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To break the crowd, and go forward with his band to the house,

would have been the best, if success could have been certain; but

who could tell if the soldiers could proceed united and in order?

The irresolution of the commander seemed to proceed from fear:

the populace were unmoved by the appearance of the soldiers, and

continued their attacks on the house. At a little distance there

stood an ill-looking, half-starved old man, who, contracting an

angry countenance to a smile of diabolical complacency,

brandished above his hoary head a hammer, with which he said he

meant to nail the vicar to the posts of his door, alive as he

was.

"Oh, shame! shame!" exclaimed Renzo. "Shame! would you take the

hangman's business out of his hand? to assassinate a Christian?

How can you expect God will give us bread, if we commit such

iniquity? He will send us his thunders, and not bread!"