"My God!" exclaimed the Earl, "it is even so; these are my unhappy guests! It is Mr. Lennox and his wretched son--I know those ghastly heads! Leonora, I can go no further; those death-pale faces will long haunt me!" "What, Signore, are you come so far, and afraid to go on? True, this is a sad sight--the marks of plunder, rapine, and murder,--but with me you need not fear." "You understand me not: these are my friends--they have been cruelly butchered." "I am sorry they were Signore's friends; but by following me you may gain much--even by finding out about them." "Wretched girl!" exclaimed Lord Wentworth; "is it possible you belong to this fierce gang?--so young, so innocent-looking! Ha!" he continued, looking on her with changed expression, "I see it now. I have been decoyed--duped!--fool that I was to come alone, and unarmed. I shall be set on, and murdered, and my head stuck by those! I will at least give them a chase for it," and he turned his horse's head. "Hear me," cried the girl, "you wrong me, Signore--you wrong me! I have not deserved this! Follow me still--judge not by appearances, they may be against me: you will live to prove my truth; only have faith in one who would not for worlds injure you." "By my soul, you take me for a fool! No, no, fair maiden, prevention is better than cure--you shan't get my head without a run for it." "Once more, listen, my Lord. To return alone, even on that fleet horse, is certain death;--these woods are full of those who never missed their aim; and to go on with me is your only chance; and I vow by the great God--by the blessed Virgin--not a hair of your head shall be injured! Do you believe me?--look at my face and see if truth is not written there. Oh! for your own--my sake--follow on. I am not what I appear!" The Earl looked at her; the moon shone full on her face--it was the face of a Madonna--no shade of falsehood there. "I will follow--I will trust you; only remember, Signorina, if you deceive me you break your word, your oath, your honour,--lead on." The mysterious guide[F] then reining her horse to the left, descended through the woods towards the river. He followed. The descent was difficult, and very steep; the moonlight hardly pierced the trees above. "This girl," he thought, "is either the strangest and most faithful I ever met, or the worst arch-deceiver I ever was duped by." After a toilsome descent, in which their horses often stumbled, they approached the river with its limestone cliffs, and emerged on an open green. Here Leonora dismounted, and motioned to the Earl to do the same. She again blew the ivory whistle, a similarly-costumed bandit appeared, received the horses, and decamped as mysteriously as he came. "Signore," said the girl, "you have promised to trust me; will you submit to be blindfolded, for you must no longer see the path you go?"