mmitted such a heavy crime. I told him the whole story. He seemed
much astonished, and conjured me to tell him, my only friend, every
thing, that I might not depart this life with a lie on my conscience.
I swore to him with a most solemn oath that I had spoken the truth, and
that no other guilt oppressed me, but that, being dazzled by the gold,
I had not at once recognised the improbability of the stranger's story.

"You did not then know Bianca?" he asked.

I assured him I had never seen her. Valetti now related to me that a
deep secret was connected with the deed, that the president had very
much hastened my sentence, and that a report was circulated that I had
long known Bianca, and now had murdered her out of revenge for her
marrying another. I observed to him, that all this applied well to the
Red Cloak, but that I could not prove his participation in the deed.
Valetti embraced me, weeping, and promised to do all in his power to
save my life at least. I had little hope, though I knew him to be a
wise man and well conversant in the law, and that he would not fail to
do his utmost to save me. For two long days I remained in suspense; at
length he came and exclaimed, "I bring a consolation though a sad one.
You will live to be free, but must lose one hand." Deeply affected, I
thanked my friend for having saved my life. He told me the president
had been inexorable as to granting a new investigation into the affair,
but, that he might not appear unjust, he at length agreed that if they
could find a similar case in the annals of Florence, my punishment
should be according to that awarded in such a case. He, therefore,
with his father had now read day and night in the archives, and had, at
length, found a case similar to mine, the punishment for which was that
the perpetrator should have his left hand cut off, his property
confiscated, and that he himself should be banished for life. This was
now my sentence, and I was to prepare for the painful moment which
awaited me. I will spare you this terrible moment: in the open
market-place I placed my hand on the block, and my own blood gushed
over me.

When all was over, Valetti took me to his house until my recovery was
completed, and then nobly provided me with money for my journey, for
all I had earned with so much labour had been taken from me. From
Florence I went to Sicily, and thence by the first ship to
Constantinople. Here I hoped to find the sum of mone