_Falieri_.—You are a daring fellow, Contarino.
_Contarino_.—Here was no time to be lost. I instantly threw my purse on the table, promised them mountains of gold, and fixed on particular days, hours, and signals which were necessary to facilitate our future intercourse. For the present I only required that Manfrone, Conari, and Lomellino should be removed with all possible expedition.
_Contarino_.—So far everything went exactly as we could have wished, and one of my new associates was just setting out to guide me home, when we were surprised by an unexpected visit.
_Memmo_ (anxiously).—Go on, for God’s sake!
_Contarino_.—A knocking was heard at the door; the girl went to inquire the cause. In an instant she returned pale as a corpse, and “Fly! fly!” cried she.
_Contarino_.—Why then followed a whole legion of sbirri and police-officers, and who should be at their head but the Florentine stranger.
_Falieri_.—What demon could have guided him thither?
_Parozzi_.—Hell and furies! Oh, that I had been there.
_Memmo_.—There, now, Parozzi, you see at least that Flodoardo is no coward.
_Contarino_.—We stood as if we had been petrified; not a soul could stir a finger. “In the name of the Doge and the Republic,” cried Flodoardo, “yield yourselves and deliver your arms.” “The devil shall yield himself sooner than we,” exclaimed one of the banditti, and forced a sword from one of the officers. The others snatched their muskets from the walls; and as for me, my first care was to extinguish the lamp so that we could not tell friends from foes. But still the confounded moonshine gleamed through the window-shutters, and shed a partial light through the room. “Look to yourself, Contarino,” thought I; “if you are found here, you will be hanged for company,” and I drew my sword and made a plunge at Flodoardo; but, however well intended, my thrust was foiled by his sabre, which he whirled around with the rapidity of lightning. I fought like a madman, but all my skill was without effect on this occasion, and before I was aware of it, Flodoardo ripped open my bosom. I felt myself wounded, and sprang back. At that moment two pistols were fired, and the flash discovered to me a small side door, which they had neglected to beset. Through this I stole unperceived into the adjoining chamber, burst open the grated window, sprang below unhurt, crossed a courtyard, climbed two or three garden walls, gained the canal, where a gondola fortunately was waiting, persuaded the boatman to convey me with all speed to the Place of St. Mark, and thence hastened hither, astonished to find myself still alive. There’s an infernal adventure for you.