Volume II Part 73 (2/2)
”I ahted to see you here I suppose you have just escaped How did you do it?”
”I have not escaped, but have been set at liberty”
”No, no, that's not possible, as I was at M Gri, and I should have heard of it”
It will be easier for the reader to iine my state of mind than for me to describe it I was discovered by a ent of the Governlance to one of the sbirri hom Mestre swaretting down I asked hi that there was nobody in sight, a ditch in front, beyond which the open country extended, I grasped le, slipped out ofround set off to run at, full speed As soon as he was some way off he slackened his course, turned round and kissed his hand toht I gave thanks to God that, this man by his quickness had preserved me from the commission of a crime, for I would have killed him; and he, as it turned out, bore me no ill will
I was in a terrible position In open ith all the powers of-the Republic, everything had to give way toh a great peril, I gave a glance of conteer he had exposed us, and then got up again into the carriage We reached Trevisa without further adventure, and I told the posting-e and two horses ready by ten o'clock; though I had no intention of continuing hway, both because I lacked means; and because I feared pursuit The inn-keeper asked reat need, for I was dying with hunger, but I did not dare to, accept his offer, as a quarter of an hour's delayretaken, and of being ashaht to be able to snap his fingers at four hundred thousand men in the open country, and if he cannot escape capture he must be a fool
I went out by St Tho for a short walk, and after walking for anot to leave the as I should be within the borders of the Republic The shortest as by Bassano, but I took the longer path, thinking I ht possibly be expected on thethe Venetian territory by way of Feltre, which is the longest way of getting into the state subject to the Bishop of Trent
After walking for three hours I let round, for I could not move a step further I must either take some food or die there, so I told the o to a farave hiht I had e was, but he was more robust than myself, and he had, doubtless, taken in provisions before leaving the prison
Besides he had had some chocolate; he was thin and wiry, and a h the house was not an inn, the good farmer's wife sent me a sufficienton ain on the tramp, well braced up In four hours' time I stopped at a hamlet, and found that I enty-four miles from Trevisa I was done up, my ankles were swollen, and ht before us Stretching rove of trees I made Father Balbi sit by :
”We ano, it is the first town beyond the borders of the Republic We shall be as safe there as if ere in London, and we can take our ease for awhile; but to get there wewe o by Mantello Woods, and I by the mountains; you by the easiest and shortest way, and I by the longest and most difficult; you with money and I without a penny I will e for a great coat and a hat, and everybody will take you for a countryman, as you are luckily rather like one in the face Take these seventeen livres, which is all that reave o by the day after to-morrow, and I shall be twenty-four hours later Wait for me in the first inn on the left-hand side of the street, and be sure I shall coood bed; and Providence will getdisturbed, and in your company that would be out of the question
I aht for on all sides, and that our descriptions have been so correctly given that if ent into any inn together we should be certain to be arrested You see the state I aent necessity for a ten hours' rest Farewell, then, do you go that way and I will take this, and I will find somewhere near here a rest for the sole ofyou to say as much,” said Father Balbi, ”and for answer I will reave me when I let myself be persuaded to break into your cell You promised me that we should always keep company; and so don't flatter yourself that I shall leave you, your fate and e for our o to the inns, and no one will arrest us”
”You are deteriven you?”
”I am”
”We shall see about that”
I rose tothe round, then drawing my pike from my pocket, I proceeded with the ut no notice of the questions the : for a quarter of an hour I set aze sadly upon hied as a Christian to warn him to commend his soul to God, ”since I am about to bury you here, alive or dead; and if you prove the stronger, you will bury me You can escape if you wish to, as I shall not pursue you”
He ain, but I confess that I began to be afraid of being rushed to extremities by this brute, of whom I was determined to rid u What he was about, I presented the point ofto fear
”I will do what you want,” said he
I straightway gave hio I bade hih I had not a penny in ratulated ot rid of aable to cross the bounds of the Republic
CHAPTER xxxI