Aurelian seeing the irresistable advantage his Adversary had over him,
would fain have retired; and, by the greatest Providence in the World,
going backwards fell down over some loose Stones that lay in his Way,
just in that Instant of Time when the Villain fired his Pistol, who
seeing him fall, concluded he had Shot him. The Crys of the afflicted
Person were redoubled at the Tragical Sight, which made the Murderer,
drawing a Poniard, to threaten him, that the next Murmur should be his
last. Aurelian, who was scarce assured that he was unhurt, got softly
up; and coming near enough to perceive the Violence that was used to
stop the Injured Man’s Mouth; (for now he saw plainly it was a Man)
cry’d out,—Turn, Villain, and look upon thy Death.—The Fellow amazed at
the Voice, turn’d about to have snatch’d up the Lanthorn from the
Ground; either to have given Light only to himself, or to have put out
the Candle, that he might have made his Escape; but which of the Two he
designed, no Body could tell but himself: and if the Reader have a
Curiosity to know, he must blame Aurelian; who thinking there could be
no foul play offered to such a Villain, ran him immediately through the
Heart, so that he drop’d down Dead at his Feet, without speaking a
Word. He would have seen who the Person was he had thus happily
delivered, but the Dead Body had fallen upon the Lanthorn, which put
out the Candle: However coming up toward him, he ask’d him how he did,
and bid him be of good Heart; he was answered with nothing but Prayers,
Blessings and Thanks, called a Thousand Deliverers, good Genius’s and
Guardian Angels. And the Rescued would certainly have gone upon his
Knees to have worshipped him, had he not been bound Hand and Foot;
which Aurelian understanding, groped for the Knots, and either untied
them or cut them asunder; but ’tis more probable the latter, because
more expeditious.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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