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after the miracle
255
VII
after the miracle
The blind singer’s guild had a meeting in the
Lucia church. Highest up in the chancel behind the
altar sat thirty blind men in the Jesuit forefather’s
sculptured stalls. Most of them were poor, most of
them had the beggar’s bag and staff at his side.
Great solemnity prevailed among the blind. They
fully realized the importance of being members of
that holy guild, of that glorious old academy.
Below in the church a suppressed noise was heard
now and then. There sat the leaders of the blind,
children, dogs and old women, waiting. At times
the young began frolicking with each other and
with the dogs, but it was immediately quelled and
hushed.
The blind, who were trovatori, stood up one
after the other and recited new rhymes.
’Ye, who dwell on holy Etna," one of them
recited, " ye, who live on the mountain of miracles,
arise, give your queen a new adornment! She pines
for two long ribbons to enhance her beauty, two
long, narrow ribbons of iron to fasten in her mantle.
Give this to your mistress, and she shall reward
you with riches, she shall give you gold for iron."
" Countless are the treasures which the mighty one
will bestow upon them who now befriend her."
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