The signal was repeated by the gipsy crew. We may here casually note, that the crew had been by no means uninterested or silent spectators of passing events, but had, on the contrary, indulged themselves in a variety of conjectures as to their probable issue. Several bets were pending as to whether it would be a match or not after all. Zoroaster took long odds that the match was off--offering a _bean_ to _half-a-quid_--in other words, a guinea to a half-guinea--that Sybil would be the bride. His offer was taken at once by Jerry Juniper, and backed by the knight of Malta. "Ha! there's the signal," cried the knight; "I'll trouble you for the bean." "And I," added Jerry Juniper, "for another." "See 'em fairly spliced first," replied the Magus; "that's vot I betted." "Vell, vell, a few minutes will settle that. Come, pals, to the autem ken. Avay. Mind and obey orders." "Ay, ay," answered the crew. "Here's a torch for the altar of Hymen," said the knight, flashing his torch in the eyes of the patrico as he passed him. "For the halter of Haman, you might say," returned Balthazar, sulkily. "It's well if some of us don't swing for it." "You don't say," rejoined the perplexed Magus, "swing! Egad I fear it's a ticklish business. But there's no fighting shy, I fear, with Barbara present; and then there's that infernal autem-bawler; it will be so cursedly regular. If you had done the job, Balty, it would not have signified a brass farden. Luckily there will be no vitnesses to snitch upon us. There will be no one in the vault besides ourselves." "There will be a silent and a solemn witness," returned Balthazar, "and one whom you expect not." "Eh! Vot's that you say? a spy?" But the patrico was gone. "Make way there--make way, pals, for the bride and bridegroom," cried the knight of Malta, drawing Excalibur, and preparing to lead the way to the vault. The train began to move. Eleanor leaned upon the arm of her mother. Beside them stalked Barbara, with an aspect of triumph. Luke followed with the priest. One by one the assemblage quitted the apartment. The sexton alone lingered. "The moment is at hand," said he, musingly, "when all shall be consummated." A few steps brought him into the court. The crowd was there still. A brief delay had taken place. The knight of Malta then entered the mouth of the vault. He held his torch so as to reveal a broken flight of steps, conducting, it would seem, to regions of perpetual night. So thought Eleanor, as she shudderingly gazed into the abyss. She hesitated; she trembled; she refused. But her mother's entreaties, and Barbara's threatening looks, induced, in the end, reluctant compliance. At length the place was empty. Peter was about to follow, when the sound of a horse's hoofs broke upon his ear. He tarried for an instant, and the mounted figure of the highwayman burst within the limits of the court.