TheCountLuigiraisedmoney，liketherest，andonemildSeptembermorning，armedwithbattle—ax，portcullisandthunderingculverin，herodethroughthegreavesandbucklersofhisdonjon—keepwithasgallantatroopofChristianbanditsaseversteppedinItaly。Hehadhissword，Excalibur，withhim。Hisbeautifulcountessandheryoungdaughterwavedhimatearfuladieufromthebattering—ramsandbuttressesofthefortress，andhegallopedawaywithahappyheart。Hemadearaidonaneighboringbaronandcompletedhisoutfitwiththebootysecured。Hethenrazedthecastletotheground，massacredthefamilyandmovedon。Theywerehardyfellowsinthegrandolddaysofchivalry。Alas！Thosedayswillnevercomeagain。CountLuigigrewhighinfameinHolyLand。Heplungedintothecarnageofahundredbattles，buthisgoodExcaliburalwaysbroughthimoutalive，albeitoftensorelywounded。HisfacebecamebrownedbyexposuretotheSyriansuninlongmarches;hesufferedhungerandthirst;
hepinedinprisons，helanguishedinloathsomeplague—hospitals。Andmanyandmanyatimehethoughtofhislovedonesathome，andwonderedifallwaswellwiththem。Buthisheartsaid，Peace，isnotthybrotherwatchingoverthyhousehold？*******Forty—twoyearswaxedandwaned;thegoodfightwaswon;GodfreyreignedinJerusalem——theChristianhostsrearedthebannerofthecrossabovetheHolySepulchre！Twilightwasapproaching。Fiftyharlequins，inflowingrobes，approachedthiscastlewearily，fortheywereonfoot，andthedustupontheirgarmentsbetokenedthattheyhadtraveledfar。Theyovertookapeasant，andaskedhimifitwerelikelytheycouldgetfoodandahospitablebedthere，forloveofChristiancharity，andifperchance，amoralparlorentertainmentmightmeetwithgenerouscountenance——\"for，\"saidthey，\"thisexhibitionhathnofeaturethatcouldoffendthemostfastidioustaste。\"\"Marry，\"quoththepeasant，\"an\'itpleaseyourworships，yehadbetterjourneymanyagoodroodhencewithyourjugglingcircusthantrustyourbonesinyondercastle。\"\"Hownow，sirrah！\"exclaimedthechiefmonk，\"explainthyribaldspeech，orby\'rLadyitshallgohardwiththee。\"\"Peace，goodmountebank，Ididbututterthetruththatwasinmyheart。SanPaolobemywitnessthatdidyebutfindthestoutCountLeonardoinhiscups，sheerfromthecastle\'stopmostbattlementswouldhehurlyeall！Alack—a—day，thegoodLordLuigireignsnothereinthesesadtimes。\"\"ThegoodLordLuigi？\"\"Aye，noneother，pleaseyourworship。Inhisday，thepoorrejoicedinplentyandtherichhedidoppress;taxeswerenotknown，thefathersofthechurchwaxedfatuponhisbounty;travelerswentandcame，withnonetointerfere;andwhosoeverwould，mighttarryinhishallsincordialwelcome，andeathisbreadanddrinkhiswine，withal。Butwoeisme！sometwoandfortyyearsagonethegoodcountrodehencetofightforHolyCross，andmanyayearhathflownsincewordortokenhavewehadofhim。MensayhisbonesliebleachinginthefieldsofPalestine。\"\"Andnow？\"\"Now！God\'amercy，thecruelLeonardolordsitinthecastle。Hewringstaxesfromthepoor;herobsalltravelersthatjourneybyhisgates;hespendshisdaysinfeudsandmurders，andhisnightsinrevelanddebauch;heroaststhefathersofthechurchuponhiskitchenspits，andenjoyeththesame，callingitpastime。ThesethirtyyearsLuigi\'scountesshathnotbeenseenbyanyheinallthisland，andmanywhisperthatshepinesinthedungeonsofthecastleforthatshewillnotwedwithLeonardo，sayingherdearlordstilllivethandthatshewilldieeresheprovefalsetohim。Theywhisperlikewisethatherdaughterisaprisoneraswell。Nay，goodjugglers，seekyerefreshmentotherwheres。
\'TwerebetterthatyeperishedinaChristianwaythanthatyeplungedfromoffyondizzytower。Giveyegood—day。\"\"Godkeepye，gentleknave——farewell。\"Butheedlessofthepeasant\'swarning，theplayersmovedstraightwaytowardthecastle。WordwasbroughttoCountLeonardothatacompanyofmountebanksbesoughthishospitality。\"\'Tiswell。Disposeoftheminthecustomarymanner。Yetstay！
Ihaveneedofthem。Letthemcomehither。Later，castthemfromthebattlements——or——howmanypriestshaveyeonhand？\"\"Theday\'sresultsaremeagre，goodmylord。Anabbotandadozenbeggarlyfriarsisallwehave。\"\"Hellandfuries！Istheestategoingtoseed？Sendhitherthemountebanks。Afterward，broilthemwiththepriests。\"Therobedandclose—cowledharlequinsentered。ThegrimLeonardosateinstateattheheadofhiscouncilboard。Rangedupanddownthehalloneitherhandstoodnearahundredmen—at—arms。\"Ha，villains！\"quoththecount，\"Whatcanyedotoearnthehospitalityyecrave。\"\"Dreadlordandmighty，crowdedaudienceshavegreetedourhumbleeffortswithrapturousapplause。AmongourbodycountwetheversatileandtalentedUgolino;thejustlycelebratedRodolpho;thegiftedandaccomplishedRoderigo;themanagementhavesparedneitherpainsnorexpense——\"\"S\'death！Whatcanyedo？Curbthypratingtongue。\"\"Goodmylord，inacrobaticfeats，inpracticewiththedumb—bells，inbalancingandgroundandloftytumblingareweversed——andsithyourhighnessaskethme，IventureheretopublishthatinthetrulymarvelousandentertainingZampillaerostation——\"\"Gaghim！throttlehim！BodyofBacchus！amIadogthatI
amtobeassailedwithpolysyllabledblasphemyliketothis？Buthold！