— Martellinopretendstobeaparalytic, ; heisbeatenandarrested, andisinperilofhanging, butfinallyescapes.
Oftenhasithappened, dearestladies, thatonewhohasstudiedtoraisealaughatothers' expense, especiallyinregardofthingsworthytobehadinreverence, hasfoundthelaughturnagainsthimself, andsometimestohisloss: as, inobediencetothequeen'scommand, andbywayofintroducingourtheme, Iamabouttoshewyou, bythenarrativeofanadventurewhichbefelloneofourowncitizens,andafteracourseofevilfortunehadanentirelyunexpectedandveryfelicitousissue.
NotlongagotherewasatTrevisoaGerman, namedArrigo, apoormanwhogothislivingasacommonhiredporter, butthoughofsohumbleacondition, wasrespectedbyall, beingaccountednotonlyanhonestbutamostholyman; insomuchthat, whethertrulyorfalselyIknownot, theTrevisansaffirm, , thisArrigowasgenerallyreputedasaint; andallthepeopleofthecitygatheredbeforethehousewherehisbodylay, andboreit, withasaint'shonours,intothecathedral, andbroughtthitherthehaltandparalyticandblind, andothersafflictedwithdiseaseorbodilydefects, , itsochancedthattherearrivedinTrevisothreeofourowncitizens, ofwhomonewasnamedStecchi, anotherMartellino,andthethirdMarchese; , andseeingeverybodyrunningtoandfro,theyweremuchastonished, andhavinglearnedthewhyandwherefore, , wheretheyputup, Marchesebegan:—"Wewouldfaingoseethissaint; butformypartIknownothowwearetoreachthespot, forIhearthepiazzaisfullofGermansandotherarmedmen, postedtherebytheLordwhorulesheretopreventanuproar, andmoreoverthechurch, sofarasonemaylearn, issofulloffolkthatscarceanothersoulmayenterit." WhereuponMartellino, whowasbentonseeingwhatwastobeseen, said:—"Letnotthisdeterus; Iwillassuredlyfindawayofgettingtothesaint'sbody." "How?" rejoinedMarchese."Iwilltellyou," repliedMartellino; "Iwillcounterfeitaparalytic, andthouwiltsupportmeononesideandStecchiontheother, asifIwerenotabletogoalone,andsoyouwillenterthechurch, makingitappearasifyouwereleadingmeuptothebodyofthesaintthathemayhealme, andallthatseewillmakewayandgiveusfreepassage." MarcheseandStecchiapprovedtheplan; soallthreeforthwithlefttheinnandrepairedtoalonelyplace, whereMartellinodistortedhishands,hisfingers, hisarms, hislegs, andalsohismouthandeyesandhisentirefaceinamannerhorribletocontemplate; , andledhimtowardsthechurch, assumingamostpiteousair, andhumblybeseechingeverybodyforGod'; and, inshort,observedbyall, andcryingoutatalmosteverystep,"makeway, makeway," ', hoistedMartellinoontothesaint'sbody, , theeyesofallinthechurchbeingriveteduponhiminexpectationoftheresult; then, beingaverypractisedperformer, hestretched, first, oneofhisfingers, nextahand,afterwardsanarm, andsoforth, , whoknewMartellinowell, thoughhehadfailedtorecognisehim, when, insuchstrangeguise,hewasledintothechurch; butnow, seeinghimresumehisnaturalshape, theFlorentinerecognisedhim, andatoncesaidwithalaugh, "God'?" ThesewordswereoverheardbysomeoftheTrevisans, whobeganforthwithtoquestiontheFlorentine."How?" saidthey; "washethennotparalysed? No, byGodreturnedtheFlorentinehehasalwaysbeenasstraightasanyofus; hehasmerelyshewnyouthatheknowsbetterthananymanalivehowtoplaythistrickofputtingonanycounterfeitsemblancethathechooses." ThereupontheTrevisans, withoutfurtherparley, madearush, clearingthewayandcryingoutastheywent:—"SeizethistraitorwhomocksatGodandHissaints; who, beingnoparalytic, hascomehitherintheguiseofaparalytictoderideourpatronsaintandus." Sosaying, theylaidhandsonhim, draggedhimdownfromwherehestood, seizedhimbythehair, toretheclothesfromhisback, andfelltobeatingandkickinghim, :—"Pity, forGod'ssake," anddefendedhimselfasbesthecould: