THE NINTH MAN
Under the stress of fear many an odd marriage took place. It was said that to save her father's life young Concetta da Moreale was married to Bernabo de Montemarte instead of to Donati, her betrothed, and that the Donati had sworn vengeance on Bernabo, who laughed and said he had not long to live, anyway, and he and his would take life for life.
Many an old debt was paid. Enemies of long standing embraced and swore friendship, each fearing the other, since no one knew in whose hands death lurked. Simon, the old usurer who lived next me, and had a face like a scholar and talons like a hawk, received threatening letters every day, demanding of him that he should remit this and that debt; and his wife, almost as great a miser as himself, would come daily to my mother and weep, telling how that as yet he bad not remitted one stiver.
I had heard that my cousin Gemma was seen of an evening coming out from the back gate of the Mancinis' garden; and stung with shame—of or all knew young Mancini, his beauty and his profligacy—I waited for her homecoming, and says I:
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