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Book FirstPart LXXIII
Part LXXIII
In the meanwhile my enemies had proceeded slowly toward Chiavica, as the
place was called, and had arrived at the crossing of several roads, going in
different directions; but the street in which Pompeo`s house stood was the one
which leads straight to the Campo di Fiore. Some business or other made him
enter the apothecary`s shop which stood at the corner of Chiavica, and there
he stayed a while transacting it. I had just been told that he had boasted of
the insult which he fancied he had put upon me; but be that as it may, it was
to his misfortune; for precisely when I came up to the corner, he was leaving
the shop and his bravi had opened their ranks and received him in their midst.
I drew a little dagger with a sharpened edge, and breaking the line of his
defenders, laid my hands upon his breast so quickly and coolly, that none of
them were able to prevent me. Then I aimed to strike him in the face; but
fright made him turn his head round; and I stabbed him just beneath the ear. I
only gave two blows, for he fell stone dead at the second. I had not meant to
kill him; but as the saying goes, knocks are not dealt by measure. With my
left hand I plucked back the dagger, and with my right hand drew my sword to
defend my life. However, all those bravi ran up to the corpse and took no
action against me; so I went back alone through Strada Giulia, considering how
best to put myself in safety.
I had walked about three hundred paces, when Piloto the goldsmith, my
very good friend, came up and said: "Brother, now that the mischief`s done, we
must see to saving you." I replied: "Let us go to Albertaccio del Bene`s
house; it is only a few minutes since I told him I should soon have need of
him." When we arrived there, Albertaccio and I embraced with measureless
affection; and soon the whole flower of the young men of the Banchi, of all
nations except the Milanese, came crowding in; and each and all made proffer
of their own life to save mine. Messer Luigi Rucellai also sent with
marvellous promptitude and courtesy to put his services at my disposal, as did
many other great folk of his station; for they all agreed in blessing my
hands, ^1 judging that Pompeo had done me too great and unforgivable an
injury, and marvelling that I had put up with him so long.
[Footnote 1: Tutti d`accordo mi benedissono le mani. This is tantamount to
approving Cellini`s handiwork in murdering Pompeo.]
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