My pursuers leapt into action and began to patrol the city to find me. Unfortunately, they soon came across my path. When they glimpsed me with their lynx eyes there was no difference between their flight to catch me and my flight from them. I was so closely followed that sometimes my freedom felt upon its neck the breath of the tyrants who sought to oppress it. It seemed as if the air which they breathed out as they ran after me had the effect of pushing me before them. Finally with the help of either Heaven or my own fear I succeeded in getting a four or five block lead on them. At that point they lost my scent and my track and I evaded the sight and clamor of such an importunate hunting party. Whoever has not been through such suffering can scarcely imagine the joy I felt when I saw that I had escaped.
However, since I wanted my salvation to be complete, I resolved to use as best I could the time before they caught up. I rubbed soot on my face and dumped dirt on my hair. I removed my jacket, pulled down my stockings, and threw away my hat. Then, having spread my handkerchief on the ground and weighed it down with four pebbles, I lay with my belly on the street, like those suffering from the plague, and began to groan piteously. No sooner had I taken up my position than I heard the cries of the crowd, even before I felt the sound of their footsteps. But I still had enough judgment to keep my posture in the hope that they might not recognize me. I was not disappointed; for, taking me for a sick man they ran past me quickly, stopping their noses with their hands and dropping an occasional coin onto my handkerchief.
The storm having passed, I duck into an alley, pick up my clothes and abandon myself yet again to Fortune. But I had run so much that Fortune was tired of following me, or at least that is my belief. For she was not accustomed to walking so quickly. After having crossed so many squares and intersections, and cut down so many streets this glorious Goddess allowed me to fall blindly back into the hands of the bowmen who were chasing me. As soon as they captured me they let out with such a furious chorus of cries that I was temporarily deafened. They seemed to think that they had not enough arms to hold me, so they used their teeth-and still seemed uncertain that they had me. One held me by the hair, another by the collar, while the less excited among them went through my pockets. The search was more successful here than it had been in prison, for they found the rest of my gold.
While these charitable doctors were busy curing the dropsy of my purse, a great noise went up and the entire square echoed with the words, "Kill him! Kill him!" At the same moment I saw the flash of sword blades. The men who were dragging me identified them as archers belonging to the King's Judge, who sought to claim the glory of having captured me. "But be careful," they said, squeezing me ever tighter, "not to fall into their hands, for you will be condemned within twenty four hours and the King himself would not save you."
Finally they themselves became so terrified by the racket which was drawing near that they abandoned me and I stood alone in the middle of the street while the approaching aggressors made a butchery of everything in their way. I leave it to you to wonder if I took flight-I who had to fear from both sides. In no time I was far from the confusion. But just as I was wondering which was the way to the stagecoach depot a torrent of people fleeing the melee poured into my street. Unable to resist the crowd, I followed them. I finally reached a small dark door through which I was able to duck, along with some of the other fleeing crowd members. We bolted the door behind us. Then, when we had caught our breath one of the troop said, "Listen friends, we must pass through two more cells and make a stand in the courtyard." These terrifying words struck my ears with such power that I almost fell down dead on the spot. Alas, immediately, but too late, I realized that instead of saving myself in a refuge, as I had believed, I had only succeeded in throwing myself back into prison. So difficult it is to escape the vigilance of one's star. I looked closer at the man who had spoken and recognized in him one of the bowmen who had pursued me for so long. Cold sweat covered my forehead and I went pale, on the verge of fainting. Those who saw me so weak were moved with compassion and asked for some water. They drew near in order to give me assistance, but unfortunately the cursed bowman was one of the most diligent. No sooner had he set eyes on me than he recognized me. He made a sign to his companions and at the same time they all greeted me by saying, "I take you prisoner in the name of the King." There was no need even to move me, since we were already inside the jail.
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