wits, was so exceedingly kind as to support my weight upon his sparer
frame. My arm was heavy, I am sure, upon his neck, as his was certainly
tight about my middle; but he uttered no complaints, indeed there was no
room for them in the voluble series of his comments, confessions,
promises and inquiries. He said, as we made our painful way down the
single street of Rovigo, "My dear friend, you and I have both failed in
our enterprise, and for much the same reason; but really you must be a
novice at the trade if you expect to get a free lodging with a pocketful
of gold about you. Confess that my invention of your wager was as happy
as it was apt. Done in a flash--on the wings of the moment as they
spread for a flight--but that is my way--I am like that. The lodging of
my key, however, was a folly of a sort I am never likely to commit
again. Another time I will swallow it. It was indolence on my part--my
besetting weakness--a child of a whim! Having bestowed my goods, what
but that hindered me from likewise bestowing the key? I am vexed with
myself, but I expected more company. Who was to know there would be time
for so much examination? But now, sir, let me see how I can serve you.
An inn? A meal? A decent bed? Medicaments? All these you can have for a
turn of your pretty golden key."

I thanked him for his services, but he would not hear a word of them.
Helping me through the town, he took me to a small inn outside the gate,
saw me put to bed, brought me a good broth, some wine and bread, and
left me to my meditations while he went for a doctor. The thorn was
extracted, poultices applied; I was given a soothing medicine, fell
asleep and slept heavily.

In the morning I found him by my side. After asking how I did, and
satisfying himself, by examination, that my feet were recovering, he
said that he wished to serve me without being indiscreet. "What your