Part 2 (2/2)
”You have not to go far to perfore of the duty I shall impose on you,” said the Greek, sternly ”And, mark me, Giacomo--if you play me false, as you have done others, I will find you out, and finish your worthless life with as little conor capitan_, I very well know that you are not ahis head
”Tell in and all the saints in heaven I will perform the work faithfully”
”Your oath is superfluous, as you would break it for a copper-piece, so don't insult me with it,” replied the Greek, scornfully ”But, listen: there is a certain Jew--Aaron Bannech by name--his office--his den--the place where he cheats, and robs, and lies, is beneath the Albergo--in the Strada Do you hear?”
”_Si, signor, si_,--I know the place--I know the ar, hastily
”You know him; it is well that you should--you are an admirable pair
He would sell his soul for a dollar, and would then try to cheat the devil out of it You are a meaner knave Half that suh Hasten to him, and tell him that I am here Say that heknaves, and that I will be with hio down to the port, and learn what vessels are about to sail, shortly, for the eastward, with all particulars about theoes--armed force--and number of men--also what shi+ps are expected to arrive shortly froleaned this information, which you well kno to do, come up with it to the residence of the Jew Listen, also, if anything is said about the _Speronara Volante_, from Syracuse, by which I arrived Alessandro is herme I am, probably, unnoticed; but it is as well to be cautious”
”I will strictly obey your directions, signor,” said the beggar ”Have you further orders?”
”No--youalready, and may have been observed”
”Rest assured ofoff up the street on his crutches, at a far enerally wont to ht of the Greek, than he slackened his pace
”Noonder what I should get by denouncing him to the authorities,”
heinforh, and he, probably, will pay better; besides, as he says, he et hie hiood, and I should not be believed You can never catch those Greeks asleep; their wit is so keen, and they twist, and turn, and double in such a et into a scrape, they are certain of working their way out of it No, it won't do I must keep to ar on crutches, and a far greater rogue lords it over ar hobbled on towards the house of the Jew to fulfil his mission I am afraid that there are too ar, who are honest as long only as it suits their purpose
CHAPTER THREE
The Greek, little dreaer to which he was exposed, or, at all events, little fearing it, turned on his heel, and retraced his steps for some part of the distance he had come His air was more buoyant and independent than before
”So much for business,” he muttered ”And now for amusement We'll try what this brave city can afford Let me see, I passed a _tratoria_ or a _caffe_ but just now; I'll look in there, and learn what is going forward!”
He soon reached the place he spoke of; and throwing open the folding-doors at the entrance, entered with his usual careless air, and took his seat at a marble table, which chanced to be unoccupied There was a billiard-table in the rooames of chance were, at times, played
The place was full of persons of all descriptions English and Maltese, and others of various nations Those belonging to the army and navy, were either of inferior rank, or were harum-scarum felloho cared not at all hom they associated There were, also, masters and mates of merchantmen, Frenchmen and Italians; and there was a representative, indeed, to be found of al on the shores of the Mediterranean, as also, of ; but the greater nu, as if they had come there to kill time; and when, by chance, any pause occurred, the noise of the billiard balls was heard, and the cry of the marker from the next room The Greek seemed to excite less observation even here than in the street, except from two or three of his countrymen, ere in the room, and who eyed him narrowly He rose and sauntered into the billiard-room, perhaps to avoid their scrutiny, perhaps sia some coffee, he took up a Maltese newspaper, which appeared to afford him considerable interest
”Ah! here we have a complete list of all the vessels about to sail from this port,” he muttered to himself ”It will serve to co out a pocket-book he quickly copied the list ”And let ht at the Auberge de Provence By Saint Genario; it will be a good ao there I shall pick up not a little useful inforreat world, ay the wheel is next to turn, and how those English are going to act with regard to Greece,--whether we are to have a loan or an army to assist us Heaven defend us fros froer, I suppose, would not be admitted without an introduction They are, I know, of old, very suspicious in this place Well, I must e soood introductions, if he cannot procure them for me in any other way He is well able to do so, for he keeps his hand in at the work, and knows everybody here and elsewhere”
While he sathis coffee, the three Greeks, at another table, continued eyeing hi thelances were fixed on hihtest change of colour, nor did his eye quail in the least Looking suddenly up, however, he appeared first to discover that their eyes were turned towards hi, with a bland smile, he walked up to them