“'Heaven forbid it!' said he, piously; 'we want only your blessing, padre mio.'
“'My blessing on thieves and robbers!'
“'Who need it more, holy father?' said he, with another stick of the point,——'who need it more?'
“I screamed aloud, and the wretches this time laughed outright at my misery. Meanwhile they both uncovered and knelt down in the road before me. Oimè! oimè! There was no help for it I had to descend from the calessino!”
“And did you bless them, father?” asked Jekyl.
“That did I! for when I tried in the middle of the benediction to slip in a muttering of 'Confundite ipsos qui quaerunt animam meam,' the whining rogue popped out his accursed weapon, and cried, 'Take care, holy father! We only bargain for the blessing.'”
“They left you the fish, however?” said Norwood.
“Not an oyster!” sighed the priest.