Pagina 457 van 1118

As Renzo was putting on his hat, the notary made a sign to the

officers, that one of them should go before, and the other follow

the prisoner; and as they passed through the kitchen, and whilst

Renzo was saying, "And this blessed host, where has he fled?"

they seized, one his right hand, the other the left, and

skilfully slipped over his wrists, hand-fetters, as they were

called, which, according to the customs of the times, consisted

of a cord, a little longer than the usual size of the fist, which

had at the two ends two small pieces of wood. The cord encircled

the wrist of the patient; the captor held the pegs in his hand,

so that he could, by twisting them, tighten the cord at will, and

this enabled him, not only to secure the prisoner, but also to

torment him, if restless; and, to ensure this more effectually,

the cord was full of knots.