THE PIRATES OF SEGXA. 375 



ing under the loss of ships and cargoes captured by 

 Spanish galleys. 



Scattered here and there amongst the crowd, An- 

 tonio's searching eye soon remarked a number of 

 men, to whom, accustomed as he was to analyse the 

 heterogeneous composition of a Venetian mob, he was 

 yet at a loss to assign any distinct class or country. 

 Their sunburnt and strongly marked features were 

 partially hidden by the folds of ample cloaks, in 

 which they kept themselves closely muffled ; and it 

 appeared to Antonio, that in their selection of places 

 they were more anxious to escape observation than to 

 obtain a good view of the approaching fight. In the 

 dark patches of shadow thrown by the overhanging 

 balconies, in the recesses of deep and gloomy portals, 

 or peering out from the entrance of some narrow and 

 tortuous alley, these men Avere grouped, silent, scowl- 

 ing, and alone, and apparently known to none of 

 the surrounding crowd. But suspicious as were the 

 appearance and deportment of the persons in qxies- 

 tion, Antonio's thoughts Avere too much engrossed by 

 another and far more interesting subject, to accord 

 them much attention. He nourished the hope of 

 discovering amongst the multitude assembled around 

 him, the mysterious being who had taken so strong 

 a hold on his imagination. Vainly, however, did he 

 scan every balcony and window, and strain his eyes 

 to distinguish the faces of the more distant of the 

 assembled dames. More than once the flutter of a 



VOL. iv. 2 B 



