"O Evilarms" he cried, "of this domain,
I've one of Santa Zita's elders here;
Down with him, for I'm visiting again
That city which has plenty such like gear.
There all embezzle, by Bonturo's leave;
There money shall make yea for nay appear."
Then plunged him downward, and along the reef
Of adamant he turned, and never hound
Shot off so rapidly at heels of thief.

The other sank, and came up, turning round ;

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But all the fiends cried out, who lurked below That bridge, "Here is no Sacred Countenance found; Here swim you not as in the Serchio;

And therefore if thou wouldst not feel our hooks,

Take heed above the slime to make no show."
They stuck him with above a hundred crooks,

And cried, "Here under cover must thou skip,
And purloin, if thou canst, unseen." The cooks
Thus make their underlings with forks to dip

Into the caldron cleanly down their meat,

That floating it may never show its tip.

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Now," my kind master said, "that none may weet

Of thy being here, go down and crouch, I say,

Behind a crag, that offers thy retreat

Some cover, and for no offence which they

May do to me, be thou discomfited,

For I've beforehand been in such a fray,

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And know my field." Then o'er the bridge's head
He stept, and toward the sixth mole when he bent,

To need a bold brow might he well be said.
For with like tempest and embitterment,

As dogs rush out upon the vagrant, who
Halts suddenly, on asking alms intent,
From underneath the bridge the demons flew,

And turned upon him all their forks; but he
Cried out to them, "Be murderous none of
Before a single hook lay hold on me,

you.

Let one come out in front and hear my tale, And then about harpooning me agree."

They shouted all, "Go forwards, Eviltail."

Then started one, while halted all beside,

And came up saying, "What shall this avail?"

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"And think'st thou, Eviltail," my guide replied,

"To see me here, so far down having trod
Through all your muniments unterrified,
Sāns favoring fate, and sans design of God?
Now let me pass, for 'tis in heaven's will found,
That I should show a man this wild-wood road."
Those words did his presumption so confound,

That by his feet he let his pitchfork fall, And bade the rest, "Now let him bear no wound." "O thou that sit'st," I heard my master call,

"Among the splinters of the bridge so still, Come back to me, and fear not now at all." I rose, and hasted up with all my skill,

At which the fiends advancing in a row, I feared they would the treaty not fulfil. I've seen the troops out of Caprona go

On terms, affrighted thus, when on the spot They found themselves with foemen compast so. Then close and closer to my guide I got

With all my person, nor could ever pick

My face from theirs, which comforting was not.

L

They lowered all their forks, and, "Shall I prick 100

Him on the crupper?" each to other cried,

And answered forthwith, "Aye, and make it stick." But the fiend, with my master occupied

In converse, turned him quickly round and said, "Abide at peace, Scarmileo, abide;"

And then to us, "No further can ye tread

By this reef, seeing that the sixth arch lies.

All shattered under to the valley's bed.
And if you must pursue your enterprise,

Proceed along this bank, for you are near

A passage, which another reef supplies.
Yesterday, when 'twas five hours later here,

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Completed, since the road upon that line Was broke, twelve hundred six and threescore year. I am sending yonder from this gang of mine

To see if aught looks up, whom you indeed May go with, for they shall not be malign. Now Alicline and Calcabrine, proceed,

And thou, Cynopus," he began to say, "And Barbacrespa may the tithing lead.

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Let Libicoccus come, and Draconay,

Come Mammockhound, Choroides with his tushes,

Mad Rubicaunt and Farfarell away.

Go you, and search around the boiling slushes,

And safe let these up to the next ridge be, Which over all the moats unbroken pushes." "O master," said I, "what is this I see?

In God's name, go unguarded, if we mean

To go at all, but never go for me.

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If thou art still as deft as thou hast been,

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Dost see not how they grind their teeth, and make Threats with their brows to work us woe and teen?" He answered me; "I will not have thee quake,

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And let them grind their teeth to heart's content, They do it for the scalded wretches' sake." Then turned they and along the left mole went, But each had for a gibe his tongue confined Betwixt his teeth, and toward his captain bent, And he had blown his trumpet from behind.