198 THE LAND OF PLUCK

very night trouble came to the home where these children
dwelt. In their little carved and gilded beds, side by side,
they were wakened by a sudden commotion, as if men
were scuffling below; and after that they could not go to
sleep again, because the castle was so very, very still.
For a long time they lay trembling and silent; at last
Beppo said :

“Bianca, wait thou here. I will go down and rouse our
father. Perhaps he is still asleep. What if evil work has
been done?”

“Nay, Beppo,” said Bianca, shuddering, “our men have
been fighting, and it may be their swords are drawn yet.
Do not go among them. Thou knowest how the people of
the wicked Duke Faustino fell upon young Martigni one
night when they were drunken, and would have killed
him had not help come. Martigni is taller by a head
than thou art.”

“Aye, but the duke’s men are not overloyal to his
house; besides,” said Beppo, proudly, “I could handle a
sword myself, if need be.”

“Take me with thee,” said Bianca.

So the two children rose softly, and hastily putting on
their clothes, stole down the dark stone stairway together.
A ray of moonlight, coming through a high, narrow window
overhead, made them start, but when they reached their
father’s chamber and found the door wide open, the bed
empty, disordered, and siens of violence in the moonlighted
room, they clung to each other in dread and terror.

“What ho! without there!” cried Beppo, finding voice
at last.