abbe; and this triumvirate,
even in Fathom's hearing, gave a most ludicrous detail of the finesse
they had practised upon the Polish Count, to their entertainer, who was
ambassador from a certain court, and made himself extremely merry with
the particulars of the relation. Indeed, they made shift to describe
some of the circumstances in such a ridiculous light, that our adventurer
himself, smarting as he was with the disgrace, could not help laughing in
secret at the account. He afterwards made it his business to inquire
into the characters of the two British knights, and understood they were
notorious sharpers, who had come abroad for the good of their country,
and now hunted in couple among a French pack, that dispersed themselves
through the public ordinaries, walks, and spectacles, in order to make a
prey of incautious strangers.

The pride of Ferdinand was piqued at this information; and he was even
animated with the desire of making reprisals upon this fraternity, from
which he ardently longed to retrieve his honour and effects. But the
issue of his last adventure had reinforced his caution; and, for the
present, he found means to suppress the dictates of his avarice and
ambition; resolving to employ his whole penetration in reconnoitring the
ground, before he should venture to take the field again. He therefore
continued to act the part of a one-eyed fiddler, under the name of
Fadini, and lived with incredible frugality, that he might save a purse
for his future operations. In this manner had he proceeded for the space
of ten months, during which he acquired a competent knowledge of the city
of Paris, when his curiosity was attracted by certain peculiarities in
the appearance of a man who lived in one of the upper apartments
belonging to the house in which he himself had fixed his habitation.

This was a tall, thin, meagre figure, with a long black beard, an
aquiline nose, a brown complexion, and a most piercing vivacity in his
eyes. He seemed to be about the age of fifty, wore the Persian habit,
and there was a remarkable severity in his aspect and demeanour. He and
our adventurer had been fellow-lodgers for some time, and, according to
the laudable custom in these days, had hitherto remained as much
estranged to one another, as if they had lived on opposite sides of the
globe; but of late the Persian seemed to regard our hero with particular
attention; when they chanced to meet on the staircase, or else