The two men drank steadily and in silence until they had emptied their
third bottle, and then called for pipes. When they had puffed away for
a while, and enveloped themselves in a dense cloud of smoke, they fell
into conversation, deploring the bad times since the king, his court
and followers, had all gone to Saint Germain, and comparing notes as to
their own individual doings since their last meeting. Thus far they had
paid no attention whatever to the company round them, but now such a
loud discussion arose over the conditions of a bet between two men
about some feat that one of them declared he could perform and the other
pronounced impossible, that they both looked round to see what it was
all about. A man of lithe, vigorous frame, with a complexion dark as
a Moor's, jet-black hair and flashing eyes, was drawing out of his red
girdle a large, dangerous looking knife, which, when opened, was nearly
as long as a sword, and called in Valencia, where it was made, a navaja.
He carefully examined and tested the edge and point of this formidable
weapon, with which he seemed satisfied, said to the man he had been
disputing with, "I am ready!" then turned and called, "Chiquita!
Chiquita!"
At the sound of her name a little girl, who had been sleeping, rolled
up in a cloak, on the floor in a dark corner, rose and came towards
Agostino--for it was he of course--and, fixing her large dark eyes upon
his face earnestly, said, "Master, what do you want me to do? I am ready
to obey you here as everywhere else, because you are so brave, and have
so many red marks on your navaja.
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