520 The Adventurer's Story. [MAY, 



but if I have a preference for one place beyond another, it certainly, at 

 this moment, is for Venice." 



" For Venice ?" ejaculated the freebooter. 



" For Venice," sneakingly faultered the martyr. 



" Sir, 'tis impossible ! You have done nothing as yet, and I shall miss 

 my bounty, if I fail to bring my aid. 'Tis impossible !" 



" But, good Monsieur, I am quite useless as a coadjutor in my present 

 state, whatever your employment may be ;" whined Roberts. 



" Then stay where you are. Antonio !" cried he, to one of the boat- 

 men, and in a few words of Italian, seemed to give directions for 

 pushing off; when farther progress was stayed, by the supplicatory 

 appeal of the miserable amateur. 



" Good Sir, excellent Monsieur, as I live, you shall not repent it ; I'll 

 make intercession with Spalatro." 



" It cannot be." 



" I'll give you an equivalent for your loss." 



" 'Tis not enough/' 



" I'll give you more aye, any thing you demand/' 



" Will you, though ?" sleekly demanded the other ; and a negociation 

 was immediately opened. The deliberation which followed was not long 

 protracted, when the terms were to be settled by one of the parties only, 

 and accordingly the sum of fifty Talari was agreed upon as the price of 

 his reconveyance, and the satisfied lieutenant was to call at mid-day on 

 the following morning. 



They returned in mute pomp, and Roberts shrunk to bed. 



Early the next day, I invaded his room for the purpose of hearing the 

 events of the important night, and was sitting with him, when Harvey 

 and a friend were announced ; they came in, and the unknown visitor 

 was introduced as a Captain Montgomery. A little desultory conver- 

 sation ensued, in which the captain took no part, till at last, during a 

 pause one indeed of many caused, by an unaccountable awkwardness in 

 our friend Roberts the stranger opened his mouth for the first time 

 with these singular words : 



" I have taken the liberty of calling on you, for the fifty Talari, 

 according to covenant." 



" The devil !" shrieked Roberts. " You ?" 



" If you please, unless you prefer to merit a release by another trial of 

 the Marshes of Lerida." 



" You ? How do you happen to know ?" 



" Only as the lieutenant of my captain, here, Spalatro ;" pointing to 

 Harvey ; " who wisely kept out of the way, and a plague on him for 

 his prudence." 



" Surely this is a mistake." 



" Well, then, Mr. Roberts shall I give you the whole cantata of 

 Ninetta Caretta ?" And he commenced the song. 



No for goodness' sake" cried poor Roberts. 



" Will you scamper with me over the marshes, in pursuit of our boy's 

 decoy lamp ?" 



" In pity, my dear fellow !" 



" Or shall the lad flash his dark lantern in your eyes again?" But 

 Roberts had said his say ; he sate in turbulent reflection amidst roars of 

 hearty laughter at the result of the freak ; and before they had subsided, 

 he made an utter renunciation of Knight-errantry, and declared his 

 abhorrence of all thieves and vagabonds. He kept his word, and has 

 been a rational fellow ever since. OVAH. 



