Father Damianus came and made the old excellenza understand what the holy Virgin expected of a Christian, and when the padrona still tried to carry out her will, the holy man spoke to her in words so harsh and stern that she yielded.

The signorina is now lying in bed with burning cheeks, raving in delirium." "And who is attending the patient ?" "I came to you about the physician, my dear sir, for Doctor de Bout, who instantly obeyed my summons, was treated so badly by the old excellenza, that he turned his back upon her and told me, at the door of the house, he wouldn't come again." Wilhelm shook his head, and the Italian continued, "There are other doctors in Leyden, but Father Damianus says de Bont or Bontius, as they call him, is the most skilful and learned of them all, and as the old excellenza herself had an attack of illness about noon, and certainly won't leave her bed very speedily, the way is open, and Father Damianus says he'll go to Doctor Bontius himself if necessary.

But as you are a native of the city and acquainted with the signorina, I wanted to spare him the rebuff he would probably meet from the foe of our holy Church.
The poor man has enough to suffer from good-for-nothing boys and scoffers, when he goes through the city with the sacrament." "You know people are strictly forbidden to disturb him in the exercise of his calling." "Yet he can't show himself in the street without being jeered.

We two cannot change the world, sir.

So long as the Church had the upper hand, she burned and quartered you, now you have the power here, our priests are persecuted and scorned." "Against the law and the orders of the magistrates." "You can't control the people, and Father Damianus is a lamb, who bears everything patiently, as good a Christian as many saints before whom we burn candles.