Part 4 (1/2)
The ti to think that some accident must have occurred to his acquaintance Ten minutes more elapsed--his suspicions increased
”Can the ot hold of him?” he muttered ”That rascal Giacomo--he ht to be mine If I dared, I would secure the prize at once--but then, I suspect, before long, the amount will be increased Yes, it ”
He stopped, either to chuckle at his oit, or to calculate the su the man who trusted him His virtuous meditations were interrupted by the entrance of the Greek His manner was as free and joyous as ever He addressed the Jew in Italian, with a remarkably pure accent
”Ah! my dear correspondent--my noble friend--my prince of money-lenders, how fares it with you? Still at the old trade of coining gold, eh?
Well, we th are the weapons put by nature into our hands To soives one; to others the latter: nature is ives claws and teeth; to the horse his hoofs and fleetness To a woe She intends all these attributes to be employed So, friend Bannech, you live by fraud, and I by force Is it not so?”
”I cannot dispute the correctness of your assertion: for, to say the truth, you have spoken so rapidly, that nor,” said the Jew, bending low, and placing a chair for his visitor ”But s you to Malta?”
”Pleasure, Bannech--pleasure, and, perhaps, the hopes of a little profit,” said the Greek, laughing ”Now, though I s me to Malta, I will tell you a little more of my history than you are at present acquainted with Know, then, iri Caramitzo, a patriot Greek chief, or prince, call me, of Graditza That I have been educated in Italy--that years have passed since I set foot inthither to join in the noble struggle to emancipate Greece from the thraldom of the infidel Turk I have travelled fro and piety, Pisa, to Naples, thence to Syracuse; and from that ancient city, I have crossed the sea hither All this you must remember, Bannech, should you be questioned”
”I will not forget it,his head ”I like the story much It has a probability about it which cannot fail to make it be believed--an essential point too frequently overlooked by bunglers in lying”
”I alad you like it,” observed the Greek, or prince--as we may now call hi, observation of the Jew ”But now, Bannech, I wish to knohat vessels are sailing hence for Greece, as I desire, you e by one of the whether he was in earnest
”Oh, I understand,” he said at length ”Why, there are several sailing in the course of a few days, but the one which will best suit your purpose quits the harbour to-lish colonel is said to be rich, so he will doubtless have a store of gold on board He has a daughter or niece with him, who is reported handsoentry, as ot of, she would gain thee amount for her ransom The vessel I speak of is the _Zodiac_, John Bowse, master”
”I passed her as we entered the harbour,” re But I wish to know ers Could not they be induced to carry a large aold with them? It would be very convenient Tell me, how can I become acquainted with them?”
The Jew shook his head
”I do not kno it can be lish people, with their proud ners of whose history they are ignorant”
”Do not tell me that it cannot be done,” exclainor, that youit
Surely a Greek prince would not be refused adnificant island dependency like this”
”There are a greatthat title,” said the Jew, his eyes twinkling as he spoke ”And aht You should have letters of introduction, and how they are to be procured, I cannot say”
”How they are to be procured! Why, forge the is so easy Come, come, you are well accustomed to the work, I know”
”Oh, father Abraham, suppose I was to be discovered!” ejaculated the Jew ”My credit would be gone, and I should be completely ruined and undone”
”Oh, no fear of that, while your wits are as keen as at present,” said the Greek ”Come, has not the colonel some acquaintance or other in Italy, ould be likely to introduce a distinguished foreigner, his friend, visiting the island, or do you know of soht be addressed?”
The Jew meditated for so avarice, and all its acco hopes and fears, it ith that of ad and versatility of talent He was thinking of the value of which they ht be to himself
”I have it,” he exclai spendthrift, who has lived much in Italy, and many of whose acquaintance I know Stay, I have a letter by me from his friend the Count Montebello of Florence He shall be your introducer Do you know hi of him,” said the Greek, ”make me a friend of his friend It will be safer and will be sufficient”
”Excellent, excellent,” exclaihts of the fraud ”You should have been bred a lawyer instead of a sailor, prince Now, remember, this client of mine is acquainted with Colonel Gauntlett, and is, indeed, a suitor of his niece's, for the sake of the money he expects she will receive from her uncle You will kno to talk to him”
”Admirable! My plan ht, at which I suppose all the principal people in the place will be present, and a them, the colonel, his niece, and my new friend
I must be prepared for the occasion; so, friend Bannech, send for the best tailor in the place forthwith; for it will never do to appear in this barbarian costu thus fully concocted his plan, overruled all the objections thrown out by the Jew, and, as he was ainstantly sent for In ten minutes afterwards the well-known artist Paolo Muhajiar h he was somewhat astounded at the shortness of the tier in a suit of old pieces overcame all difficulties, and he promised to set every hand at his establishment on to the work