Volume I Part 74 (1/2)
These words brought back her smile
The house ell situated, and there was not another dwelling around it for at least four hundred yards I was glad to see that I should have comfortable quarters, but I was annoyed by a very unpleasant stink which tainted the air, and which could certainly not be agreeable to the spirits I had to evoke
”Madame Franzia,” said I, to the mistress of the house, ”what is the cause of that bad smell?”
”Sir, it arises fro”
I concluded that if the cause were reet rid of the effect
”What is that hemp worth, madam?” I enquired
”About forty crowns”
”Here they are; the he your husband to have it removed immediately”
Capitani called me, and I joined hiician, although I had not reed that he should receive one-fourth of the treasure, Capitani another fourth, and that the re to hts of Saint Peter
I told Franzia that I should require a room with two beds forapparatus Capitani's room was to be in a different part of the house, and my room was to be provided with three tables, two of thee I added that he es of fourteen and eighteen, she was to be a virgin, and it was necessary that she should, as well as every person in the house, keep the secret faithfully, in order that no suspicion of our proceedings should reach the Inquisition, or all would be lost
”I intend to take up my quarters here to-morrow,” I added; ”I require two meals every day, and the only wine I can drink is jevese For my breakfast I drink a peculiar kind of chocolate which I ht with me I promise to pay my own expenses in case we do not succeed Please remove the hemp to a place sufficiently distant from the house, so that its bad smell may not annoy the spirits to be evoked by unpowder Besides, you e from the hotel here, and keep constantly in the house and at my disposal one hundred neax candles and three torches”
After I had given those instructions to Franzia, I left hione a hundred yards e heard the goodafter us
”Sir,” he said to h to take back the forty crohich you paid toof the sort, for I do not want you to sustain any loss”
”Take the I can sell the hemp in the course of the day for forty croithout difficulty”
”In that case I will, for I have confidence in what you say”
Such proceedings on my part impressed the excellent man very favourably, and he entertained the deepest veneration for ainst Capitani's advice, I resolutely refused one hundred sequins which he wanted to force uponexpenses I threw hi an immense treasure, it was unnecessary to think of such trifles
The next e was sent for, and we found ourselves comfortably located in the house of the wealthy and siood dinner, but with too ive only soood fish for our supper, which he did After supper he told ht he could recohter Javotte, as he had consulted his wife, and had found I could rely upon the girl being a virgin
”Very good,” I said; ”now tellthat there is a treasure in your house?”
”In the first place, the oral tradition transenerations; in the second, the heavy sounds which are heard under ground during the night Besides, the door of the cellar opens and shuts of itself every three or four minutes; which ht wandering through the country in the shape of pyramidal flames”
”If it is as you say, it is evident that you have a treasure hidden somewhere in your house; it is as certain as the fact that two and two are four Be very careful not to put a lock to the door of the cellar to prevent its opening and shutting of itself; otherwise you would have an earthquake, which would destroy everything here Spirits will enjoy perfect freedoainst the sent here, forty years ago, a learned ician required only three days more to unearth the treasure when iven orders to arrest hi his escape Can you tell icians are not more powerful than the Inquisitors?”