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Chapter XVChapter XV
Chapter XV
The landlord, seeing the game was lasting too long, and being carried too
far, had approached Renzo, and, with the greatest politeness, requesting the
others to leave him alone, began shaking him by the arm, and tried to make him
understand, and persuade him that he had better go to bed. But Renzo could not
forget the old subject of the name, and surname, the proclamations, and worthy
youths. However, the words `bed` and `sleep,` repeated in his ear, wrought
some kind of impression on his mind; they made him feel a little more
distinctly his need of what they signified, and produced a momentary lucid
interval. The little sense that returned to his mind, made him, in some
degree, sensible that most of his companions had gone: as the last glimmering
torch in an illumination shows all the others extinguished. He made a
resolution; placed his open hands upon the table; tried once or twice to raise
himself; sighed, staggered, and at a third attempt, supported by his host, he
stood upon his feet. The landlord, steadying him as he walked along, guided
him from between the bench and the table, and taking a lamp in one hand,
partly conducted, and partly dragged him with the other, towards the door of
the stairs. Here, Renzo, on hearing the noise of the salutations which were
shouted after him by the company, hastily turned round, and if his supporter
had not been very alert, and held him by the arm, the evolution would have
ended in a heavy fall: however, he managed to turn back, and, with his
unconfined arm, began figuring and describing in the air sundry salutes like a
running knot.
`Let us go to bed; to bed,` said the landlord, pushing him forward
through the door; and with still more difficulty drawing him to the top of the
narrow wooden staircase, and then into the room he had prepared for him. Renzo
rejoiced on seeing his bed ready; he looked graciously upon his host, with
eyes which one moment glistened more than ever, and the next faded away, like
two fire - flies: he endeavoured to steady himself on his legs, and stretched
out his hand toward his host`s cheek to take it between his first and middle
fingers, in token of friendship and gratitude, but he could not succeed.
`Brave landlord,` he at last managed to stammer out: `now I see that you are a
worthy fellow: this is a kind deed, to give a poor youth a bed; but that trick
about the name and surname, that wasn`t like a gentleman. By good luck, I saw
through it . . .`
The landlord, who little thought he could have uttered anything so
connected, and who knew, by long experience, how men in such a condition may
be induced more easily than usual, suddenly to change their minds, was
determined to take advantage of this lucid interval, to make another attempt.
`My dear fellow,` said he, with a most coaxing tone and look, `I didn`t
do it to vex you, nor to pry into your affairs. What would you have? There are
the laws, and we must obey them; otherwise we are the first to suffer the
punishment. It is better to satisfy them, and . . . After all, what is it all
about? A great thing, certainly to say two words! Not, however, for them, but
to do me a favour. Here, between ourselves, face to face, let us do our
business: tell me your name . . . and then go to bed with a quiet mind.`
`Ah rascal!` exclaimed Renzo: `Cheat! you are again returning to the
charge, with that infamous name, surname, and business!`
`Hold your tongue, simpleton, and go to bed,` said the landlord.
But Renzo pursued more vehemently: `I understand: you are one of the
league. Wait, wait, and I`ll settle it.` And directing his voice towards the
head of the stairs, he began to shout more vociferously than ever, `Friends!
the landlord is of the . . .`
`I only said it in a joke,` cried he, in Renzo`s face, repulsing him, and
pushing him towards the bed - `In joke: didn`t you understand that I only said
it in joke?`
`Ah! in joke: now you speak sensibly. When you say in joke . . . They are
just the things to make a joke of.` And he sank upon the bed.
`Here; undress yourself, and be quick,` said the host, adding assistance
to his advice; and there was need of it. When Renzo had succeeded in getting
off his waistcoat, the landlord took it, and put his hands in the pockets to
see if there were any money in them. His search was successful; and thinking
that his guest would have something else to do than to pay him on the morrow,
and that this money would probably fall into hands whence a landlord would not
easily be able to recover any share, he resolved to risk another attempt.
`You are a good youth, and an honest man, aren`t you?` said he.
`Good youth, and honest man,` replied Renzo, vainly endeavouring to undo
the buttons of the clothes which he had not yet been able to take off.
`Very well,` rejoined the host: `just settle, then, this little account;
for to - morrow I must go out on some business . . .`
`That`s only fair,` said Renzo: `I`m a fool, but I`m honest . . . But the
money? Am I to go look for money now! . . .`
`It`s here,` said the innkeeper; and calling up all his practice,
patience, and skill, he succeeded in settling the account, and securing the
reckoning.
