At that time our captain was forming his troop.  He had known me from boyhood, and hearing of my situation, came to me in secret, and made such offers that I agreed to enlist myself among his followers.  Indeed, I had more than once thought of taking to this mode of life, having known several brave fellows of the mountains, who used to spend their money freely among us youngsters of the town.  I accordingly left my asylum late one night, repaired to the appointed place of meeting; took the oaths prescribed, and became one of the troop.  We were for some time in a distant part of the mountains, and our wild adventurous kind of life hit my fancy wonderfully, and diverted my thoughts.  At length they returned with all their violence to the recollection of Rosetta.  The solitude in which I often found myself gave me time to brood over her image, and as I have kept watch at night over our sleeping camp in the mountains, my feelings have been roused almost to a fever.

At length we shifted our ground, and determined to make a descent upon the road between Terracina and Naples.  In the course of our expedition, we passed a day or two in the woody mountains which rise above Frosinone.  I cannot tell you how I felt when I looked down upon the place, and distinguished the residence of Rosetta.  I determined to have an interview with her; but to what purpose?  I could not expect that she would quit her home, and accompany me in my hazardous life among the mountains.  She had been brought up too tenderly for that; and when I looked upon the women who were associated with some of our troop, I could not have borne the thoughts of her being their companion.  All return to my former life was likewise hopeless; for a price was set upon my head.  Still I determined to see her; the very hazard and fruitlessness of the thing made me furious to accomplish it.

It is about three weeks since I persuaded our captain to draw down to the vicinity of Frosinone, in hopes of entrapping some of its principal inhabitants, and compelling them to a ransom.  We were lying in ambush towards evening, not far from the vineyard of Rosetta’s father.  I stole quietly from my companions, and drew near to reconnoitre the place of her frequent walks.

How my heart beat when, among the vines, I beheld the gleaming of a white dress!  I knew it must be Rosetta’s; it being rare for any female of the place to dress in white.  I advanced secretly and without noise, until putting aside the vines, I stood suddenly before her.  She uttered a piercing shriek, but I seized her in my arms, put my hand upon her mouth and conjured her to be silent.  I poured out all the frenzy of my passion; offered to renounce my mode of life, to put my fate in her hands, to fly with her where we might live in safety together.  All that I could say, or do, would not pacify her.  Instead of love, horror and affright seemed to have taken possession of her breast.—­She struggled partly from my grasp, and filled the air with her cries.