ock beauties that melt in the mouth like
a ripe strawberry! There they were, and I had fallen asleep, and was
dreaming pleasantly. I thought I saw St Cecilia dressing 'filets de sole
aux fines herbes,' and that she was asking me for sweet marjoram, when
suddenly I felt a sharp stick, as it were, in my side; and starting up,
I felt the point--the very point--of a thin stiletto between my ribs.

"'Scusi, padre mio,' said a whining voice, and a great black-bearded
rascal touched his cap to me with one hand, while with the other he held
the dagger close to my side, a comrade all the time covering me with a
blunderbuss on the opposite side of the cart,--'scusi, padre mio,
but we want your pursel' 'Maladetto sia--' 'Don't curse,' said he,
beggingly,--'don't curse, padre, we shall only have to spend more money
in masses; but be quick, out with the "quattrini."'

"'I have nothing but the Church fund for the poor.' said I, angrily.

"'We are the poor, holy father,' whined the rogue.

"'I mean the poor who hate to do evil,' said I.

"'It grieves us to the soul when we are driven to it!' sighed the
scoundrel; and he gave me a gentle touch with the point of the stiletto.
Dark as it was, I could see the wretch grin as I screamed out.

"'Be quick,' growled out the other, roughly, as he brought the wide
mouth of the trombone close to my face. There was no help for it I had
to give up my little leathern pouch with all my quarter's gatherings.
Many a warning did I give the villains of the ill-luck that followed
sacrilege,--how palsies and blindness and lameness came upon the limbs
of those who robbed the Church. They went on counting the coins without
so much as minding me. At last, when they had fairly divided the booty,
the first fellow said, 'One favor more, holy father, before we part.'

"'Would you take my coat or my cassock?' said I, indignantly.

"'Heaven forbid it!' said he, piously; 'we want only your blessing,
padre mio.'

"'My blessing on thieves and robbers!'

"'Who need it more, holy father?' said he, with another stick of the
point,----'who need it more?'

"I screamed aloud, and the wretches this time laughed outright at my
misery. Meanwhile they both uncovered and knelt down in the road before
me. Oime! oime! There was no help for it I had to descend from the
calessino!"

[Illustration: 208]

"And did you bless them, father?" asked Jekyl.

"That did I! for when I tried in the middle of the benediction to s