“It was a Sunday, the review had been publicly announced, and the square was thronged with spectators.  The Vardarelli entered the town in perfect order, armed to the very teeth, but giving no sign of hostility or mistrust.  On reaching the square, they raised their sabres, and with one voice exclaimed—­’Viva il Re!’ The general appeared on his balcony to acknowledge their salute.  The aide-de-camp on duty came down to receive them, and after complimenting them on the beauty of their horses and good state of their arms, desired them to file past under the general’s window, which they did with a precision worthy of regular troops.  They then formed up again in the middle of the square, and dismounted.

“The aide-de-camp went into the house again with the list of the three new officers; the Vardarelli were standing by their horses, when suddenly there was a great confusion and movement in the crowd, which opened in various places, and down every street leading to the square, a column of Neapolitan troops was seen advancing.  The Vardarelli were surrounded on all sides.  Perceiving at once that they were betrayed, they sprang upon their horses and drew their sabres; but at the same moment the general took off his hat, which was the signal agreed upon; the command, ’Faccia in terra,’ was heard, and the spectators, throwing themselves on their faces, the soldiers fired over them, and nine of the brigands fell to the ground, dead or mortally wounded.  Those who were unhurt, seeing that they had no quarter to expect, dismounted, and forming a compact body, fought their way to an old castle in which they took refuge.  Two only, trusting to the speed of their horses, charged the group of soldiers that appeared the least numerous, shot down two of them, and succeeded in breaking through the others and escaping.  The woman owed her life to a similar piece of daring, effected, however, on another point of the enemy’s line.  She broke through, and galloped off, after having discharged both her pistols with fatal effect.

“The attention of all was now turned to the remaining twenty Vardarelli, who had taken refuge in the ruined castle.  The soldiers advanced against them, encouraging one another, and expecting to encounter an obstinate resistance; but, to their surprise, they reached the gate of the castle without a shot being fired at them.  The gate was soon beaten in, and the soldiers spread themselves through the halls and galleries of the old building.  But all was silence and solitude; the bandits had disappeared.

“After an hour passed in rummaging every corner of the place, the assailants were going away in despair, convinced that their prey had escaped them; when a soldier, who was stooping down to look through the air-hole of a cellar, fell, shot through the body.