156 



" On peril of future pains remove the kerchief until required !" 

 " Oh, very well, very well, to hear is to obey, as my Moorish 

 grandfather was wont to exclaim. The bandage shall not be 

 removed, if you insist upon it." 



Baptisto heard the retreating footsteps of his tormentors, and 

 the shutting of a door : then all was silent as the grave, he was 

 alone. 



"How very extraordinary ! " quoth. he, "to be immured in a 

 dungeon; and I may add, how extremely unpleasant. The 

 vaults, however, are not so cold as I expected to find them ; in 

 fact, the temperature is rather agreeable. I should like to see of 

 what shape the cell is, and whether they have allowed a poor 

 creature any thing for supper. Had I not the stiletto and the 

 rack in my mind's eye, I really believe I should feel hungry; at 

 any rate I must have one peep, if, as my grandfather used to say, 

 I suffer the bow-string for doing so." 



The barber removed the bandage ; and lo ! instead of a dreary 

 dungeon, a splendid apartment, brilliantly lighted, exquisitely 

 furnished, and having a table on which was laid out a small but 

 uniqiie banquet, presented itself to his astonished gaze. 



" Santo Marco, and the holy Mother of Cordova, defend me ! 

 how very extraordinary ! but, hush, footsteps — on, bandage on ! 

 Baptisto, what next ? " The door opened, and closed, when a 

 voice desired Baptisto to untie the kerchief. The barber quickly 

 obeyed, and found himself in the presence of an elderly man, 

 dressed in the patrician style of Venice. 



" Signore Biondetto, you will, I trust, excuse the freedom with 

 which you have been treated : there were weighty reasons for 

 acting so towards you, which shall in time be explained. I am 

 about to surprise, and probably to delight you, by saying that 

 you are not in the inquisition, but in the palace of the Abrazzi.** 



" In the p-palace of the Abrazzi, you don't say so, Excellenza ! 

 May it please you to relate why I have that felicity ? If my 

 noble Signore wishes to be shaved, I regret that your messenger 

 did not allow me time to pack up my knick-knacks; if " 



** For no such purpose have I required your presence here. 

 Attend." 



** I do, noble Signore, most heartily." 



"Then know, I have excellent fortune to communicate. My 

 niece, the Signora Sylvia Abrazza has, most strangely, fallen in 

 love with you ." 



" With me — with a poor barber, Signore, oh, dear!" 