`Lend me a hand to finish undressing, landlord,` said Renzo; `I`m
beginning to feel very sleepy.`
The landlord performed the required office: he then spread the quilt over
him, and, almost before he had time to say, disdainfully, `Good night!` Renzo
was snoring fast asleep. Yet, with that sort of attraction which sometimes
induces us to contemplate an object of dislike as well as of affection, and
which, perhaps, is nothing else than a desire of knowing what operates so
forcibly on our mind, he paused, for a moment, to contemplate so annoying a
guest, holding the lamp towards his face, and throwing the light upon it with
a strong reflection, by screening it with his hand, almost in the attitude in
which Psyche is depicted, when stealthily regarding the features of her
unknown consort. - Mad blockhead! - said he, in his mind, to the poor sleeper,
- you`ve certainly taken the way to look for it. To - morrow you`ll be able to
tell me how you`ve liked it. Clowns, who will stroll over the world, without
knowing whereabouts the sun rises, just to bring themselves and their
neighbours into trouble! -
So saying, or rather thinking, he withdrew the light, and left the room,
locking the door behind him. On the landing - place at the top of the stairs,
he called the landlady, and bade her leave the children under the care of a
young servant girl, and go down into the kitchen, to preside and keep guard in
his stead. "I must go out, thanks to a stranger who has arrived here, to my
misfortune,` said he; and he briefly related the annoying circumstance. He
then added" `Have your eyes everywhere; and, above all, be prudent this
unfortunate day. There`s a group of licentious fellows down below, who,
between drink and their own inclination, are ready enough to talk, and will
say anything. It will be enough, if a rash . . .`
`Oh, I`m not a child; and I know well enough what`s to be done. I think
you can`t say that, up to this time . . .`
`Well, well; and be sure they pay; and pretend not to hear anything they
say about the superintendent of provisions, and the governor, and Ferrer, and
the decurioni, and the cavaliers, and Spain, and France, and such fooleries;
for if you contradict them, you`ll come off badly directly; and if you agree
with them, you may fare badly afterwards; and you know well enough, that
sometimes those who say the worst things . . . But enough; when you hear
certain sayings, turn away your head, and cry. "I`m coming," as if somebody
was calling you from the other side; I`ll come back as quick as I can.`
So saying, he went down with her into the kitchen, and gave a glance
round, to see if there was anything new of consequence; took down his hat and
cloak from a peg, reached a short, thick stick out of the corner, summed up,
in one glance at his wife, the instructions he had given her, and went out.
But during these preparations, he had again resumed the thread of the
apostrophe begun at Renzo`s bedside; and continued it, even while proceeding
on his walk.
- Obstinate fellow of a mountaineer! - For, however Renzo was determined
to conceal his condition, this qualification had betrayed itself in his words,
pronunciation, appearance, and actions. - Such a day as this, by good policy
and judgment, I thought to have come off clear; and you must just come in at
the end of it, to spoil the egg in the hatching. Were there no other inns in
Milan, that you must just light upon mine? Would that you had even lit upon it
alone! I would then have shut my eyes to it to - night, and to - morrow
morning would have given you a hint. But, my good sir, no; you must come in
company; and, to do better still, in company with a sheriff. -
At every step the innkeeper met either with solitary passengers, or
persons in groups of three or four, whispering together. At this stage of his
mute soliloquy, he saw a patrol of soldiers approaching, and, going a little
aside, peeped at them from under the corner of his eye as they passed, and
continued to himself: - There go the fool - chastisers. And you, great ass,
because you saw a few people rambling about and making a noise, it must even
come into your brain that the world is turning upside down. And on this fine
foundation you have ruined yourself, and are trying to ruin me too; this isn`t
fair. I did my best to save you; and you, you fool, in return, have very
nearly made a disturbance in my inn. Now you must get yourself out of the
scrape, and I will look to my own business. As if I wanted to know your name
out of curiosity! What does it matter to me, whether it be Thaddeus or
Bartholomew? A mighty desire I have to take the pen in hand; but you are not
the only people who would have things all their own way. I know, as well as
you, that there are proclamations which go for nothing: a fine novelty, that a
mountaineer should come to tell me that! But you don`t know that proclamations
against landlords are good for something. And you pretend to travel over the
land, and speak; and don`t know that, if one would have one`s own way, and
carry the proclamations in one`s pocket, the first thing requisite is not to
speak against them in public. And for a poor innkeeper who was of your
opinion, and didn`t ask the name of any one who happens to favour him with his
company, do you know, you fool, what good things are in store for him? Under
pain of three hundred crowns to any one of the aforesaid landlords, tavern -
keepers, and others, as above; there are three hundred crowns hatched; and now
to spend them well; to be applied, two - thirds to the royal chamber, and the
other third to the accuser or informer: what a fine bait! And in case of
inability, five years in the galleys, and greater punishment, pecuniary or
corporal, at the will of his Excellency. Much obliged for all his favours. -
At these words the landlord reached the door of the court of the high -
sheriff.
