第114章

sawhisshouldersshaking，andashecloseditbehindhimIheardhimdistinctlylaughing，tothetuneof-he!he!he!

’Butnowmattersbegantomend。Thatsameeveningmyyoungmasterunexpectedlyarrived。Ibelievehesoonperceivedthatsomethingextraordinaryhadbeengoingoninthefamily。Hewasforsometimeclosetedwiththegovernor，withwhom，Ibelieve，hehadadispute；formyfellow-servant，thelady’smaid，informedmethatsheheardhighwords。

’Ratherlateatnighttheyounggentlemansentformeintohisroom，andaskedmevariousquestionswithrespecttowhathadbeengoingon，andmybehaviourinthechurch，ofwhichhehadheardsomething。ItoldhimallIknewwithrespecttotheintriguesofthetwopriestsinthefamily，andgavehimacircumstantialaccountofallthathadoccurredinthechurch；addingthat，undersimilarcircumstances，Iwasreadytoplaythesamepartoveragain。Insteadofblamingme，hecommendedmybehaviour，toldmeI

wasafinefellow，andsaidhehopedthat，ifhewantedmyassistance，Iwouldstandbyhim：thisIpromisedtodo。BeforeI

lefthim，heentreatedmetoinformhimtheverynexttimeIsawthepriestsenteringthehouse。

’Thenextmorning，asIwasinthecourtyard，whereIhadplacedmyselftowatch，Isawthetwoenterandmaketheirwayupaprivatestairtotheyoungladies’apartment；theywereattendedbyamandressedsomethinglikeapriest，whoborealargebox；I

instantlyrantorelatewhatIhadseentomyyoungmaster。I

foundhimshaving。“IwilljustfinishwhatIamabout，“saidhe，“andthenwaituponthesegentlemen。“Hefinishedwhathewasaboutwithgreatdeliberation；thentakingahorsewhip，andbiddingmefollowhim，heproceededatoncetothedoorofhissisters’

apartment：findingitfastened，heburstitopenatoncewithhisfootandentered，followedbymyself。Therewebeheldthetwounfortunateyoungladiesdownontheirkneesbeforealargefemaledoll，dressedup，asusual，inragsandtinsel；thetwopriestswerestandingnear，oneoneitherside，withtheirhandsuplifted，whilstthefellowwhobroughtthetrumperystoodalittlewaydowntheprivatestair，thedoorofwhichstoodopen；withoutamoment’shesitation，myyoungmasterrushedforward，gavetheimageacutortwowithhishorsewhip-thenflyingatthepriests，hegavethemasoundflogging，kickedthemdowntheprivatestair，andspurnedtheman，boxandimageafterthem-thenlockingthedoor，hegavehissistersafinesermon，inwhichherepresentedtothemtheirfollyinworshippingasillywoodengravenimage，which，thoughithadeyes，couldseenot；thoughithadears，couldhearnot；thoughithadhands，couldnothelpitself；andthoughithadfeet，couldnotmoveaboutunlessitwerecarried。Oh，itwasafinesermonthatmyyoungmasterpreached，andsorryIamthattheFatheroftheFetish，oldMumbo，didnothearit。Theeldersisterlookedashamed，buttheyoungest，whowasveryweak，didnothingbutwringherhands，weepandbewailtheinjurywhichhadbeendonetothedearimage。Theyoungman，however，withoutpayingmuchregardtoeitherofthem，wenttohisfather，withwhomhehadalongconversation，whichterminatedintheoldgovernorgivingordersforpreparationstobemadeforthefamily’sleavingRomeandreturningtoEngland。Ibelievethattheoldgovernorwasgladofhisson’sarrival，andrejoicedattheideaofgettingawayfromItaly，wherehehadbeensoplunderedandimposedupon。Thepriests，however，madeanotherattemptuponthepooryoungladies。

Bytheconnivanceofthefemaleservantwhowasintheirinteresttheyfoundtheirwayoncemoreintotheirapartment，bringingwiththemthefetishimage，whosebodytheypartlystripped，exhibitinguponitcertainsanguinemarkswhichtheyhaddaubeduponitwithredpaint，butwhichtheysaidweretheresultofthelasheswhichithadreceivedfromthehorsewhip。Theyoungestgirlbelievedalltheysaid，andkissedandembracedthedearimage；buttheeldest，whoseeyeshadbeenopenedbyherbrother，towhomshewasmuchattached，behavedwithproperdignity；for，goingtothedoor，shecalledthefemaleservantwhohadarespectforme，andinherpresencereproachedthetwodeceiversfortheirvariou