f g38 THE GERMAN PLAY AT VENICE. 



body up ? he at length exclaimed, pulled out his re- 

 peater, made it ftrike, and it ftruck twelve. 



At every fucceflive jftroke of the repeater the afto» 

 nifhment increafed of the creature that ftood behind^ 

 and the eagernefs of curiolity was vilible in his coun- 

 tenance. * 



No later than twelve ! refumed the German : that is 

 not fo very late, efpecially in a country where they 

 are known to turn the day into night and the night 

 into day. Perhaps I may fomewhere be able to awaken 

 either a companionate or a felf-interefted foul. — He 

 knocked at all the doors, but in vain. 



Well then, he faid, difgufted, if knocking will not 

 awake you, perhaps you may be rouzed at this. Sd 

 faying, he drew out one of his piftols, and fired it off. 

 The deadly lilence of the night increafed the loudnefs 

 of the report ; the poor white thing Started back with 

 terror, and his horrid fhriek caufed the traveller to 

 look round him. 



At the firft glance it was manifefl that a figure like 

 this was not an every day light ; however, he inftantly 

 collected himfelf, nodded to him, and alked, who he 

 was \ 



Let that alone at prefent, returned the apparition as 

 it advanced : thou Shalt foon be informed ; be fatis- 

 fied, that I will not hurt thee. 



And who cared about that ? replied the German, 

 fmiling. Thy fearful exclamation Sufficiently marked 

 thy cowardice ; 1 hold thee a wager thou art not here 

 far from home. 



Thou woul&ft win if thou mean formerly, but lofe if 

 thou fpeak of the prefent time ! But if thou wouldft 



talk 