Here, as at all the other secretaries` offices, much business was going
forward. Everywhere they were engaged in giving such orders as seemed most
likely to pre - occupy the following day, to take away every pretext for
discontent, to overcome the boldness of those who were anxious for fresh
tumults, and to confirm power in the hands of those accustomed to exercise it.
The soldiery round the house of the superintendent were increased, and the
ends of the street were blockaded with timber, and barricaded with carts. They
commanded all the bakers to make bread without intermission, and despatched
couriers to the surrounding country, with orders to send corn into the city;
while noblemen were stationed at every bakehouse, who repaired thither early
in the morning to superintend the distribution, and to restrain the factious,
by fair words, and the authority of their presence. But to give, as the saying
is, one blow to the hoop and another to the cask, and to render their
cajolings more efficient by a little awe, they thought also of taking measures
to seize some one of the seditious: and this was principally the business of
the high - sheriff, whose temper towards the insurrection and the insurgents
the reader may imagine, when he is informed of the vegetable fomentation which
it was found necessary to apply to one of the organs of his metaphysical
profundity. His blood - hounds had been in the field from the beginning of the
riot: and this self - styled Ambrogio Fusella was, as the landlord said, a
disguised under - sheriff, sent about for the express purpose of catching in
the act some one whom he could again recognize, whose motions he could watch,
and whom he could keep in mind, so as to seize, either in the quiet of the
evening or next morning. He had not heard four words of Renzo`s harangue,
before he had fixed upon him as a capital object - exactly his man. Finding,
afterwards, that he was just fresh from the country, he had attempted the
master - stroke of conducting him at once to the prison, as the safest inn in
the city; but here he failed, as we have related. He could, however, bring
back certain information of his name, surname, and country; besides a hundred
other fine conjectural pieces of information; so that when the innkeeper
arrived here to tell what he knew of Renzo, they were already better
acquainted with him than he. He entered the usual apartment, and deposed that
a stranger had arrived at his house to lodge, who could not be persuaded to
declare his name.
`You`ve done your duty in giving us this information,` said a criminal
notary, laying down his pen: `But we know it already.`
- A strange mystery! - thought the host: - they must be wonderfully
clever! -
`And we know, too,` continued the notary, `this revered name!`
- The name, too! how have they managed it? - thought the landlord again.
`But you,` resumed the other, with a serious face, `you don`t tell all,
candidly.`
`What more have I to say?`
`Ha! ha! we know very well that this fellow brought to your inn a
quantity of stolen bread - plundered, acquired by robbery and sedition.`
`A man comes, with one loaf in his pocket; do you think I know where he
went to get it? for, to speak as on my death - bed, I can positively affirm
that I saw but one loaf.`
`There! always excusing and defending yourself: one would think, to hear
you, everybody was honest. How can you prove that his bread was fairly
obtained?`
`Why am I to prove it? I don`t meddle with it; I am an innkeeper.`
`You cannot, however, deny that this customer of yours had the temerity
to utter injurious words against the proclamations, and to make improper and
shameful jokes on the arms of his Excellency.`
`Pardon me, sir: how can he be called my customer, when this is the first
time I`ve ever seen him? It was the devil (under your favour) that sent him to
my house: and if I had known him, you, sir, know well enough I should have had
no occasion to ask his name.`
`Well: in your inn, in your presence, inflammatory speeches have been
uttered, unadvised words, seditious propositions; murmurs, grumbles,
outcries.`
`How can you expect, my good sir, that I should attend to the
extravagances which so many noisy fellows, talking all at the same time, may
chance to utter? I must attend to my interest, for I`m only badly off. And
besides, your worship knows well enough that those who are lavish of their
tongues are generally ready with their fists too, particularly when there are
so many together, and . . .`
`Ay, ay; leave them alone to talk and fight: to - morrow you`ll see if
their tricks have gone out of their heads. What do you think?`
`I think nothing about it.`
`That the mob will have got the upper hand in Milan?`
`Oh, just so.`
`We shall see, we shall see.`
`I understand very well: the king will be always king; and he that is
fined will be fined: but the poor father of a family naturally wishes to
escape. Your honours have the power, and it belongs to you.`
`Have you many people still in your house?`
`A world of them.`
`And this customer of yours, what is he doing? Does he still continue to
be clamorous, to excite the people, and arouse sedition?`
`That stranger, your worship means: he`s gone to bed.`
`Then, you`ve many people . . . Well, take care not to let them go away.`
- Am I to be a constable? - thought the landlord, without replying either
negatively or affirmatively.
