1828.] The Adventurer s Story. 517 



with three men will be at the stairs of St. Marco, at the hour of the Riti- 

 vata ; embark in it, and try your valour. SPALATRO." 



I looked at him, and he at me. I did not counsel, for he was not the 

 .person to benefit from ghostly comfort, and perhaps in this instance I 

 disappointed him. 



" What do you purpose doing ?" 



" Go go ; I must go. They have smelt me out even here ; that 

 hanged affair at Smyrna made me so notorious. And what can it be, 

 think you ? a pirate smuggler, or mere land-slayer ? I care not go j 

 must." 



And go he did. 



On the following night he marched to the place of rendezvous, with 

 his moustache more than ordinarily cocked up at the corners, in the sem- 

 blance of a curl. He had been all the morning studying a volume of 

 " Familiar Conversations ;" and to confirm his spirit, a heavy flask had 

 been stored with cordials. It was a raw night, and not a star twinkled 

 as he got into the gondola, manned by the unusual complement of three 

 men. For a short time a solemn silence prevailed : but as the canal 

 widened, and gradually merged into the open water, Robertas anxiety 

 could be no longer restrained. 



" Is there any gentleman here named Spalatro ?" 



One of the three answered, in bad French, that " the Captain was not 

 with them." 



" Where shall we meet him ?" 



" I may not say." 



" What undertaking has he on hand to-night can you tell me that?" 



" Not I," was the brief reply ; and the uncourteous subaltern gazed 

 back on the canal from the stern of the boat, where he had taken his 

 position. 



This sort of mystery, however, was just as it should be ; and Roberts 

 hummed the fag end of " Row, brothers, row." But the sons of Venice 

 are minstrels by inheritance, and the cue being now given, his compa- 

 nions at their oars lacked no vehemence of lungs as each trolled forth a 

 favourite ditty : 



" Ninetta Caretta 



Se assai piu ben fatta, 

 Ma st' altra e piu matta 

 Scaldada da amor." 



And the sweet warbler gave place to his fellows, who in shrill falsetto 

 pipes squeaked forth the remnant : < 



" El' omo xe' un tomo 



Lo istizza lo impizza 

 Le Donne che stuzzega 

 La ponta del cuor." 



This was all very amusing to poor Roberts, who not .comprehending a 

 syllable, of course deemed the burthen to be of wars and tumults ; but 

 when the Primo Senore, with replenished windpipe, chimed into the 

 chorus, 



" El' omo xe' un tomo," &c. 



Mine hero considered this bellowing somewhat indiscreet, if not unbe- 

 coming, in men so circumstanced. But his little plans of reform fell to 

 the ground, for no question could elicit a polysyllabic answer from 

 Spalatro' s representative ; and surely if to be taciturn were to be seemly, 

 he played his part to perfection. 



They rowed onward, occasionally talking to each other in a low tone, 



