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Where did you come from? Why, from your school, from the seminary, and neither you nor my masters taught me that there. To me! to me! to me! you speak in such a manner to me? Oh clever fox! Alopex, alopex. Well, you are sharper than I am, cried the old Curé, striking the table and looking at Marcel with astonishment mingled with admiration. Why should I concern myself about your future?
I think we shall be able to get these lads away safe, no matter what happens. Anyhow let's be cheerful and make the best of things." And she filled our goblets. Alopex could not have been far away. Very shortly we heard the door open and shut and a youth came in, whom Doris introduced as Alopex. A more repulsive being I have never seen.
If you invented that story you deserve help as a paragon among improvisators; if you had all those adventures you deserve help ten times over and you certainly need it. Somehow I believe you. I'll help you all I can. You are in the right place." And she called: "Mother, tell Parmenio to find Alopex and bring him to me at once. Tell him to be quick."
It was after sunset when we were back with Doris and Nebris, but still far from dark; in fact, light enough to see well. "Now Alopex," said Doris, briskly, "make your best speed to the harborside and see if you can find a sure ship sailing at dawn, with a captain we can trust, to get these lads out of Marseilles at once. I doubt if you can find one, but do your best."
But he led us to a fine stone quay by which was moored as trig a merchantman as I ever saw, new and fresh painted. Her captain was a bluff, hearty, wind-tanned Maltese, Maganno by name, swarthy, hook-nosed and with a shock of black curls. He counted the gold pieces Alopex gave him and said, in Latin with a strong Punic accent: "My ship is yours from here to Tiber wharf."
"Then run off, like a good boy," said Doris, "and get a good long sleep so as to be fresh tomorrow. Start before daylight and report to me before noon. Run along." "How about lodging for us?" Agathemer queried. Doris half chuckled, half snorted. "Run along, Alopex," she commanded. When he was gone she faced Agathemer, arms akimbo.
"Share and share alike," said Agathemer, "and you are welcome to whatever part of his rake-off Alopex turns over to you." "Asper," said Doris, "you are a dear. Play us a decent tune. Nebris's music makes me doleful." We spent the day eating, drinking, chatting, napping and listening to Agathemer's very lively music.
She was buxom and buoyant and completely content with her home, her way of life, her friends and her prospects; and as capable and competent a human being as I ever met. When Alopex gave his cautious tap on the door and slipped inside she bade us farewell unaffectedly, kissed me like a mother, and gave Agathemer one sisterly hug and one smacking kiss.
"Then," said she, "just give me one of those gold pieces you got from the two drunken robbers and while you are bathing I'll order as fine a dinner as Marseilles affords and have it here ready to serve when you two get back from your bath." Alopex soon appeared with a complete outfit for us and the prices which he announced appeared reasonable to me and were agreed to by Doris.
Next morning, not much more than an hour after sunrise, as we were again enjoying flageolet music from Agathemer, Alopex returned and reported that he had found a clean, roomy, seaworthy ship, captained by a man well and favorably known to him and Doris, which would sail for Rome at dawn next day. "That's your ship," said Doris to us.
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