it of that tower,
precisely as Alexander has since done. The people marched slowly
onward, chanting the _miserere_; at every moment their ranks grew
thinner, as a corpse fell to the ground. Suddenly the sky became
illumined, and an angel was seen upon the tower. He held in his hand a
fiery sword, which he brandished over the city, and then he seemed to
return it to the scabbard. At the same instant the plague disappeared.
It is for this that you see there the image of the blessed Archangel
St. Michael, who protects us still, for since then the pestilence has
never appeared among us."

"This is indeed a marvellous legend!" said Goswin. "The flaming sword
in the hand of St. Michael clearly shows the punishment which God
intended for the Romans."

"There is no doubt about it," sneered Guerrazzi.

"You laugh?"

"Certainly; for I look upon the legend as an idle tale: old women often
see miracles where our cool, good sense perceives nothing which is not
entirely natural."

"But did not the plague cease?"

"Yes; but it would have disappeared all the same without St. Michael's
interference."

The tailor's irony shocked the honest German, whose pious faith saw
nothing astonishing in the visitation of the glorious archangel.

"If all the Romans thought as you do, they did not deserve St.
Michael's assistance."

"Bah! the St. Michael of the mausoleum is not an article of the Creed!
Although I may think the story of the apparition false, I am not a
pagan."

Goswin stared angrily at the tailor, and turned away.

Whilst this scene was passing upon the bridge, Alexander was hurriedly
preparing for his flight. The garrison was ignorant of the intentions
of his Holiness, but in the antechamber of the apartment, the bishops
and cardinals were kneeling, and reciting fervently the prayer for the
safety of travellers.

The door of the Pope's chamber was open, and through it might be seen
the Head of the Church and two ecclesiastics, all clothed as pilgrims,
kneeling before the little altar, on which burned two candles before a
large crucifix.

The cardinals and bishops prayed with voices tremulous with emotion.

"Aid thy servants, who have faith in thee, O God! Send us assistance
from thy holy place, and from Sion protect us! O Lord, be our strength
to resist the enemy, and let him not prevail against us! Praised be the
Lord! May he grant us a prosperous journey! Show us thy ways, and
direct us in thy paths. The crooked