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"'Precisely. What ransom are you prepared to offer?' questioned Espaldo.
"'I have no suggestion to make,' I responded. 'My visit to this island was purely of a friendly description. You rob me of liberty, the dearest right of my countrymen, but I do not recognise your authority to do so.'
"Espaldo's face flushed crimson, and he made a hasty motion to Cospi, who led me towards an opening on the left, my guard following. I stopped at the entry, my heart beating violently as I wondered what the effect of my rash speech would be. Cospi, seeing me hesitate to enter the side chamber—which had been evidently excavated, judging from the regularity of its sides and roof—exclaimed:—
"'Your excellency need fear nothing at present; our chief is about to consult as to the conditions to be offered you for your release.'
Entering this stone apartment, I discovered it to be one apparently used for the devotion of this lawless band. Crime and superstition are handmaids in the Corsican's life. At the far end was apparently an altar, the centre-piece of which was a large representation of the Crucifixion carved in oak, in front of which were several wooden benches for the use of the worshippers. The walls were bare, save here and there where a rough representation of various Scriptural events was cut into the solid stone. The brigands' chapel, as I may call it, was lit by the sole device of hewing a square picce out of the roof of it, into which had bcen fitted a large pane of crimson glass, the effect of which upon the interior was to produce a strange and weird appearance.
"I had been occupied in examining the different carvings—which showed occasionally considerable artistic skill—for about half an hour, when Cospi entered the apartment, from which he had been called a few minutes previously, and intimated that my presence was required by Espaldo. I re-entered the main part of the cave and passed mto the bandit chief's presence.
"'The conditions of your release have been settled in my council, and from them no deviation will be made," said Espaldo.
"'I await their mention,' I responded.
"'They are two in number—the first is that you obtain a ransom of one thousand English pounds within four weeks of this day.'
"'And the second?' I asked, wondering what further stipulation could be made.
"'That you carve for us the representation of the Virgin in stone during the time you remain our prisoner.'
"'And what if I refuse one or both conditions? The sum you name is large, and an artist cannot work by force,' I replied, gloomily.
"'Your refusal will be the signal for your death; your acceptance will bring you release when the conditions are fulfilled,' answered Espaldo.
"'And that death will be' I began.
"'You will be shot at daybreak to-morrow; or, failing the arrival of the ransom if you aceept, to-morrow four weeks.
"'I cannot carve without a model,' I responded, hoping that this objection would be of service to me.
"'That has been provided for,' responded the chief, and he gave an order to one of his attendants, who retired. A few minutes afterwards the attendant returned, accompanied by a lady thickly muffled. By the chief's command the gearing was removed from her head and shoulders, and the model for the brigand's Madonna stood unveiled before me. Why need I describe the feelings of admiration and excitement which possessed me on seeing her lovely form attired in handsome and picturesque costume, with raven locks falling in profusion over her shoulders? The portrait you are looking at is but a poor representation of her whom I first beheld at that moment.
"'I accept the conditions,' was my re- sponse, and in a short time I was conducted to another part of the cave, my bonds removed, and a couch of skins prepared for the rest which I so much needed. Cospi, his carbine in hand, guarded me. Later on, when the chief understood the sacredness with which I held my sworn promise to fulfil the imposed conditions, even this guard was withdrawn, and I enjoyed comparative freedom. I was not, however, allowed to wander far from the cave; indeed, the carbineers posted regularly near the cave's entry cut off any hope of escape had I attempted it.
III.
Having accepted the proposed conditions for my ransom, I gave a written order on my banker for the stipulated sum to Espaldo, who was easily able, by means of his emissaries, to obtain its monetary value in the time stipulated.
Meantime I began to make a rough model in clay of the Madonna from the daughter of Espaldo, as the lady assigned for the purpose proved to be. I had determined to