Pagina 188 de 1118

The servant left the room, and returned in a few moments with a

rich sword, which his master girded on; he then threw the cloak

around his shoulders, and donned his hat with its waving plumes

with an air of proud defiance. He then passed into the street,

followed by six armed ruffians, taking the road to Lecco. The

peasantry and tradesmen shrunk from his approach; their profound

and timid salutations received no notice from him; indeed, he

acknowledged but by a slight inclination of the head those of the

neighbouring gentry, whose rank, however, was incontestably

inferior to his own. Indeed, the only man whose salutations he

condescended to return upon an equal footing was the Spanish

governor. In order to get rid of his ennui, and banish the idea

of the monk and his imprecations, he entered the house of a

gentleman, where a party was met together, and was received with

that apparent cordiality which it is a necessary policy to

manifest towards the powerful who are held in fear.