Such a cruel bite thou hast never inflicted upon the world!
Death, what hast thou done? May God confound thee for having put
out the light of perfect beauty! Thou hast done to death the
fairest and most lovely creature, had she but lived, whom God has
ever sought to form. God's patience surely is too great when He
suffers thee to have the power to break in pieces what belongs to
Him. Now God ought to be wroth with thee, and cast thee out of
thy bailiwick; for thy impudence has been too great, as well as
thy pride and disrespect." Thus the people storm about and wring
their arms and beat their hands; while the priests read their
psalms, making prayers for the good lady, that God may have mercy
on her soul.
(Vv. 5815-5904.) (40) In the midst of the tears and cries, as
the story runs, there arrived aged physicians from Salerno, where
they had long sojourned. At the sight of the great mourning they
stopped to ask and inquire the cause of the cries and tears--why
all the people are in such sorrow and distress. And this is
the answer they receive: "God! gentlemen, don't you know? The
whole world would be beside itself as we are, if it but knew of
the great sorrow and grief and woe and loss which has come to us
this day. God! where have you come from, then, that you do not
know what has happened just now in this city? We will tell you
the truth, for we wish you to join with us in the grief we feel.
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