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We should have been sorry ourselves if this name, for which we

feel so much love and respect, had passed from mouth to mouth,

and been made a theme of jesting by these vulgar and degraded

wretches.

CHAPTER XV.

The host, seeing that the game was about to be carried too far,

approached Renzo, and entreating the others to be quiet,

endeavoured to make him understand that he had best go to bed.

But our mountaineer could think of nothing but name, surname, and

proclamations; yet the words bed and sleep, repeated frequently

in his ear, made at last some impression, and producing a sort of

lucid interval, made him feel that he really had need of both.

The little sense that remained to him enabled him to perceive

that the greater part of the company had departed; and with his

hands resting on the table before him, he endeavoured to stand on

his feet; his efforts would have been, however, unavailing,

without the assistance of the host, who led him from between the

table and the bench, and taking a lantern in one hand, managed

partly to lead and partly to drag him to the stairs, and thence

up the narrow staircase to the room designed for him.