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"Art thou an astronomer, that thou lookest so closely at yonder shining world?" demanded Il Maledetto, with the superiority that the mariner afloat is wont successfully to assume over the unhappy wight of a landsman, who is very liable to admit his own impotency on the novel and dangerous element: "the astrologer himself would not study it more deeply."
The watchman of the gate happened to be one of the latter class, and, by one of the many unaccountable workings of human feeling, the very vanity which had induced him to suffer Il Maledetto to go through unquestioned, rather than expose his own ignorance, now led him to wish he might make some return for the stranger's good opinion of his honesty.
"This jewel was worn by myself in infancy, and I placed it around the neck of the babe with my own hands, as thou sayest I ask no more." "And Bartolo Contini!" uttered Il Maledetto. "Maso!" exclaimed a voice, which until then had been mute in the chapel. It was Adelheid who had spoken.
But, maledetto! remember this, the moment our capture seems certain I will slit you up as I would a sardine," appropriate gesture with the knife, "so if you object to being slit open like a sardine you will give me all the help you can. You comprehend?"
First the two men at the Antico Giuseppone, and now this man on the islet! Every one was companioned. Every one was enjoying the night as it was meant to be enjoyed. He he alone was the sport of "il maledetto destino." He longed to commit some act of violence. Then he glanced cautiously round without moving. The two sailors were sleeping. He could hear their regular and rather loud breathing.
And he was not at all accustomed to control himself or to fight his own impulses. For the moment "caro Emilio" became "maledetto Emilio" in his mind. Sleepless as Providence, Emilio reclined there. A slightly distracted look came into the Marchesino's eyes as he glanced away from his friend and stared once more at the islet, which he longed so ardently to invade.
"That is the way with the maledetto morbo," returned the lay- brother; "one hour you are well as well, that is to say, as one can ever be in such a place as this and the next you are down on your back shivering and burning like like the poor souls in purgatory. Doubtless the more of it one has had, the less there is to come. That's the only comfort."
Two nobles were wending their way with difficulty across the Piazza, they lingered a moment, arrested by the words of the prayer. "This night may make the difference between anarchy and peace for Cyprus," one of them said to his companion, as they resumed their struggle. "Aye Cyprus for the Cypriotes, instead of Genoa, or Venice, or Naples." "Or Queen Carlotta?" "Maledetto! Who spoke?"
The sufferings that I undergo in the flesh are passed to the credit of my employers, who get the benefit of my aches and pains. I pretend to be no more than their go-between, as yonder manner has so lately called me." Pippo turned suddenly, following the direction of the other's eye, and cast a glance at the self-styled Il Maledetto.
"There is the High Mass, twice in the month; there is the Low Mass every Monday, if you will believe me! There are the priests, for nothing Santa Maria, they are not few! The first fare in the day? always for the Madonna of the traghetto. This maledetto fare of the Madonna suffices for the Madonna's oil, I ask you? Ebbene non!
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