`Go home again, and be careful,` resumed the notary.
`I`ve always been careful. Your honour can say whether I have ever made
any opposition to justice.`
`Well, well; and don`t think that justice has lost its power.`
`I! For Heaven`s sake; I think nothing: I only attend to my business.`
`The old song: you`ve never anything else to say.`
`What else would your worship have me say? truth is but one.`
`Well, we will remember what you have deposed; if the case comes on, you
will have to give more particular information to justice about whatever they
may choose to ask you.`
`What can I depose further? I know nothing. I have scarcely head enough
to attend to my own business.`
`Take care you don`t let him go.`
`I hope that his worship the high - sheriff will be informed that I came
immediately to discharge my duty. Your honour`s humble servant.`
By break of day, Renzo had been snoring for about seven hours, and was
still, poor fellow, fast asleep, when two rough shakes at either arm, and a
voice at the foot of the bed, calling, `Lorenzo Tramaglino!` recalled him to
his senses. He shook himself, stretched his arms, and with difficulty opening
his eyes, saw a man standing before him at the foot of the bed, dressed in
black, and two others armed, one on the right and the other on the left of his
pillow. Between surprise, not being fully awake, and the stupidity occasioned
by the wine of the night before, he lay, for a moment, as if bewildered; and
then, thinking he was dreaming, and not being very well pleased with his
dream, he shook himself so as to awake thoroughly.
`Ah! have you heard, for once, Lorenzo Tramaglino?` said the man with the
black cloak, the very notary of the night before. `Up; up, then; get up, and
come with us.`
`Lorenzo Tramaglino!` said Renzo: `What does this mean! What do you want
with me? Who`s told you my name?`
`Less talk, and up with you directly,` said one of the bailiffs who stood
at his side, taking him again by the arm.
`Ah, eh! what oppression is this?` cried Renzo, withdrawing his arm.
`Landlord! ho, landlord!`
`Shall we carry him off in his shirt?` said the bailiff again, looking
towards the notary.
`Did you hear that?` said he to Renzo: `they`ll do so, if you don`t get
up as quick as thought, and come with us.`
`And what for?` asked Renzo.
`The what for you will hear from the high - sheriff.`
`I? I`m an honest man; I`ve done nothing; and I`m astonished . . .`
`So much the better for you - so much the better for you; for then you
may be discharged with two words, and may go about your own business.`
`Let me go now,` said Renzo: I`ve nothing to do with justice.`
`Come, let us finish the business,` said one of the bailiffs.
`Shall we carry him off?` said the other.
`Lorenzo Tramaglino!` said the notary.
`How do you know my name, sir?`
`Do your duty,` said the notary to the bailiffs, who immediately laid
hands on Renzo to pull him out of bed.
`Hey! don`t you touch a hair of an honest fellow, or! . . . I know how to
dress myself.`
`Then dress yourself, and get up directly,` said the notary.
`I`m getting up,` replied Renzo; and he began, in fact, to gather up his
clothes, which were scattered here and there on the bed, like the relics of a
shipwreck on the shore. And beginning to dress himself, he continued: `But I`m
not inclined to go to the high - sheriff, not I. I`ve nothing to do with him.
