00), to the landlord, he ordered wine for
the full amount, and the twelve apostles were soon enjoying it. Boyton
sat down and mechanically took the measure every time it was handed to
him and drank. He tried to listen to the conversation of his strange
comrades, but found himself dozing. The uproar made by the twelve, who
had seldom experienced such a windfall, awakened the landlord's wife who
entered the room and began to question the roysterers in a very emphatic
manner. Going to Boyton, she lifted the rubber from his forehead and
turning angrily to men, exclaimed:
"Can't you understand? This man has febbre del fuoco."
Taking the measure of wine away from Paul, she ordered her husband to
build a fire and began to take off the rubber dress, in which she was
assisted by some of the men. When the tunic was off, steam arose from
the voyager's body as from a boiler, and when the pantaloons were
removed, the good hostess unceremoniously ordered the twelve apostles
into the street. She procured a chicken which was soon broiling, and
brewing some kind of tea, she compelled Paul to eat and drink, after
which he was escorted to a room and snugly covered up in a big,
canopied bed. He was no sooner stretched on the mattress than he was
sound asleep, not waking until the sun shone through the window next
day.
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