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He had to take a fat oath indeed, in 1854, at the altar, in front of the ark that holds the Sacrament, while he was saying holy mass, and people were accusing him of spreading the cholera, and wanting to make him dance for it.

"By this consecrated host which I have in my hand," said he to the faithful who were kneeling, crouching low on to their heels, "I am innocent, my children! Moreover I promise you the scourge shall cease within a week. Have patience!"

Yes, they had patience; perforce they had patience! Since he was well in with the judge and the force-captain, and King Bomba sent him fat chickens at Easter and at Christmas, because he was so much obliged to him, they said; and [Pg 19] Bomba had sent him also the counter-poison, in case there did come a serious accident.

An old aunt of his whom he'd had to take under his roof so as to prevent folks talking, and who was no good for anything any more except to eat the bread of a traitor, had uncorked the bottle for somebody else, and so had caught the cholera out and out; but her own nephew, for fear of raising people's suspicions, hadn't been able to administer the counter-poison to her.