Urn.'] The Ral-Trap. 61 



Tlie anger of dame Griselda was wont to furnish entertainment for the 

 band ; in lact, in all well constituted societies, there nmstbe some indi- 

 vidual to expose him or herself for the advantage of the rest ; and to 

 have seen a clergyman's gown torn to pieces by a kitchen wench, would 

 liave been as good, perhaps, as three or four murders, or the setting a 

 M'lvple village on fire. 



One gentleman affected, with great solemnity, to interfere on the 

 stranger's behalf; and " would put it to Griselda's conscience if she 

 could stand by, and see the wearer of a cassock engaged in common 

 drudgery." 



Another protested that — " with deference to Signor Diego," he took 

 a different view of the question ; he " saw no value in distinction of 

 persons ;" and thought that the Padre " ought to turn the spit — or be 

 turned upon it." 



The young thief recollected to have heard — for which their hostess 

 was bound surely to persecute all monks — that a friar had denied her father 

 christian burial ; alledging that it would be impossible for any true 

 catholic ever to lie peaceably by the side of such a ruffian. 



" And I am sure," added the proprietor of the red nose, " here is 

 Guiseppe himself^ — I have heard a hundred times say that it was a curate 

 who married him ! For which — I am the last to do an act of Violence — 

 but incontinently, if it were my case, I would comfort my sword with 

 the blood of an ecclesiastic of that rank before I died ." 



" Come ! let this be ended," interrupted Pezzali, turning fiercely to the 

 cardinal, who still stood aloof. " This house, good father, has been the 

 cemetery of parish priests time out of mind — beware how you conduct 

 yourself within it. You have lighted upon us, by high chance, in pleasant, 

 jovial humour, when the worst, we shall think of perhaps, will be stripping 

 thee naked, and turning thee loose, by and by, tied upon an ass with thy 

 face to the tail, on the road to Ravenna. But presume one point upon 

 my good nature, or refuse any command that may be laid upon thee, 

 and it is but the work of a thought to cane thy body into motes, and 

 scatter it upon the wind that frets the forest." 



There was a touch of whim and generosity amid all the sternness of 

 Sansovino's character. It would have cost him something to hang a 

 rogue, even for a heavy fault, who bore a peculiar courage, or uttered 

 an excellent jest, at the place of execution. And, in despite of some 

 rough practical jests which he suffered from the company, the affair 

 shewed so ludiciously — a cardinal turning a spit in a robber's hovel — 

 roasting half a farm yard of geese at once, subject to an occasional re- 

 proof from the basting ladle — that he almost began to think he had pro- 

 vided too serious a termination. The wisest man however, who lives to 

 day, guesses ill at what may befall him to morrow ; and there were 

 matters to come which the cardinal little dreamed of, and which revived 

 the acerbity of his original resolution. 



" Why, so !" said Pezzali, seeing the legate unstalled — " this looks like 

 getting towards supper ; for which there is scarce an hour, my friends, 

 altogether, let it be understood ; and so let each be prepared for our de- 

 parture. Meantime — nay look to the road, good reverend — listen and 

 turn, for our hostess is svidden. and she has her eye upon thee — let us 

 discourse a little of thy estate, and means — I have found as unpromising 

 cassocks reasonably well lined — no disparagement to yours." 



*• Of mine own money," replied the legate, " I have but little, some 



