there were larks and thrushes and plump blackbirds and other sweet
musicians of the air, whose innocent lives were spent in singing the
praises of God, his sin became a hideous sacrilege.

Finally I learnt that coming that morning upon half a score of poor
fluttering terrified birds held fast in Rinolfo's viscous snares, the
little girl had given them their liberty and had set about breaking up the
springes. At this occupation he had caught her, and there is no doubt that
he would have taken a rude vengeance but for the sanctuary which she had
found in me.

And when I had heard, behold me for the first time indulging the
prerogative that was mine by right of birth, and dispensing justice at
Mondolfo like the lord of life and death that I was there.

"You, Rinolfo," I said, "will set no more snares here at Mondolfo, nor will
you ever again enter these gardens under pain of my displeasure and its
consequences. And as for this child, if you dare to molest her for what
has happened now, or if you venture so much as to lay a finger upon her at
any time and I have word of it, I shall deal with you as with a felon. Now
go."

He went straight to his father, the seneschal, with a lying tale of my
having threatened him with violence and forbidden him ever to enter the
garden again because he had caught me there with Luisina--as the child was
called--in my arms. And Messer Giojoso, full of parental indignation at
this gross treatment of his child, and outraged chastity at the notion of a
young man of churchly aims, as were mine, being in perversive dalliance
with that peasant-wench, repaired straight to my mother with the story of
it, which I doubt not lost nothing by its repetition.