"The mysterious and singular appearance of Valfroni, joined with the immense deformity of his person, rendered him an object at once dreaded and avoided. His stature was singularly formed-misshapen, embodied with an enormous hump, and altogether so distorted and hideous, that he had sustained the general denomination of the Demon Dwarf. A large sable cloak invariably shrouded his figure; a hat, suspending a heavy plume of black feathers, partly concealed a ghastly and repulsive countenance . . . ."

On the Eve of St. Rosalia, Count Reo Cardoni is ambushed by assassins, who inflict on him a...