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Book FirstPart XLVIII
Part XLVIII
While these things were happening, we were all at table; for that morning
we had dined more than an hour later than usual. On hearing the commotion, one
of the old man`s sons, the elder, rose from table to go and look at the
scuffle. He was called Giovanni; and I said to him: "For Heaven`s sake, don`t
go! In such matters one is always certain to lose, while there is nothing to
be gained." His father spoke to like purpose: "Pray, my son, don`t go!" But
the lad, without heeding any one, ran down the stairs. Reaching the Banchi,
where the great scrimmage was, and seeing Bertino lifted from the ground, he
ran towards home, and met my brother Cecchino on the way, who asked what was
the matter. Though some of the bystanders signed to Giovanni not to tell
Cecchino, he cried out like a madman how it was that Bertino Aldobrandi had
been killed by the guard. My poor brother gave vent to a bellow which might
have been heard ten miles away. Then he turned to Giovanni: "Ah me! but could
you tell me which of those men killed him for me?" ^1 Giovanni said, yes, that
it was a man who had a big two-handed sword, with a blue feather in his
bonnet. My poor brother rushed ahead, and having recognised the homicide by
those signs, he threw himself with all his dash and spirit into the middle of
the band, and before his man could turn on guard, ran him right through the
guts, and with the sword`s hilt thrust him to the ground. Then he turned upon
the rest with such energy and daring, that his one arm was on the point of
putting the whole band to flight, had it not been that, while wheeling round
to strike an arquebusier, this man fired in self-defence, and hit the brave
unfortunate young fellow above the knee of his right leg. While he lay
stretched upon the ground, the constables scrambled off in disorder as fast as
they were able, lest a pair to my brother should arrive upon the scene.
[Footnote 1: Oime, saprestimi tu dire che di quelli me I`ha morto? The me is
so emphatic, that, though it makes poor English, I have preserved it in my
version.]
Noticing that the tumult was not subsiding, I too rose from the table,
and girding on my sword - for everybody wore one then - I went to the bridge
of Sant` Agnolo, where I saw a group of several men assembled. On my coming up
and being recognised by some of them, they gave way before me, and showed me
what I least of all things wished to see, albeit I made mighty haste to view
the sight. On the instant I did not know Cecchino, since he was wearing a
different suit of clothes from that in which I had lately seen him.
Accordingly, he recognised me first, and said: "Dearest brother, do not be
upset by my grave accident; it is only what might be expected in my
profession: get me removed from here at once, for I have but few hours to
live." They had acquainted me with the whole event while he was speaking, in
brief words befitting such occasion. So I answered: "Brother, this is the
greatest sorrow and the greatest trial that could happen to me in the whole
course of my life. But be of good cheer; for before you lose sight of him who
did the mischief, you shall see yourself revenged by my hand.` Our words on
both sides were to the purport, but of the shortest.
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