Part 43 (2/2)
CHAPTER x.x.xIII.
He soon roused himself from his pleasant reverie, and drawing his chair closer to mine, a.s.sumed an air of mystery.
”And for your friend who is in trouble,” he said, in a confidential tone, then paused and looked at me as though waiting permission to proceed.
I nodded.
”Go on, amico. What have you arranged?”
”Everything!” he announced, with an air of triumph. ”All is smooth sailing. At six o'clock on Friday morning the 'Rondinella,' that is the brig I told you of, eccellenza, will weigh anchor for Civita Vecchia.
Her captain, old Antonio Bardi, will wait ten minutes or even a quarter of an hour if necessary for the--the--”
”Pa.s.senger,” I supplemented. ”Very amiable of him, but he will not need to delay his departure for a single instant beyond the appointed hour.
Is he satisfied with the pa.s.sage money?”
”Satisfied!” and Andrea swore a good-natured oath and laughed aloud.
”By San Pietro! if he were not, he would deserve to drown like a dog on the voyage! Though truly, it is always difficult to please him, he being old and cross and crusty. Yes; he is one of those men who have seen so much of life that they are tired of it. Believe it! even the stormiest sea is a tame fish-pond to old Bardi. But he is satisfied this time, eccellenza, and his tongue and eyes are so tied up that I should not wonder if your friend found him to be both dumb and blind when he steps on board.”
”That is well,” I said, smiling. ”I owe you many thanks, Andrea. And yet there is one more favor I would ask of you.”
He saluted me with a light yet graceful gesture.
”Eccellenza, anything I can do--command me.”
”It is a mere trifle,” I returned. ”It is merely to take a small valise belonging to my friend, and to place it on board the 'Rondmella' under the care of the captain. Will you do this?”
”Most willingly. I will take it now if it so please you.”
”That is what I desire. Wait here and I will bring it to you.”
And leaving him for a minute or two, I went into my bedroom and took from a cupboard I always kept locked a common rough leather bag, which I had secretly packed myself, unknown to Vincenzo, with such things as I judged to be useful and necessary. Chief among them was a bulky roll of bank-notes. These amounted to nearly the whole of the remainder of the money I had placed in the bank at Palermo. I had withdrawn it by gradual degrees, leaving behind only a couple of thousand francs, for which I had no special need. I locked and strapped the valise; there was no name on it and it was scarcely any weight to carry. I took it to Andrea, who swung it easily in his right hand and said, smilingly:
”Your friend is not wealthy, eccellenza, if this is all his luggage!”
”You are right,” I answered, with a slight sigh; ”he is truly very poor--beggared of everything that should be his through the treachery of those whom he has benefited.” I paused; Andrea was listening sympathetically. ”That is why I have paid his pa.s.sage-money, and have done my best to aid him.”
”Ah! you have the good heart, eccellenza,” murmured the Sicilian, thoughtfully. ”Would there were more like you! Often when fortune gives a kick to a man, nothing will suit but that all who see him must kick him also. And thus the povero diavolo dies of so many kicks, often!
This friend of yours is young, senza dubbio?”
”Yes, quite young, not yet thirty.”
”It is as if you were a father to him!” exclaimed Andrea, enthusiastically. ”I hope he may be truly grateful to you, eccellenza.”
”I hope so too,” I said, unable to resist a smile. ”And now, amico, take this,” and I pressed a small sealed packet into his hand. ”It is for yourself. Do not open it till you are at home with the mother you love so well, and the little maiden you spoke of by your side. If its contents please you, as I believe they will, think that _I_ am also rendered happier by your happiness.”
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