404 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



hand has ever been against us. Your long galleys 

 were ever ready to sink our barks or blockade our 

 coast ; and the fate of robbers and murderers awaited 

 our people if they had the mishap to fall into your 

 hands. You reduced us at last to despair. Each 

 valiant deed performed against the Turk was recom- 

 pensed by you with new persecutions, till at last you 

 converted into deadly enemies those who would will- 

 ingly have been your friends and fast allies. Thank 

 yourselves, then, for the foe you have raised up. 

 Your own cowardice and greed have engendered the 

 hydra which now preys upon your heart's blood." 



The Proveditore remarked with satisfaction, not 

 unmingled with surprise, that the old pirate, who 

 had hitherto replied to all interrogatories with a de- 

 gree of cold reserve and cunning which had baffled 

 his examiners, was becoming visibly excited, and los- 

 ing his power of self-control. This was favourable to 

 the meditated stratagem of the Venetian, who now, in 

 pursuance of the scheme he had combined, gave the 

 conversation another direction. 



" I am willing to acknowledge," said he, " that the 

 republic has at times dealt somewhat hardly with your 



people. But which is in fact the worst foe, he who 



openly attacks you, or he who makes you his tool to 

 sow discord amongst Christians, and to excite the 

 Turks against Venice, while under pretence of pro- 

 tection he squeezes from you the booty obtained at 

 the price of your blood 1 " 



