One purchase of him would
settle the question between the quality of thy father's wines and those
of Battista. There is not a gondolier in Venice but will resort to thy
shop if the intercourse with this fellow can be fairly settled."
Annina hesitated; long practised in the small, but secret exceedingly
hazardous commerce which her father, notwithstanding the vigilance and
severity of the Venetian police, had thus far successfully driven, she
neither liked to risk an exposure of her views to an utter stranger, nor
to abandon a bargain that promised to be lucrative. That Gino trifled
with her as to his true errand needed no confirmation, since a servant
of the Duke of Sant' Agata was not likely to need a disguise to search a
priest; but she knew his zeal for her personal welfare too well to
distrust his faith in a matter that concerned her own safety.
"If thou distrust that any here are the spies of the authorities," she
observed to the padrone, with a manner that readily betrayed her wishes,
"it will be in Gino's power to undeceive thee. Thou wilt testify, Gino,
that I am not to be suspected of treachery in an affair like this."
"Leave me to put a word into the private ear of the Calabrian," said the
gondolier, significantly.--"Stefano Milano, if thou love me," he
continued, when they were a little apart, "keep the girl in parley, and
treat with her fairly for thy adventure."
"Shall I sell the vintage of Don Camillo, or that of the Viceroy of
Sicily, caro? There is as much wine of each on board the Bella
Sorrentina, as would float the fleet of the Republic.
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