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24 that came over me.

ST. JOHN. But what madness, what insane frenzy possessed you, that you dared to subject these pure remains to such shameful outrage?

CALL. It was partly my own folly, and partly the deceitful suggestions of this fellow Fortunatus.

ST. JOHN. And have you, in addition to these two disasters, brought upon your own head the third misery of having succeeded in accomplishing your wicked deed?

CALL. No, no. Although I was given the opportunity of wishing, I never had the chance to do anything.

ST. JOHN. What prevented you?

CALL. I had torn off the shroud and begun to revile the lifeless body with harsh words, when that wretch Fortunatus, who supplied the fuel and kindled the flame of my iniquity, was bitten by a poisonous snake and died.

AND. Oh, well done!

CALL. Next I saw appear a young man of forbidding countenance. He decently drew a covering over the exposed corpse, whose face glowed and sparkled with