Volume I Part 47 (2/2)
The priest takes the oes aar is over The peasant tells n of 1716, and that he was at the defence of Corfu I co and a man able to prepare my meals He answers that he will procure me a whole house, that he will be o up the hill No , the other shoulders , I tell hiood man, I would like to have in my service twenty-four fellows like these under azzette a day, and you would have forty as my lieutenant”
”I will,” says the old soldier, ”raise for you this very day a body-guard of which you will be proud”
We reach a very convenient house, containing on the ground floor three roouard-rooet what I wanted, and particularly a needlewoman to make me some shi+rts In the course of the day I had furniture, bedding, kitchen utensils, a good dinner, twenty-four well-equipped soldiers, a super-annuated seirls to hly pleasant, being surrounded with son, although they could notwhich struck irls could not speak Italian, and I did not know Greek enough to enableuard relieved, and I could not help bursting into a h They were like a flock of sheep: all fine ; but without uniform and without discipline the finest band is but a herd However, they quickly learned how to present arms and to obey the orders of their officer I caused three sentinels to be placed, one before the guardrooood view of the sea This sentinel was to giveof the approach of any armed boat or vessel For the first two or three days I considered all this as ht really want theiance I did not do so, however, although my lieutenant assured enerosity had captivated the love of all the islanders
My se needlewomen to sew my shi+rts, had expected that I would fall in love with one and not with all, but my amorous zeal overstepped her hopes, and all the pretty ones had their turn; they were all well satisfied with ood offices I was leading a delightful life, for my table was supplied with excellent dishes, juicy mutton, and snipe so delicious that I have never tasted their like except in St Petersburg
I drank scopolo wine or the best o My lieutenant was my only table couard, in order to defendainst me because they fancied, not without some reason, that my needlewomen, their ht while I was ra about the island, that without money I should have been unhappy, and that I was indebted to ht to suppose at the same time that, if I had not felt my purse pretty heavy, I would not have been likely to leave Corfu
I had thus been playing the petty king with success for a week or ten days, when, towards ten o'clock at night I heard the sentinel's challenge My lieutenant went out, and returned announcing that an honest-looking man, who spoke Italian, wished to see ht in, and, in the presence of my lieutenant, he told me in Italian:
”Next Sunday, the Papa Deldiainst you the 'cataramonachia' If you do not prevent him, a slow fever will send you into the next world in six weeks”
”I have never heard of such a drug”
”It is not a drug It is a curse pronounced by a priest with the Host in his hands, and it is sure to be fulfilled”
”What reason can that priest have to murder me?”
”You disturb the peace and discipline of his parish You have seduced several young girls, and now their lovers refuse tohi struckmy attention, for, if I had no fear of the 'catarahtest faith, I feared certain poisons which ht, but at day-break I got up, and without saying anything to ht to the church where I found the priest, and addressed hi words, uttered in a tone likely to enforce conviction:
”On the first sy Throw over me a curse which will killthus warned hi Monday, the papa called on ht headache; he enquired after my health, and when I told hih by the air of anxiety hich he assuredelse than the heavy atmosphere of the island of Casopo
Three days after his visit, the advanced sentinel gave the war-cry The lieutenant went out to reconnoitre, and after a short absence he gaveboat of an arer was at hand
I go outa few steps, I see an officer, acco As he was alone, I had nothing to fear I return toorders to my lieutenant to receive hiirding my sword, I wait for my visitor
In a few ht me the order to put myself under arrest, makes his appearance
”You are alone,” I say to him, ”and therefore you come as a friend Let us embrace”
”I must coh men But what I see seems a dream”
”Take a seat, and dine with ly, and after dinner ill leave the island together”
”You o alone, if you like; but I will not leave this place until I have the certainty, not only that I shall not be sent to the 'bastarda', but also that I shall have every satisfaction froalleys”