eak in pieces what belongs
to Him. Now God ought to be wroth with thee, and cast thee out of thy
bailiwick; for thy impudence has been too great, as well as thy pride
and disrespect." Thus the people storm about and wring their arms and
beat their hands; while the priests read their psalms, making prayers
for the good lady, that God may have mercy on her soul.

(Vv. 5815-5904.) [240] In the midst of the tears and cries, as the story
runs, there arrived aged physicians from Salerno, where they had long
sojourned. At the sight of the great mourning they stopped to ask and
inquire the cause of the cries and tears--why all the people are in
such sorrow and distress. And this is the answer they receive: "God!
gentlemen, don't you know? The whole world would be beside itself as we
are, if it but knew of the great sorrow and grief and woe and loss which
has come to us this day. God! where have you come from, then, that you
do not know what has happened just now in this city? We will tell you
the truth, for we wish you to join with us in the grief we feel. Do
you not know about grim Death, who desires and covets all things, and
everywhere lies in wait for what is best, do you not know what mad act
she has committed to-day, as it is her wont to do? God has illuminated
the world with one great radiance, with one bright light. But Death
cannot restrain herself from acting as her custom is. Every day, to the
extent of her power, she blots out the best creature she can find. So
she wishes to try her power, and in one body she has carried off more
excellence than she has left behind. She would have done better to take
the whole world, and leave alive and sound this prey which now she has
carried off. Beauty, courtesy, and knowledge, and all that a lady can
possess of goodness has been taken and filched from us by Death, who
has destroyed all goodness in the person of our lady, the empress. Thus
Death has deprived us all of life." "Ah, God!" the doctors say, "we know
that Thou art wroth with this city because we did not reach here sooner.
If we had arrived here yesterday, Death might have boasted of her
strength if she could wrest her prey from us." "Gentlemen, madame would
not have allowed you at any price to see her or to exercise your skill.
Of good physicians there was no lack, but madame would not permit any
one of them to see her or to investigate her malady." "No?" "Truly,
sirs, that she would not." Then they recalled the case o