to make use of them. He disposed of the greater part of them in the highest rooms in the house, whence they commanded a view of the garden, and were themselves out of sight; and he forbade them from firing without first apprising him of whatever they might see. He placed himself in a closet directly opposite Daraxa’s chamber, choosing this post for himself as one that particularly required his immediate vigilance and attention. He was accompanied by his equerry, an old servant, whose bravery was equal to his master’s, and who, from the bottom of his heart, wished all the disturbers of his sleep at the devil. But the die was cast; and, since posted on bivouac duty, they could not now in honour retreat until they had fully ascertained that there was nothing to be feared from the enemy.
The old Marquis, in his night-gown, night-cap, and slippers, with a dark lantern in his hand, was most attentively on the watch at the window. It was one of those clear star-light nights so common in hot countries; from which circumstance they soon discovered the shadow of a man, at the distance of about two hundred paces. No sooner did Don Lewis hear the clock strike twelve, than, recollecting that it was at about that hour his gardener had heard the noise the preceding night, his heart began to beat most violently, and he was seized with a cold shivering in all his limbs. This agitation, which sufficiently betrayed the feelings of his soul in time of danger, was by no means diminished when he thought that he could perceive somebody walking along the wall on the side next the gallery. To be more convinced that he was not mistaken, he pointed to the place that his equerry might also look, and asked him if he saw any thing; but he, either that his sight was really not so good as his master’s, or through fear, persisted in asserting that he saw nothing.
They were both, however, soon released from doubt by two of their sentinels coming up to apprise them that there was a man conversing, at the gallery window, with some person within the house. Don Lewis was the more astonished at this information, having all the keys of the house in his own possession. These were brought to him every night at nine o’clock; so that he could not possibly conceive who it could be that was supporting the conversation either from within or without, but could think of no other but Daraxa, whom one of her lovers must have come to visit at midnight through the assistance of one of the servants that he had bribed to introduce him into the garden, and that she must have procured another key for the gallery door by means of the same agent. This conjecture appeared the most probable. He desired all his followers to be in readiness, and formed the bold design of beginning the expedition himself, by surprising the beautiful Moor, so that she could not deny her crime. It is true, that, not daring to venture alone upon so over-bold a project, he took with him two of the most resolute of his musketeers, and his intrepid equerry before mentioned.
To make as little noise as possible our commander threw off his slippers, and the others their shoes, in which state they arrived at the gallery, the door of which they found open. Don Lewis advanced until he heard the voices; he then made a stand, to listen to what was said, and overheard the following words: “I have too much esteem for you to resolve to make you unhappy: It behoves me to consider your high birth, and you should reflect on the present condition of my fortune. I am a Cavalier who must seek to make my fortune at Court, where I have need of support. Who then would befriend me after having drawn upon myself the hatred of so powerful a lord as your father? let us not, therefore, do any thing of which we may repent as long as we live.”
The Marquis immediately knew the voice of the pretended Ambrosio; and notwithstanding the spite which he felt towards him for having thus duped him, he could not but admire his virtue and prudence on this occasion. Thinking that this discourse was addressed to Daraxa, he was not a little curious to hear her answer. But how was he shocked, when he heard his own daughter, whose voice he could not mistake, reply to the cavalier in these words: “Can love reason thus? have you scrupled to deceive my father by a stratagem which subjects you to many dangers? have you then come hither at the risk of your life, merely to lose such precious time in teaching me my duty? instead of abandoning yourself to the joy with which my favourable sentiments ought to have inspired you, you are the one to throw difficulties in their way: I did not expect so cold an acknowledgement of your gratitude. Can the consideration of fortune withhold you, when I declare that the summit of all my desires is to be your’s? Why need you fear my father? the Court of Ferdinand is not the only Court in which a man of your merit may expect advancement. But may you ever seek in vain to establish yourself advantageously in any Court! Elvira would ever prefer living with you in the most obscure retreat, to the greatest pomp and splendor that can be conferred on her by her union with another.”
She was going on thus, when a musket was discharged, followed in a moment by ten or twelve others, with the reports of which the gallery resounded. This dreadful noise so frightened the daughter of Don Lewis, that thinking of nothing but her fears she immediately betook herself to flight. But her father who had way-laid her in the passage, seizing her suddenly by the arm: “Is it thus,” said he, “wretched girl, that you dishonour the illustrious blood of Padilla?” At the voice and action of the Marquis, Donna Elvira, whose spirits were but too much troubled by the first shock, uttered a piercing shriek, and fell into her father’s arms, who, finding that she remained quite senseless, opened his dark-lantern to look at her, and she seemed to him in so deplorable a condition, that in spite of his anger he was much affected. He really loved her: but not being able to bear the sight any longer without relenting, he left her in the care of his equerry.
But the more he was touched with compassion at the sight of his daughter in such a state, the more eager did he feel to take revenge on the insolent author of all this disorder. He now longed only for Ambrosio’s death, whose prudence he had but a moment before been applauding. He assembled all his men of arms, tucked up his night-gown, over which he put on his armour, a helmet over his night-cap, with a target on his left arm, and a long pike in his right hand; and this brave captain in his slippers and gauntlets, caused the garden gate to be thrown open, through which his troop defiled three abreast: the musketeers marched first, and the halberdeers brought up the rear, followed by the Marquis himself. This little army, composed of soldiers worthy of their captain, went in search of the enemy: during their march they were reinforced by the gardener, who joined them with a small sword at his side, an arquebuse on his shoulder, and two pistols in his belt. He assured them that he had seen the enemy, and that there were two of them, and that if he had dared to have disobeyed his master’s orders, he should have fired upon them. Don Lewis was astonished at this information, and having learnt which way they went, ordered his troop to take that direction.
What had become of Ozmin all this while? As soon as he perceived that Elvira had taken flight at the report of the fire-arms which had interrupted their conversation, and which he found had not been levelled at him, he retreated precipitately from the gallery with the intention of taking shelter in an arbour, where he determined to sell his life dearly, if attacked. But a man who followed close behind him obliged him to stop, saying: “Signor Don Jaymé, you have need of assistance; accept, therefore, of mine: it is you for whom they are searching; accept my services without delay, if you do not wish to be assassinated by a troop of rascally servants, who will shortly rush upon you.”