Could I possibly have supposed that the peasant would have brought me amongst those accursed enemies of humankind!

He laid himself down near me, but the filthy scoundrel soon compelled me to give him, for certain reasons, such a blow in his chest that he rolled out of bed.  He picked himself up, and renewed his beastly attempt.  Being well aware that I could not master him without great danger, I got out of bed, thinking myself lucky that he did not oppose my wish, and crawling along as well as I could, I found a chair on which I passed the night.  At day-break, my tormentor, called up by his honest comrades, joined them in drinking and shouting, and the three strangers, taking their guns, departed.  Left alone by the departure of the vile rabble, I passed another unpleasant hour, calling in vain for someone.  At last a young boy came in, I gave him some money and he went for a surgeon.  The doctor examined my foot, and assured me that three or four days would set me to rights.  He advised me to be removed to an inn, and I most willingly followed his counsel.  As soon as I was brought to the inn, I went to bed, and was well cared for, but my position was such that I dreaded the moment of my recovery.  I feared that I should be compelled to sell my coat to pay the inn-keeper, and the very thought made me feel ashamed.  I began to consider that if I had controlled my sympathy for the young girl so ill-treated by Stephano, I should not have fallen into this sad predicament, and I felt conscious that my sympathy had been a mistake.  If I had put up with the faults of the friar, if this and if that, and every other if was conjured up to torment my restless and wretched brain.  Yet I must confess that the thoughts which have their origin in misfortune are not without advantage to a young man, for they give him the habit of thinking, and the man who does not think never does anything right.

The morning of the fourth day came, and I was able to walk, as the surgeon had predicted; I made up my mind, although reluctantly, to beg the worthy man to sell my great coat for me—­a most unpleasant necessity, for rain had begun to fall.  I owed fifteen paoli to the inn-keeper and four to the surgeon.  Just as I was going to proffer my painful request, Brother Stephano made his appearance in my room, and burst into loud laughter enquiring whether I had forgotten the blow from his stick!

I was struck with amazement!  I begged the surgeon to leave me with the monk, and he immediately complied.

I must ask my readers whether it is possible, in the face of such extraordinary circumstances, not to feel superstitious!  What is truly miraculous in this case is the precise minute at which the event took place, for the friar entered the room as the word was hanging on my lips.  What surprised me most was the force of Providence, of fortune, of chance, whatever name is given to it, of that very necessary combination which compelled me to find no hope but in that fatal monk, who had begun to be my protective genius in Chiozza at the moment my distress had likewise commenced.  And yet, a singular guardian angel, this Stephano!  I felt that the mysterious force which threw me in his hands was a punishment rather than a favour.