Since you unjustly put this affront upon me, I should like to be conducted to
Ferrer. I know him; I know that he`s a gentleman, and he`s under some
obligation to me.`
`Yes, yes, my good fellow, you shall be conducted to Ferrer,` replied the
notary. In other circumstances he would have laughed heartily at such a
proposal; but this was not a time for merriment. In coming hither, he had
noticed in the streets a movement which could not easily be defined, as the
remainder of the old insurrection not entirely suppressed, or the beginning of
a new one: the streets were full of people, some walking in parties, some
standing in groups. And now, without seeming to do so, or at least trying not
to show it, he was anxiously listening, and fancied that the murmur continued
to increase. This made him desirous to get off; but he also wished to take
Renzo away willingly and quietly; since, if he had declared war against him,
he could not have been sure, on reaching the street, of not finding three to
one against him. He, therefore, winked at the bailiffs to have patience, and
not to irritate the youth, while he also endeavoured to soothe him with fair
words. Renzo busied himself, while dressing as quickly as possible, in
recalling the confused remembrances of the day before, and at last
conjectured, with tolerable certainty, that the proclamation, and the name and
surname, must be the cause of this disagreeable occurrence; but how ever did
this fellow know his name? And what on earth could have happened that night,
for justice to have gained such confidence as to come and lay hands on one of
those honest youths who, only the day before, had such a voice in the
assembly, and who could not all be asleep now? for he also observed the
increasing bustle in the street. He looked at the countenance of the notary,
and there perceived the irresolution which he vainly endeavoured to conceal.
At last, as well to satisfy his conjectures, and sound the officers, as to
gain time, and even attempt a blow, he said, `I understand well enough the
origin of all this; it is all from love of the name and surname. Last night I
certainly was a little muddled: these landlords have sometimes very
treacherous wines; and sometimes, as I say, you know, when wine passes through
the medium of words, it will have its say too. But if this is all, I am now
ready to give you every satisfaction; and, besides, you know my name already.
Who on earth told you it?`
`Bravo, my boy, bravo!` replied the notary, coaxingly; `Ill see you`ve
some sense; and believe me, who am in the business, that you`re wiser than
most. It is the best way of getting out of the difficulty quickly and easily;
and with such good dispositions, in two words you will be dismissed and set at
liberty. But I, do you see, my good fellow, have my hands tied; I cannot
release you, as I should like to do. Come, be quick and come along with a good
heart; for when they see who you are . . . and then I will tell . . . Leave it
to me . . . Enough; be quick, my good fellow.`
`Ah! you cannot! I understand,` said Renzo; and he continued to dress
himself, repulsing, by signs, the intimations of the bailiffs, that they would
carry him off if he were not very expeditious.
`Shall we pass by the square of the cathedral? asked he.
`Wherever you like; the shortest way, to set you the sooner at liberty,`
said the notary, vexed in his heart, that he must let this mysterious inquiry
of Renzo`s pass, which might have served as the subject for a hundred
interrogatives. - When one is born to be unfortunate! - thought he. - Just
see; a fellow falls into my hands, who, plainly enough, likes nothing better
than to talk; and if he could have a little time, he would confess all one
wants, without the aid of a rope - extra formam, to speak academically, in the
way of friendly chit-chat; the very man to take to prison ready examined,
without his being at all aware of it; and he must just fall into my hands at
this unfortunate moment. Well! there`s no help for it, - he continued,
listening attentively, and tossing his head backwards - there`s no remedy;
it`s likely to be a worse day than yesterday. - What gave rise to this
thought, was an extraordinary noise he heard in the street, and he could not
resist opening the window to take a peep at it. He saw that it was a group of
citizens, who, on being required by a patrol of soldiers to disperse, had at
first given angry words in reply, and had finally separated in murmuring
dissatisfaction; and, what appeared to the notary a fatal sign, the soldiers
behaved to them with much civility. Having closed the window, he stood for a
moment in perplexity, whether he should finish his undertaking, or leave Renzo
in the care of the two bailiffs, while he ran to the high - sheriff to give
him an account of his difficulty. - But, - thought he, directly, - they`ll set
me down for a coward, a base rascal, who ought to execute orders. We are in
the ball - room, and we must dance. Curse the throng! What a miserable
business! -
Renzo now stood between the two satellites, having one on each side; the
notary beckoned to them not to use too much force, and said to him, `Courage,
like a good fellow; let us be off, and make haste.`
