“'Wear my habits!'
“Said the poplar to the juniper bush.”
“'And thou, Andrea, mine amethyst ring; and me in both your hearts a month or two.'
“Why, Andrea?”
“'For my body, ere this ye read, it will lie in Tiber. Trouble not to look for it. 'Tis not worth the pains. Oh unhappy day that it was born oh happy night that rids me of it.
“'Adieu! adieu!
“'The broken-hearted Gerard.'
“Here is a sorry jest of the peevish rogue,” said Pietro. But his pale cheek and chattering teeth belied his words. Andrea filled the house with his cries.
“O, miserable day! O, calamity of calamities! Gerard, my friend, my sweet patron! Help! help! He is killing himself! Oh, good people, help me save him!” And after alarming all the house he ran into the street, bareheaded, imploring all good Christians to help him save his friend.
A number of persons soon collected.