Without loss of time he ran off to the Court and laid a complaint before the judge, demanding that soldiers should be called out and sent after the fugitives; but the stablemen had their orders, and were there before him, and deposed that they were witnesses to his having given ‘his Good Grace’ up to the gentleman ‘with all his heart,’ and given him his hand upon the bargain.
‘You see you have given her up of your own accord; there is nothing to be done!’ said the judge. So he got no redress.
[1] ‘La Buona Grazia del Gobbo.’ [↑]
[2] ‘In mezzo alla strada.’ [↑]
[3] ‘Good Grace,’ also the ‘good favour,’ the ‘good graces.’ [↑]
[4] ‘Cortile,’ inner court of palaces and houses that are built in a quadrangle. [↑]
[5] ‘Saccoccia di polenta.’ ‘Polenta’ is a porridge made of Indian corn meal, which makes a staple article of food of the Italian peasantry. It is, however, used for the meal of which the porridge is going to be made, though that is more usually called ‘formentone,’ or ‘grano turco.’ ‘Saccroccia di polenta’ would be a large pouch in which poor country labourers carry a provision of meal, when going out to work in the Campagna. The girl takes Giuditta’s bag in the picture for such a ‘saccoccia’ as she had been used to see. [↑]