But the Consultore is the friend of Venice; he is _their_
friend--coming each day to talk to the people. "It is not true that
great trouble has come upon Venice, for Fra Paolo makes it all quite
plain, and he knows everything," they say; "our padre in San Marcuolo is
like a bimbo to him! The Jesuit Fathers went too soon, and might have
spared themselves the burning of their papers and their treasure. Santa
Maria!--what is it they are saying about Fra Paolo finding the die for
making money that the _padri_ left behind? What is a 'die,' Luigi? If
thou hadst had the sense to bring thy boat to clear away the rubbish,
instead of thinking there are only fish in the world, thou mightest have
had the luck to find it; it must be better than working lace bobbins all
the week for a handful of _soldi_ that wouldn't buy one macaroni!"
"Peace, then, with thy babble!"
"See, then, the holy water is quite safe; I saw our padre cross himself
by that first basin. Thou hast done well,--_hein_ Luigi,--to bring me
from Burano, if there are _no_ fish to-morrow at the Ave Maria; for now
we can sleep in peace! They told such tales of I Gesuiti, one thought
the devils were having a holiday--Santa Maria!"
"The women are worse for chattering," Luigi retorts, with a forcible
imprecation.
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