He knew that it was useless to reason with the brigand against the spoliation of the convent, which he had more than hinted at; for it was not likely that the robbers would incur so great a risk as that involved in the sacrilegious invasion of the sacred establishment, unless it were with the hope of reaping an adequate reward. The bandit-chief and the young nobleman had now reached the boundary of the city; but instead of entering the streets, they turned abruptly to the right, Stephano acting as guide, and plunged into a thick grove of evergreens. "Here, my lord," said Stephano, stopping short, "you must consent to be blindfolded." "And wherefore?" demanded Manuel, indignantly. "Think you that I shall betray the secrets of your dwelling, wherever and whatever it may be?" "I entertain no such base suspicion," returned Verrina. "But we banditti are governed by a code of laws which none of us--not even I, the chief--dare violate. To the observance of this code we are bound by an oath of so deadly--so dreadful a nature, that bold and reckless as we are, we could not forget _that_. And I should alike break our laws and depart from my oath, were I to conduct an uninitiated stranger to our stronghold otherwise than blindfolded." "I offer no further opposition, Signor Verrina," said the marquis. "Fix on the bandage." Stephano tied his scarf over the nobleman's eyes, and then conducted him slowly through the mazes of the grove. In this manner they proceeded for nearly a quarter of an hour, when they stopped, and Stephano, quitting Manuel's hand, said in a low tone, "Stand still just where you are for a moment, while I give the signal, and do not move a single step--for it is a dangerous neighborhood." About half a minute elapsed, during which it struck Manuel that he heard a bell ring far--far under ground. The sound was very faint: but still he felt convinced that he did hear it, and that it appeared to come from the bowels of the earth. But he had not much time for reflection; for Stephano once more took his hand, saying, "You are now about to descend a flight of steps." They proceeded downward together for some distance, when the steps ceased, and they pursued their way on a flat surface of pavement; but the echoes of their footsteps convinced the marquis that he was treading a subterranean cavern or passage. Presently a huge door, sounding as if it were made of iron, was closed behind them, and Stephano exchanged a few words in a whisper with some one who spoke to him at that point. Then they descended a few more steps, and at the bottom another door was banged heavily, when they had passed its threshold,--the echoes resounding like pistol-shots throughout the place. For a few minutes more did they proceed on another level-paved floor: and then the gurgling rush of a rapid stream met the ears of the marquis.