Pagina 366 di 1118

The poor man wandered from room to room in a state of

insupportable alarm, commending himself to God, and beseeching

his servants to be firm, and to find for him some way of escape!

He ascended to the highest floor, and, from an opening between

the garret and the roof, he looked anxiously out upon the street,

and beheld it filled with the enraged populace; more appalled

than ever, he withdrew to seek the most secure and secret

hiding-place. Here, concealed, he listened intently to ascertain

if at any time the importunate transport of passion should

weaken, if the tumult should in any degree subside; but his heart

died within him to hear the uproar continue with aggravated and

savage ferocity.