Volume II Part 71 (1/2)
”You can put off taking it,” I said, ”till the angel enters to set me free; but if you do not then renounce by an oath the infaht you here, and which will end by bringing you to the gallows, I shall leave you in the cell, for so the Mother of God commands, and if you do not obey you will lose her protection”
As I had expected, I saw an expression of satisfaction on his hideous features, for he was quite certain that the angel would not coed to hear the hour strike The play amused el would set hisI was sure, also, that the plan would succeed if Lawrence had not forgotten to give the monk the books, and this was not likely
An hour before the time appointed I was fain to dine I only drank water, and Soradaci drank all the wine and consuarlic I had, and thus made himself worse
As soon as I heard the first stroke of two I fell onhi at ht noise I exael cometh!” and fell down on my face, and with a hearty fisticuff forced hi was plainly heard, and for a quarter of an hour I kept in that troublesome position, and if the circuhed to see how motionless the creature was; but I restrainedthe fellow's head, or at least of obsessing hiot up I knelt and allowed hi the rosary to him From time to time he dozed off, wearied rather by his position than by thethe whole tiain he dared to raise a furtive glance towards the ceiling With a sort of stupor on his face, he turned his head in the direction of the Virgin, and the whole of his behaviour was for hest comedy
When I heard the clock strike the hour for the work to cease, I said to hiel departeth”
Balbi returned to his cell, and we heard hiaze on the wretched fellow, I read fright on every feature, and was delighted I addressed a feords to hiht see in what state of mind he was He shed tears in abundance, and what he said wasno sequence or connection He spoke of his sins, of his acts of devotion, of his zeal in the service of St Mark, and of the work he had done for the Commonwealth, and to this attributed the special favours Mary had shewn hi story about the miracles of the Rosary which his wife, whose confessor was a young Dominican, had told hinorant fellow like him
”I will take you intoobliged to pursue the hazardous trade of a spy”
”Shall we not be able to reel will take us to a land which does not belong to St Mark Will you swear to me that you will spy no more? And if you swear, will you become a perjurer a second time?”
”If I take the oath, I will surely keep it, of that there can be no doubt; but you must confess that if I had not perjured myself you would never have received such favour at the hands of the Virgin My broken faith is the cause of your bliss You ought, therefore, to love me and to be content with my treason”
”Dost love Judas who betrayed Jesus Christ?”
”No”
”You perceive, then, that one detests the traitor and at the sa good out of evil
Up to the present time you have done wickedly You have offended God and the Virgin His Mother, and I will not receive your oath till you have expiated your sins”
”What sin have I done?”
”You have sinned by pride, Soradaci, in thinking that I was under an obligation to you for betrayingmy letters to the secretary”
”How shall I expiate this sin?”
”Thus To-morrohen Lawrence comes, you must lie on your bed, your face towards the wall, and without the slightest lance at Lawrence If he address you, youat him, that you could not sleep, and need rest Do you pro?”
”I will do whatsoever you tell me”
”Quick, then, take your oath before this holy picture”
”I promise, Holy Mother of God, that when Lawrence comes I will not look at hiin, swear by the bowels of your Divine Son that if I see Soradici move in the least or look towards Lawrence, I will throw le hilory”
I counted onat least as much effect upon him as his oath Nevertheless, as I was anxious to ainst the oath, and after thinking for a moment he answered that he was quite content with it Well pleased o to bed as I needed sleep
As soon as he was asleep I began to write, and wrote on for two hours