allinvain, however; 'twasabadbusiness; yet, beingapprehensiveontheirownaccount, theydidnotventuretocometohisassistance, butcriedoutwiththerestthatheoughttodie, atthesametime, however,castingabouthowtheymightfindthemeanstorescuehimfromthehandsofthepeople, whowouldcertainlyhavekilledhim, , heranoffatfullspeedtothePodesta'slieutenant, andsaidtohim:—"Help, forGod'ssake;thereisavillainherethathascutmypursewithfullahundredflorinsofgoldinit; pritheehavehimarrestedthatImayhavemyownagain." Whereupon, twelvesergeantsormoreranforthwithtotheplacewherehaplessMartellinowasbeingcardedwithoutacomb,and, forcingtheirwaywiththeutmostdifficultythroughthethrong, rescuedhimallbruisedandbatteredfromtheirhands, andledhimtothepalace;whitherhewasfollowedbymanywho, resentingwhathehaddone, andhearingthathewasarrestedasacutpurse, andlackingbetterpretextforharassinghim,, than, beingaharshman, ,makinglightofthearrest; whereatthedeputy, losingpatience, hadhimboundtothestrappado, andcausedhimtoreceiveafewhintsofthecordwithintenttoextortfromhimaconfessionofhisguilt, , andquestionedbythedeputyifwhathisaccuserssaidweretrue, Martellino, asnothingwastobegainedbydenial, answered:—"Mylord, Iamreadytoconfessthetruth; letbutmyaccuserssay, eachofthem, whenandwhereIcuthispurse, andIwilltellyouwhatIhaveandwhatIhavenotdone." "Sobeit,"saidthedeputy, , beingchargedwithhavingcutthis, thatortheotherman'spurseeight, sixorfourdaysago, whileothersaverredthathehadcuttheirpursesthatveryday, answeredthus:—"Mylord, thesemenlieinthethroat, andfortokenthatIspeaktrue, Itellyouthat, sofarfromhavingbeenhereaslongastheymakeout, itisbutverylatelythatIcameintotheseparts, whereIneverwasbefore;andnosoonerwasIcome, than, asmyill-luckwouldhaveit, Iwenttoseethebodyofthissaint, andsohavebeencardedasyousee; andthatwhatIsayistrue, hisLordship'sintendantofarrivals, andhisbook,, ifyoufindthatevensoitisasIsay, hearkennottothesewickedmen, andsparemethetortureanddeathwhichtheywouldhaveyouinflict." InthispostureofaffairsMarcheseandStecchi, learningthatthePodesta'sdeputywasdealingrigorouslywithMartellino, andhadalreadyputhimtothestrappado, grewmightilyalarmed."Wehavemadeamessofit," theysaidtothemselves; "wehaveonlytakenhimoutofthefryingpantotosshimintothefire." So, hurryinghitherandthitherwiththeutmostzeal, theymadediligentsearchuntiltheyfoundtheirhost, , andthenbroughtthemtooneSandroAgolanti, ,and, backedbyMarcheseandStecchi, besoughthimtoundertakeMartellino', aftermanyaheartylaugh, hiedhimtotheLord, , athiswits' end, andallbutbesidehimselfwithfear, ,thedeputy, havingaspiteagainstFlorentines, hadquitemadeuphismindtohavehimhanged; hewasthereforeinthelastdegreereluctanttosurrenderhimtotheLord, , Martellinodetailedtohimthewholeaffair, , , congratulatingthemselvesontheirunexpecteddeliverancefromsogreataperil,theyreturnedhomesafeandsound.
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