The Last Lords of Gardonal | Page 7

therefore
gave the order for his men to mount their horses, resolving to tell the
baron that Teresa had escaped from the flames, and had begged their
assistance, but a number of armed inhabitants of Bormio chancing to
approach, she had sought their protection. A great portion of this
statement could be substantiated by his men, as they still fully believed
that the figure in white which they had so indistinctly seen was the girl
herself. Ludovico and his men during their homeward journey had great
difficulty in crossing the mountains, in consequence of a heavy fall of
snow (for it was now late in the autumn). Next day they arrived at the
castle of Gardonal.
It would be difficult to describe the rage of the baron when he heard
that his retainers had been unsuccessful in their mission. He ordered
Ludovico to be thrown into a dungeon, where he remained for more
than a month, and was only then liberated in consequence of the baron
needing his services for some expedition requiring special skill and
courage. The other men were also punished, though less severely than
their leader, on whom, of course, they laid all the blame.

For some time after Ludovico's return, the baron occupied himself in
concocting schemes, not only to secure the girl Teresa (for he fully
believed the account Ludovico had given of her escape), but to revenge
himself on the inhabitants of Bormio for the part they had taken in the
affair; and it was to carry out these schemes that he liberated Ludovico
from prison.
The winter had passed, and the spring sun was rapidly melting the
snows on the mountains, when one morning three travel-stained men,
having the appearance of respectable burghers, arrived at the Hospice,
and requested to be allowed an interview with the Innominato. A
messenger was despatched to the castle, who shortly afterwards
returned, saying that his master desired the visitors should immediately
be admitted into his presence. When they arrived at the castle they
found him fully prepared to receive them, a handsome repast being
spread out for their refreshment. At first the travellers seemed under
some restraint; but this was soon dispelled by the friendly courtesy of
the astrologer. After partaking of the viands which had been set before
them, the Innominato inquired the object of their visit. One of them
who had been evidently chosen as spokesman, then rose from his chair
and addressed their host as follows:
"We have been sent to your excellency by the inhabitants of Bormio as
a deputation, to ask your advice and assistance in a strait we are in at
present. Late in the autumn of last year, the Baron Conrad, feudal lord
of the Engadin, was on some not very honest expedition in our
neighbourhood, when by chance he saw a very beautiful girl, of the
name of Teresa Biffi, whose father occupied a large farm about half a
league from the town. The baron, it appears, became so deeply
enamoured of the girl that he afterwards sent a messenger to her father
with an offer of marriage for his daughter. Biffi, knowing full well the
infamous reputation of the baron, unhesitatingly declined his proposal
and in such indignant terms as to arouse the tyrant's anger to the highest
pitch. Determining not only to possess himself of the girl, but to avenge
the insult he had received, he sent a body of armed retainers, who in the
night attacked the farmer's house, and endeavoured to effect an
entrance by breaking open the door. Finding they could not succeed,

and after murdering one of the servants who had been sent to a
neighbouring village to give the alarm, they set fire to the house, and
with the exception of two children who contrived to escape, the whole
family, including the young girl herself, perished in the flames. It
appears, however, that the baron (doubtless through his agents)
received a false report that the young girl had escaped, and was taken
under the protection of some of the inhabitants of Bormio. In
consequence, he sent another body of armed men, who arrived in the
night at the house of the podesta, and contrived to make his only son, a
boy of about fifteen years old, a prisoner, bearing him off to the baron's
castle. They left word, that unless Teresa Biffi was placed in their
power before the first day of May, not only would the youth be put to
death, but the baron would also wreak vengeance on the whole town.
On the perpetration of this last atrocity, we again applied to the
government of Milan for protection; but although our reception was
most courteous, and we were promised assistance, we have too good
reason to doubt our receiving it. Certainly up