Rome | Page 5

your righteous indignation. You don't know Rome and
priestly justice. Come, give me your hand and your word to do nothing
without my consent, or else I shall leave you directly."
Sir B---- M---- was a man of my own height but somewhat thinner, and
five or six years older; the reader will understand his character without
my describing it.
My speech must have rather astonished him, but he knew that my
disposition was benevolent, and he could not help giving me his hand
and his pledge.
"Yes, dearest," said Betty, "leave vengeance to the friend whom
Heaven has sent us."
"I consent to do so, provided everything is done in concert between us."
After this we parted, and Sir B---- M----, being in need of rest, I went to
tell the vetturino that we should start for Rome again on the following
day.
"For Rome! Then you have found your pocketbook? It seems to me,
my good sir, that you would have been wiser not to search for it."
The worthy man, seeing my hand done up in lint, imagined I had
fought a duel, and indeed everybody else came to the same conclusion.
Sir B---- M---- had gone to bed, and I spent the rest of the day in the

company of Betty, who was overflowing with the gratitude. She said
we must forget what had passed between us, and be the best of friends
for the rest of our days, without a thought of any further amorous
relations. I had not much difficulty in assenting to this condition.
She burned with the desire for vengeance on the scoundrelly actor who
had deceived her; but I pointed out that her duty was to moderate Sir
B---- M----'s passions, as if he attempted any violence in Rome it might
prove a very serious matter for him, besides its being to the
disadvantage of his reputation to have the affair talked of.
"I promise you," I added, "to have the rogue imprisoned as soon as we
reach Rome, and that ought to be sufficient vengeance for you. Instead
of the advantages he proposed for himself, he will receive only shame
and all the misery of a prison."
Sir B---- M---- slept seven or eight hours, and rose to find that a good
deal of his rage had evaporated. He consented to abide by my
arrangements, if he could have the pleasure of paying the fellow a visit,
as he wanted to know him.
After this sensible decision and a good supper I went to my lonely
couch without any regret, for I was happy in the consciousness of
having done a good action.
We started at day-break the next morning, and when we reached
Acquapendente we resolved to post to Rome. By the post the journey
took twelve hours, otherwise we should have been three days on the
road.
As soon as we reached Rome I went to the customhouse and put in the
document relating to Betty's trunk. The next day it was duly brought to
our inn and handed over to Betty.
As Sir B---- M---- had placed the case in my hands I went to the
bargello, an important person at Rome, and an expeditious officer when
he sees a case clearly and feels sure that the plaintiffs do not mind
spending their money. The bargello is rich, and lives well; he has an

almost free access to the cardinal-vicar, the governor, and even the
Holy Father himself.
He gave me a private interview directly, and I told him the whole story,
finally saying that all we asked for was that the rogue should be
imprisoned and afterwards expelled from Rome.
"You see," I added, "that our demand is a very moderate one, and we
could get all we want by the ordinary channels of the law; but we are in
a hurry, and I want you to take charge of the whole affair. If you care to
do so we shall be prepared to defray legal expenses to the extent of fifty
crowns."
The bargello asked me to give him the bill of exchange and all the
effects of the adventurer, including the letters.
I had the bill in my pocket and gave it him on the spot, taking a receipt
in exchange. I told him to send to the inn for the rest.
"As soon as I have made him confess the facts you allege against him,"
said the bargello, "we shall be able to do something. I have already
heard that he is at Roland's, and has been trying to get the
Englishwoman's trunk. If you liked to spend a hundred crowns instead
of fifty we could send him to the galleys for a couple of years."
"We will see about that," said I, "for the