Strona 337 z 1118

Meanwhile there had arrived a company of strangers, and one of

them addressed the woman, "Where are we to go for bread?"-"On,

on," replied she, and added, muttering, "These rascal countrymen

will sweep all the shops and warehouses, and leave none for us."

"There is a share for every one, chatterer," said her husband;

"plenty, plenty."

From all that Renzo saw and heard, he gathered that there was an

insurrection in the city, and that each one provided for himself,

in proportion to his will and strength. Although we would desire

to make our poor mountaineer appear to the most advantage,

historical truth obliges us to say that his first sentiment was

that of complacency. He had so little to rejoice at, in the

ordinary course of affairs, that he congratulated himself on a

change, of whatever nature it might be. And for the rest, he, who

was not a man superior to the age in which he lived, held the

common opinion that the scarcity of bread had been caused by the

speculators and bakers, and that any method would be justifiable,

of wresting from them the aliment which they cruelly denied to

the people. However, he determined to keep away from the tumult,

and congratulated himself on the good fortune of having for his

friend a capuchin, who would afford him shelter and good advice.