Renzo, however, was feeling, looking, thinking. He was now entirely
dressed, excepting his jacket, which he held in one hand, and feeling with the
other in his pockets; `Oho!` said he, looking at the notary with a very
significant expression; `here there were some pence, and a letter, my good
sir!`
`Everything shall be punctually restored to you,` said the notary, `when
these few formalities are properly executed. Let us go, let us go.`
`No, no, no,` said Renzo, shaking his head; `that won`t do; I want my
money, my good sir. I will give an account of my doings; but I want my money.`
`I`ll show you that I trust you; here, and be quick,` said the notary,
drawing out of his bosom the sequestered articles, and handing them to Renzo
with a sigh. Renzo received them, and put them into his pocket, muttering
between his teeth: `Stand off! you`ve associated so much with thieves, that
you`ve learnt a little of their business.` The bailiffs could no longer
restrain their impatience, but the notary curbed them with a glance, saying to
himself, - If thou succeedest in setting foot within that threshold, thou
shalt pay for this with interest, that thou shalt. -
While Renzo was putting on his jacket, and taking up his hat, the notary
beckoned to one of the bailiffs to lead the way downstairs; the prisoner came
next behind him, then the other kind friend, and he himself brought up the
rear. On reaching the kitchen, and while Renzo was saying; `And this blessed
landlord, where is he fled to?` the notary made a sign to the two police
officers, who, seizing each a hand, proceeded hastily to secure his wrists
with certain instruments, called, in the hypocritical figures of euphemism,
ruffles - in plain language, handcuffs. These consisted - we are sorry that we
are obliged to descend to particulars unworthy of historical gravity, but
perspicuity requires it - they consisted of a small cord, a little longer than
the usual size of a wrist, having at the ends two little bits of wood - two
tallies, so to say - two small straight pegs. The cord encircled the wrist of
the patient; the pieces of wood, passed through the middle and third fingers,
were shut up in the hand of the captor, so that by twisting them, he could
tighten the bandage at pleasure; and thus he possessed means, not only of
securing his prisoner, but also of torturing the refractory; to do which more
effectually, the cord was full of knots.
Renzo struggled, and cried, `What treachery is this? To an honest
man! . . .`
But the notary, who had fair words at hand on every disagreeable
occasion, replied, `Have patience, they only do their duty. What would you
have? They are only formalities; and we can`t always treat people as we would
wish. If we don`t do as we`re bid, it will fare badly with us, and worse with
you. Have patience!`
While he was speaking, the two bailiffs gave a sudden twitch at the
handcuffs. Renzo bore it as a restive horse bears the jerk of a severe bit,
and exclaimed, `Patience!`
`Brave youth!` said the notary; `this is the best way of getting off
well. What would you have? It is an annoyance, I know; but if you behave well,
you`ll very soon be rid of it. And, since I see that you`re well - disposed,
and I feel inclined to help you, I`ll give you another little piece of advice
for your good. You may believe me, for I`m practised in these matters; - go
straightforward, without looking about, or attracting observation; so no one
will notice you, no one will observe what you are, and you will preserve your
honour. An hour hence you will be set at liberty. There is so much to be done,
that they, too, will be in a hurry to have done with you; and, besides, I will
speak . . . You shall go about your own business, and nobody will know that
you`ve been in the hands of justice. And you,` continued he, turning to the
two bailiffs with a severe countenance, `take care you don`t do him any harm;
for I will protect him. You are obliged to do your duty; but remember that
this is an honest man, a civil youth, who will shortly be at liberty, and who
has some regard for his honour. Let nothing appear but that you are three
honest men walking together.` And, in an imperative tone, and with a
threatening look, he concluded: `You understand me?` He then turned to Renzo,
his brow smoothed, and his face rendered, in an instant, more cheerful and
pleasant, which seemed to say, `What capital friends we are!` and whispered to
him again, `Be careful; do as I tell you; don`t look about you; trust one who
wishes you well; and now let us go.` And the convoy moved off.
Renzo, however, believed none of these fine words; nor that the notary
wished him well more than the bailiffs, nor that he was so mighty anxious
about his reputation, nor that he had any intention of helping him; not a word
of all this did he believe: he understood well enough that the good man,
fearing some favourable opportunity for making his escape might present itself
in the way, laid before him all these flattering inducements, to divert him
from watching for and profiting by it. So that all these exhortations served
no other purpose than to determine Renzo more decidedly on a course which he
had indistinctly meditated, viz. to act exactly contrary to them.
