Corpo di Bacco! Thou art as
well known as the sea-wall itself to us gondoliers."
"Why art thou masked? Thou canst not be Luigi!"
"It is little matter whether I am called Luigi, or Enrico, or Giorgio; I
am thy customer, and honor the shortest hair of thy eyebrows. Thou
knowest, Annina, that the young patricians have their frolics, and they
swear us gondoliers to keep secret till all danger of detection is over;
were any impertinent eyes following me, I might be questioned as to the
manner of having passed the earlier hours."
"Methinks it would be better to have given thee gold, and to have sent
thee at once to thy home."
"To be followed like a denounced Hebrew to my door. When I have
confounded my boat with a thousand others it will be time to uncover.
Wilt thou to the Bella Sorrentina?"
"Nay, 'tis not necessary to ask, since thou takest the direction of
thine own will?"
The gondolier laughed and nodded his head, as if he would give his
companion to understand that he was master of her secret wishes. Annina
was hesitating in what manner she should make him change his purpose,
when the gondola touched the felucca's side.
"We will go up and speak to the padrone," whispered Jacopo.
"It is of no avail; he is without liquors."
"Trust him not; I know the man and his pretences,"
"Thou forgettest my cousin."
"She is an innocent and unsuspecting child."
Jacopo lifted Annina, as he spoke, on the deck of the Bella Sorrentina,
in a manner between gallantry and force, and leaped after her.
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