Pagina 1000 di 1118

Renzo was far from suspecting the danger he had escaped; and,

reflecting on this reception, he was more angry than fearful.

"This is a bad beginning," thought he; "my star always seems

unpropitious when I enter Milan. To enter is easy enough, but,

once here, misfortunes thicken. However-by the help of God-if I

find-if I succeed in finding-all will be well."

The streets were silent and deserted; no human being could he

see; a single disfigured corpse met his eye in the channel

between the street and the houses. Suddenly he heard a cry, which

appeared addressed to him; and he perceived, not far off, on the

balcony of a house, a woman, surrounded by a group of children,

making a sign to him to approach. As he did so, "O good young

man!" said she, "do me the kindness to go to the commissary, and

tell him that we are forgotten here. They have nailed up the

house as suspected, because my poor husband is dead; and since

yesterday morning no one has brought us any thing to eat, and

these poor innocents are dying of hunger."