HOW VERY EXTRAORDINARY ! 155 



" My honored friend — my dear sir — you are very good, very 

 polite, I might say ; but there is a freshness in the breeze that 

 disagrees with a slight cough that I have the misfortune to possess 

 — ahem ! ahem ! and if your business is not of great urgency, I 

 beg the favor to return to my fire side : dear me ! how chill the 

 night feels, and /' 



There is no knowing what Baptisto would have said further, 

 for his speech was stayed by a very significant movement of the 

 familiar's hand towards his dagger-belt, where the moon-beam 

 played upon a blade of glittering steel. The gondola shot out of 

 the narrow canal, on the wharf of which the barber dwelt, and 

 threading through a host of vessels of the same description, 

 gained a secluded part of the city. 



" Here," said the inquisitor, '^ you must submit to have your 

 eyes bandaged." 



" Oh ! no consequence about that,** rejoined the barber quickly, 

 " I am subject to the cataract; indeed, there is a legend in my 

 family, forbidding ." 



Another movement of the messenger's hand again cut short the 

 sentence, and Baptisto was fain to submit to the operation. The 

 gondola once more sped like lightning, and after some time jutted 

 against a quay ; and Baptisto found himself on terra firma. 



*^ How very extraordinary ! " silently ejaculated the victim, as 

 he found himself hurried on by the grasps of two men. " How 

 very terrible that a young man of my parts and immaculacy 

 should be dragged before the tribunal in this way ! and poor 

 Julietta ! heigho I " After various ambulatory movements, Bap- 

 tisto was forced to ascend a flight of steps, and became aware 

 that he had entered a building. They traversed a considerable 

 space, and again ascended. 



" Oh, Santo Marco ! " groaned the barber, " that I should have 

 lived to explore the recesses of the inquisition : some foul accu- 

 sation put into the Lion*s Mouth, I warrant me. How very 

 extraordinary!" At length the conductors ofthe prisoner halted, 

 and Biondetto felt their holds relaxed. 



" Baptisto, it is the will of the holy inquisition that you await 

 here awhile, and alone ; but do not dare to remove the bandage 

 from thy sight ! " 



"But, my dear gentlemen, you forget the cataract. I question 

 whether total blindness may not be produced, and that would be 

 a dreadful thing to one whose business it is to renovate the head- 

 gear of half the nobles of Venice." 



