However that may have been, he found Temistocle asleep in the tower basement, saw the key in the lock, guessed whence the noise had come, and turned it.  The movement woke Temistocle, who started to his feet, and recognised the tall figure of the baron just entering the door.  Too much confused for reflection, he called aloud, and the baron disappeared down the stairs.  Temistocle listened at the top, heard distinctly the shutting and locking of the lower door, and a moment afterwards Benoni’s voice, swearing in every language at once, came echoing up.

“They have escaped,” said Temistocle to himself.  “If I am not mistaken, I had better do the same.”  With that he locked the upper door, put the key in his pocket, and departed on tiptoe.  Having his hat and his overcoat with him, and his money in his pocket, he determined to leave the baron shut up in the staircase.  He softly left the castle by the front gate, of which he knew the tricks, and he was not heard of for several weeks afterwards.  As for Benoni, he was completely caught, and probably spent the remainder of the night in trying to wake the inmates of the building.  So you see that Nino need not have been so much disturbed after all.

While these things were happening Nino and Hedwig got fairly away, and no one but a mountaineer of the district could possibly have overtaken them.  Just as they reached the place where the valley suddenly narrows to a gorge, the countryman spoke.  It was the first word that had been uttered by any of the party in an hour, so great had been their haste and anxiety.

“I see a man with a beast,” he said, shortly.

“So do I,” answered Nino.  “I expect to meet a friend here.”  Then he turned to Hedwig.  “Dear one,” he said, “we are to have a companion now, who says he is a very proper person.”

“A companion?” repeated Hedwig, anxiously.

“Yes.  We are to have the society of no less a person than the Professor Cornelio Grandi, of the University of Rome.  He will go with us, and be a witness.”

“Yes,” said Hedwig, expecting more, “a witness—­”

“A witness of our marriage, dear lady; I trust to-morrow,—­or to-day, since midnight is past.”  He leaned far over his saddle-bow, as the mules clambered up the rough place.  Her hand went out to him, and he took it.  They were so near that I could see them.  He dropped the reins and bared his head, and so, riding, he bent himself still farther, and pressed his lips upon her hand:  and that was all the marriage contract that was sealed between them.  But it was enough.

There I sat, upon a stone in the moonlight, just below the trees, waiting for them.  And there I had been for two mortal hours or more, left to meditate upon the follies of professors in general and of myself in particular.  I was beginning to wonder whether Nino would come at all, and I can tell you I was glad to see the little caravan.  Ugh! it is an ugly place to be alone in.