106 JEROME CAKDAN. 





feasted or gambled, there was the friendly, jovial Banda- 

 rini ready to supply their wants ; and so much did he 

 ingratiate himself among them, that even clothes and 

 worthier gifts were often pressed upon him by his noble 

 friends. Still more complete, however, was the hold 

 which the bland soldier-host maintained upon the good- 

 will of the gentle sex. He often busied himself in de- 

 fending the causes of accused people before the magis- 

 trates, in obtaining by his influence exemption from some 

 public burden for one friend or another, and for such 

 services the gratitude of the women streamed upon him 

 in a shower of substantial gifts, which he accepted without 

 difficulty. Kind messages were constantly accompanying 

 to his door consignments of wine, meal, geese, chickens, 

 pigeons, barley, pigs, or cheese, so that he could almost 

 have kept his family upon the goodwill-offerings supplied 

 by his fair neighbours. 



At one time, in the hope of making profit from it, 

 Aldobello had, among other things, stored up a consi- 

 derable heap of flax. To this heap, Mark, his eldest boy, 

 by accident set fire ; the inn was burnt, and with it all the 

 wealth of its bland master. Bandarini, without showing 

 any anger, bit his nail ; he did not so much as utter a 

 curse, but thanked God that his children were all safe. 

 After the fire was out, he searched for any little things 

 that might possibly be snatched out of the wreck ; friends 



