She was in the midst of these and other reflections connected with the various salient features of her life, when the door of the room was slowly and cautiously opened, and a man entered, bearing a lantern in his hand. Two others followed close behind him. "Shut the door, Lomellino," said the foremost. "But are you sure that this is the room?" asked the man thus addressed. "Certain," was the reply. "Antonio described its situation so clearly----" "Then why did he not join us?" "How do I know? But that need not prevent us----" Nisida at this moment raised the lamp from the fire-place, and the light flashing at that end of the room, produced a sudden start and ejaculation on the part of the banditti. "Perdition!" cried Stephano, "what can this mean?" Nisida advanced toward the robbers in a manner so calm, so dignified, so imperious, and so totally undaunted by their presence, that they were for a moment paralyzed and rooted to the spot as if they were confronted by a specter. But at the next instant Stephano uttered an exclamation of mingled surprise and joy, adding, "By my patron saint! Lomellino, this is the very lady of whom I spoke to you the other evening!" "What, the one who did the business so well in----" "Yes, yes," cried Stephano hastily; "you know what I mean--in Wagner's garden! But----" Nisida had in the meantime drawn from her bosom one of the slips of paper before alluded to; and, handing it to the bandit-chief, she made a hasty and imperious motion for him to read it. He obeyed her with the mechanical submission produced by astonishment and curiosity, mingled with admiration for that bold and daring woman, whom he already loved and resolved to win: but his surprise was increased a hundred-fold, when he perused these lines:--"I am the Lady Nisida of Riverola. Your design is known to me; it matters not how. Rumor has doubtless told you that I am deaf and dumb; hence this mode of communicating with you. You have been deluded by an idle knave--for there is no treasure in the closet yonder. Even if there had been, I should have removed it the moment your intended predatory visit was made known to me. But you can serve me; and I will reward you well for your present disappointment." "What does the paper say?" demanded Lomellino and Piero, the captain's two companions, almost in the same breath. "It says just this much," returned Stephano--and he read the writing aloud. "The Lady Nisida!" ejaculated Lomellino. "Then it is she who used her dagger so well in Wagner's garden." "Peace, silly fool!" cried Stephano. "You have now let out the secret to Piero. True, 'tis no matter, as he is as stanch to me as you are; and therefore he may as well know that this lady here was the murderess of the young female in Wagner's garden: for I saw her do the deed when I was concealed among the evergreens there. She is as much in our power as we are in hers, and we will let her know it if she means any treachery."