The Manuscript Found in Saragossa by Jan Potocki Page B

and apply the other to your wife’s shoulders, I can assure you that it will cure her of her various whims. But if on the other hand you choose the second course and indulge all your wife’s fancies, then I will give you the friendship of the bravest men in all Italy. They often gather in Benevento because it is on the frontier. I think you understand me. So think it over.’
    After these words Monaldi left the hazelwood stick on my father’s work-bench and went away.
    Meanwhile my mother had gone after Mass to show off her lackey on the Corso and at various of her friends’ houses. Eventually she returned, glowing with triumph, and my father received her in a wayshe did not expect at all. With his left hand he grasped her left arm and proceeded to put into effect Monaldi’s advice. His wife fainted. My father cursed the hazelwood stick and asked for forgiveness; he obtained it and peace was restored.
    A few days later my father sought Monaldi out and told him that the hazelwood stick had not had the desired effect and that he placed himself at the disposal of the brave men of whom Monaldi had spoken.
    â€˜Signor Zoto,’ Monaldi replied, ‘it is somewhat surprising that you have not got the heart to administer any punishment at all to your wife but you are prepared to waylay men at the edge of a wood. But everything is possible and this is far from the only such contradiction hidden in the human heart. I am ready to introduce you to my friends but you must first commit at least one murder. So every evening when you have finished your work, take a long sword and put a dagger in your belt and swagger up and down near the Madonna gate. You may find employment that way. Farewell, and may heaven bless your ventures.’
    Father followed Monaldi’s advice and soon observed that various gentlemen equipped like himself and the local
sbiri
3 were greeting him with knowing looks.
    After doing this for a fortnight my father was accosted by a well-dressed man who said to him, ‘Signor Zoto, here are eleven ounces of gold. In half an hour you will see two young gentlemen go by with white feathers in their hats. Go after them as though you had a confidential message to pass on and then whisper, “Which of you is the Marchese Feltri?” One of them will reply, “It’s me.” Stab him in the heart. The other young gentleman, who is a coward, will take to his heels. Finish Feltri off. When it’s all over, do not take sanctuary in a church but calmly return home. I shall be just behind you.’
    My father followed the instructions to the letter, and he had just got home when he saw the stranger arrive whose grievance he had satisfied.
    â€˜Signor Zoto,’ he said to my father, ‘I appreciate very much whatyou have done for me. Here is a purse containing a hundred gold ounces which I would like you to accept, and another containing the same sum which you must give to the first officer of the law who comes to your house.’
    Having uttered these words, the stranger left.
    Soon after, the chief of the
sbiri
came to see my father, who immediately gave him the hundred gold ounces destined for the law. Thereupon the chief invited my father to take supper at his house in the company of his friends. They went to a lodging which backed on to the public prison and there they found their fellow-guests to be the
barigel
4 and the prison chaplain. My father was somewhat upset, as is commonly the case after one has committed one’s first murder.
    The priest noticed his distress and said to him, ‘Come now, Signor Zoto, no sadness. It costs twelve tari to have a Mass said at the cathedral. I hear that the Marchese Feltri has been murdered. If you have twenty or so Masses said for the repose of his soul you will be given a general absolution into the bargain.’
    No further reference was made after that to what had happened and supper was merry enough.
    The next day