278

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

what was the matter; all fled. The square was speedilynearly empty; and then the multitude of Swiss soldiers,merely lookers on, perceiving that no danger was to befeared, drew their little sabres, and attacked every onethey met. Next door to Mr. Martorelli’s house a hair-dresser resided; and attempting to re-enter his door, whichhad been shut by his own family in the confusion, was, in atrice, surrounded by above a dozen of these hireling heroesof the mountains ; and struck by innumerable sabres,defended himself with hands and feet for many minutes.The poor creature was hacked to pieces; but had he hadbut any kind of weapon, he might have killed a score ofsuch assailants. Such was the hurry and trepidation, thatone Swiss would break his sword against the wall,—anotherupon the pavement—at last he died, with nothing short offifty-seven wounds. Pending this achievement passing undermy window, other soldiers were busied in hot pursuit ofunoffending, unarmed men, women, and children, throughoutthe whole extent in view. A most venerable old gentleman,without his hat, rushed up to the court-yard gates of thehouse in which I was. I rushed down stairs to open themfor his reception. A crowd of frightened people in the yardopposed my doing so; when a man, whom I was pushingfrom the gate, while he was looking through the key-hole,and resisting my endeavours to open it, met with hisdeserts—he was shot clean through the head by a ball firedat some one outside, which, passing through the wicketdoor, flattened and enlarged, had still power to kill him onthe spot, and I was covered with his blood. I instantlyopened the door, when lying close before it was the vene-rable gentleman I had been endeavouring to take in, hishead sore wounded by a sabre blow of one who had pur-sued him to the spot. Had I had a weapon, and had thetimid wretches in the yard allowed me to make a sally, I