154 HOW VERY EXTRAORDINARY ! 



Garcia, as he called her, mewed with affright. " Heigho ! " 

 another sigh from Baptisto; a louder mew from the Garcia. 

 Our veritable history affirmeth that there was yet a third sigh, 

 and one other mew ; and that then the barber sank into a reverie, 

 long, interesting, and profound. How long this fit of musing- 

 melancholy lasted, we cannot, for certes, tell. Some chroniclers 

 say an hour and twenty-three minutes ; others contend that it 

 continued but three-quarters of an hour. 



Biondetto's speculations were interrupted by a rap, rap, rap, at 

 his chamber door. He started ; for he had fastened the street 

 entrance; and how any person could have gained admittance 

 was beyond his powers of conception. However, there certainly 

 was a treble knock ; ay, and even before his bewildered senses 

 had rallied, the door opened, and, to his horror, a familiar of the 

 ** Council of Three" passed the threshold. 



Our limits will not permit us to descant upon the inquisitorial 

 system of government, which ravaged the whole of Catholic 

 Christendom at the period of which we write. If the reader 

 wishes to become acquainted with that branch of it which rendered 

 this city of merchant-princes a curse and a by-word, we point 

 out Cooper's tale of " The Bravo," as giving an excellent idea of 

 its intricate and cruel machinery. 



When the barber beheld his unwelcome visitor, the ruddy red 

 that denoted his Afric descent left his visage, and he stood pale 

 and trembling before the familiar. It was not sufficient that he 

 felt himself innocent of crime ; to be suspected was as dangerous 

 to his life and happiness. 



"Baptisto Biondetto, thy presence is required elsewhere!'* 

 exclaimed the messenger, in a tone of fierce authority; " follow 

 me." 



" My dear sir, you are surely mistaken in your man," replied 

 poor Baptisto ; " I — I have no doubt but that you wanted my 

 next-door neighbour, worthy Doctor Galleni : allow me to show 

 you to his residence .'* 



" Biondetto, no trifling ! — follow ! " 



And sure enough, the unlucky barber was obliged to tread in 

 the familiar's footsteps, with the best grace he could assume ; 

 not forgetting, however, once more to express his fear lest his 

 worthif companion should have erred in his errand, by disturbing 

 a wrong domicile. Issuing from the house, the stranger led the 

 way down a flight of steps leading to the canal ; and entering a 

 gondola, motioned to the perruquier to follow. 



