The herald., 1898-10-23

| did have acquaintance. whenas, tht
| fourteenth. who was their leader, I die
not know"
Now, by ser Domeneddio." said I
''it seemeth to me most unsavory tina
| thou shouldst have acquaintance with
such manner of men. Prythee. tell me
how it came to pass that thou shouldst
know Them
May, Timoteo, thou shalt not be
angry with me, for it came about in g
most harmless and diverting fashion
1t was upon last LaInmas day, and the
duke my father was sick unto death
| Thinking now that he was about to
die, he was fain to ease his conscience
| about several small matters which lay
heavy upon it, and as a peace offering
to the saints, he ordered that the doors
of the prison should be thrown open,
and that all therein confined should be
! set free. Now at that time there were
in the prison the very same thirteen
rogues of whom spoke, and none be-
side. And it came to pass that, as they
were being unclaimed, the dukes pain
left him. And he did repent him
| nightly that he had loosed them, and
would fain have had them back into
lIG uCIlJoIl. w HtI Sdl uiu SiiiuS AiAii
so roundly for the breaking Of his
word that he again agreed to let them
all go free
"Most noble and gracious Ippolita," f"
exclaimed: "That is where the true
tenderness and amiability of thy nature
showed itself l will represent this
matter fully to the gentlemen down
stairs. and by my halidom, they can
not fail. after having heard it. to re-
cognize their fault, and to atone for it
as thou shalt direct"
Nay" said the fair countess, with
one her most silvery and melodious
peals of laughter, thou art too sud-
den with thy conclusions, for I had but
half finished the tale, and the best of
it is to come. In getting the knaves
their liberty 1 at the same time per-
suaded the duke to fulfill another and
a dearer wish, which was that he
should have the thirteen rogues taken
presently into the inner yard of the
palace, in full view of my apartments,
and Of the windows of the damosels Of
the court, and there cause to be given
them fifty lashes apiece upon their bare
backs in order to relieve the dulness
and tedium of our daily existence. By
all the saints of the calendar at once,
but it was a most diverting and i'm
proving spectacle!"
1t seemed to me that I was always
misconceiving the meaning of this orig
inal and charming creature.
"Ah, Ippolita," said I, thou dost in
sooth know these thirteen thieves right
we'll, and I do fear me that they set
such store by thy acquaintance, that
they will be loath to let thee go out of
their company. AS to the leader of
these robbers, he also Is no stranger to
thee, though thou didst not recognize
him, appareled as he was in my cast
off flnery Know, then, that he is none
other than Brother Ambrose, the black
friar who escaped from the flames yes
treen.''
"Frediddio, Timoteo! Thou art
pleased to jest with me-"
Nay, fairest one, jest not, and if it
is not the truth, may the foul fiend fly
away with me. Moreover. it is but
half hour since I watched the traitor
from my hiding place in the cellar of
the castle. And I did hear him say to
one Pippo, his companion, that he re-
served thee for the fulfilment of some
weighty enterprise
Now. by Saint Reparata, didst ever
hear of such an impudent, black and
scurvy knave? l could weep for vexa-
ton at the thought OF it, and I could
tear out his base tongue by the roots
with red hot pincers.''
The wrath of Ippolita, as she thus
expressed herself, was something ap-
palling. Her gaze was fixed and star
ing, as though she saw before her the
object of her resentment; and her fin
gers moved convulsively. as though she
were performing the surgical operation
of which she had spoken.
Rather than that the poltroon
should touch me-" she continued, be