that
her timid soul grew fearful of the consequences, both to him and to
herself, of his just wrath. She seized both his hands, to hold him
from venturing among such demons. The abbe easily freed himself from
the clasp of her weak fingers. In one bound he sprang down the steps,
fell upon the false priest as he was in the act of pronouncing his
final stramen; with the butt-end of his rhinoceros whip he gave him
two blows.

What the countess now witnessed was truly no vision. She saw how one
man, armed with no more formidable weapon than a horsewhip, ventured
into the midst of the hellish assembly, with one hand seized the table
and overturned it and all that was on it of dishes, glasses, and
wine-cups, with the other cracked his whip in the faces of the guests,
who sprang to their feet in all the terror of detection, like to the
profaners of the Temple. They were driven towards the door of the
vault, the abbe's whip descending on their shoulders with impartial
justice. They went tumbling over one another, howling and screaming,
pressing onwards and pursued by the flagellation of the abbe. The
bagpipe player in his haste missed his footing, those behind stumbled
over him, and so lay all in a heap together. Not one went without
carrying a remembrance of the abbe's strong arm, for he spared no one.
No effort was made at reprisals; the criminal who is caught seldom
shows fight. These last were, moreover, taken by surprise, and the
clergyman was possessed of extraordinary strength; one man who tried
to drag the horsewhip from his hand was dealt such a blow in his face
that he was glad to relinquish his hold and take to his heels without
loss of time.

"Give it to them! give it to them!" cried the countess, who had no
pity for her former servants, who had to pass her as they made their
way pell-mell to the door. Emerenzia covered her head, not from shame,
but fearing her face might get a blow. Almost the last was the
sacristan, whose clerical dress hindered his speed, and whose back was
so battered by the abbe that the vestment he wore hung in ribbons.

After the last guest had departed, the abbe closed the heavy door of
the vault and returned to where the countess was standing. His face
wore an almost glorified expression; it was the consciousness of
having asserted his strength. As he approached the countess fell on
her knees, and made as if she would kiss his feet, but the abbe raised
her.

"Compose yourself, countess