forthcoming lie, the old man had told us whence they came. "From
Baroni's shop!" adding that they had cost 700 ducats. This confirmed the
story we had heard from the beginning to its end. Our clever scoundrel
had contrived, it seems, to engage the old man in a speculative
excavation at Calvi; from which a few lachrymatories turning up, the old
man's cupidity was excited; and, on the false representations made to
him by Coco, he sold his estate; left the country; and hiring the
expensive shop in which we see him, _leaves Coco to stock it_! which he
does by the purchase of such merchandise as _his friends_ have to
dispose of--"When," says he, "they don't sell them too dear!" The old
man admits that his employer is very clever; but says quietly, that he
has not much _fiducia_ in his honesty. Coco says, on his side, that his
employer is mean in his conduct towards him, and pays his activity and
zeal in a very niggardly manner. Thus neither is satisfied with the
other. Meantime the public are saying, that in less than a year the shop
will be again for sale; that Coco will have bolted; and that the old
man, if he be alive, will be fretting his soul out in St Elmo! Nobody
speculates upon what is to become of the lady with the blue spectacles.
_We_ predict, that should she be alive, and the old man dead, in the
course of another year, she will have entirely given up her taste for
things old and curious, and have become curious to try something new and
comely; if, indeed, Coco shall have left her any money to indulge in
such a fancy.

On returning from this visit to our hotel, about an hour later, we found
Coco under the gateway, and on the look-out for us. _More solito_, he
had something to show us. The porter looked after us inquiringly, as we
bid him follow up-stairs; but was surprised by a counter look, and by
our calling him by his _name_. Even on the stairs, he could not forbear
sundry short ejaculations, by way of preparing us for what we were to
see presently. "_Ah! che bella roba!_ Ah, what flowers of the mint I
have brought you to see to-day!--bought for a song--at three Carlini
a-piece! You shall have them at three and a half--I content myself with
small gains. But you, sir, who are discreet, and know the value of these
things, shall judge whether I have told you a falsehood or no." By this
time we were in our room. The dirty bag was untied; and there leaped out
of it, not indeed a cat, but a large heap of consular c