Let no one hereby conclude that the notary was an inexperienced novice in
his trade, for he will be much deceived. Our historian, who seems to have been
among his friends, says that he was a matriculated knave; but at this moment
his mind was greatly agitated. With a calm mind, I venture to say, he would
have laughed at any one who, to induce others to do something which he himself
mistrusted, would have gone about to suggest and inculcate it so eagerly,
under the miserable pretence of giving him the disinterested advice of a
friend. But it is a general tendency of mankind, when they are agitated and
perplexed, and discern what another can do to relieve them from their
perplexities, to implore it of him eagerly and perseveringly, and under all
kinds of pretexts; and when villains are agitated and perplexed, they also
fall under this common rule. Hence it is that, in similar circumstances, they
generally make so poor a figure. Those masterly inventions, those cunning
subtleties, by which they are accustomed to conquer, which have become to them
almost a second nature, and which, put in operation at the proper time, and
fconducted with the necessary tranquility and serenity of mind, strike a blow
so surely and secretly, and, discovered even after the success, receive such
universal applause; these, when their unlucky employers are in trouble, are
hastily and tumultuously made use of, without either judgment or dexterity; so
that a third party, who observes them labouring and busying themselves in this
manner, is moved to compassion or provoked to laughter; and those whom they
attempt to impose upon, though less crafty than themselves, easily perceive
the game they are playing, and gain light from their artifices, which may be
turned against them. It can never, therefore, be sufficiently inculcated upon
knaves by profession, always to maintain their sang froid, or, what is better
still, never to get themselves into perplexing circumstances.
No sooner, therefore, were they in the street, than Renzo began to look
eagerly in every direction, throwing himself about, bending his head forward,
and listening attentively. There was, however, no extraordinary concourse; and
though a certain air of sedition might easily be discerned on the face of more
than one passer - by, yet every one went straight on his way; and of sedition,
properly speaking, there was none.
`Prudence! prudence!` murmured the notary, behind his back: `Your honour,
your reputation, my good fellow!` But when Renzo, listening to three men who
were approaching with excited looks, heard them speaking of a bake - house,
concealed flour, and justice, he began to make signs at them by his looks, and
to cough in such a way as indicated anything but a cold. These looked more
attentively at the convoy, and then stopped; others who came up, stopped also;
others who had passed by, turned round on hearing the noise, and retracing
their steps, joined the party.
`Take care of yourself; prudence, my lad; it is worse for you, you see;
don`t spoil all: honour, reputation,` whispered the notary. Renzo was still
more intractable. The bailiffs, after consulting with each other by a look,
and thinking they were doing quite right, (everybody is liable to err), again
twisted the manacles.
`Ah! ah! ah!` cried the tortured victim: the by - standers gathered close
round at the cry; others arrived from every part of the street, and the convoy
came to a stand.` He is a dissolute fellow,` whispered the notary to those who
had gathered around: `A thief taken in the act! Draw back and make way for
justice!` But Renzo, seeing this was the moment - seeing the bailiffs turn
white, or at least pale, - If I don`t help myself now, - thought he, - it`s my
own fault. - And he immediately called out, `My friends! they are carrying me
off, because yesterday I shouted "Bread and justice!" I`ve done nothing; I am
an honest man! help me; don`t abandon me, my friends!`
A murmur of approbation, followed by more explicit cries in his favour,
arose in reply; the bailiffs first commanded, then asked, then begged the
nearest to make way and let them pass; but the crowd only continued still more
to trample and push forward. The bailiffs, seeing their danger, let go of the
manacles, and only endeavoured to lose themselves in the throng, so as to
escape without observation. The notary earnestly longed to do the same; but
this was more difficult on account of his black cloak. The poor man, pale in
face and dismayed in heart, tried to make himself as diminutive as possible,
and writhed his body about so as to slip away through the crowd; but he could
not raise his eyes, without seeing a storm gathering against him. He tried
every method of appearing a stranger who, passing there by chance, had found
himself entangled in the crowd, like a bit of straw in the ice; and
encountering a man face to face, who looked at him fixedly with a more
terrible countenance than the others, he, composing his face to a smile, with
a look of great simplicity, demanded, `What is all this stir?`
`Uh! you ugly raven!` replied the man. `A raven! a raven!` resounded
around. Pushes were added to cries, so that, in short, partly with his own
legs, partly by the elbows of others, he obtained what lay nearest to his
heart at that moment, a safe exit from the pressing multitude.
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