Elzevir had given a little groan when he saw me force the window, but
followed me into the room and was now at my side. 'Thieves! thieves!
thieves!' screamed the merchant, falling back exhausted in his chair and
pointing to us, and then the knaves fell on too quick for us to make for
the window. Two set on me and four on Elzevir; and one man, even a giant,
cannot fight with four--above all when they carry staves.
Never had I seen Master Block overborne or worsted by any odds; and
Fortune was kind to me, at least in this, that she let me not see the
issue then, for a staff caught me so round a knock on the head as made
the diamond drop out of my hand, and laid me swooning on the floor.
CHAPTER 17
AT YMEGUEN
As if a thief should steal a tainted vest,
Some dead man's spoil, and sicken of his pest--_Hood_
'Tis bitterer to me than wormwood the memory of what followed, and I
shall tell the story in the fewest words I may. We were cast into prison,
and lay there for months in a stone cell with little light, and only foul
straw to lie on. At first we were cut and bruised from that tussle and
cudgelling in Aldobrand's house, and it was long before we were recovered
of our wounds, for we had nothing but bread and water to live on, and
that so bad as barely to hold body and soul together.
Pages:
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264