The robbers brought me forth to serve them, and by God's
mercy handled me kindly, though they thought little of
bloodshedding.
"Then one of them was troubled in his spirit, and minded to forsake
this evil manner of life. Therefore one night he fled, carrying me
with him, when the others had gone forth; and we made good our way
to Mantua. There Pietro, for so was the robber called, left me
that he might give himself to the service of God and men, inasmuch
as he had formerly abused them. Never saw I man so changed, my
Father; his speech, formerly profane, was all of God and the
Saints; he did penance and confessed his sins publicly; ay, by the
Justice's order he received one hundred lashes in the market-place,
and at every lash he cried with upturned face, 'Deo Gratias!' And
I was there, because he besought of me to stand in the crowd and
pray for him that his courage failed not. But it came to pass that
even the people marvelled at his joyful endurance; and indeed 'twas
more like a scourging of one of the blessed martyrs than of a poor
sinful robber.
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