t," they grumble. "A grand place this surely, and
very comfortable for the winter. The palm-trees are green, but I'd
rather have the green of young grass. And the sea, you ken, it becomes
monotonous. Do you remember the peaches of Champagne, wife, and the
cherry-trees of Antrim? Do you remember the farmer who was such a bad
shot, and his wife with the red petticoat? I'm feeling fine and strong
in the wings, AVOURNEEN. What do you say? Let's bundle and go!"

He wandered out with the discontent of the season on him. The sun had
dropped at last, and everywhere you'd see torches, and the image of
torches in the water. On the canals of the town great barges moved.
Everywhere were fine, noble shadows and the splashing of oars. There
was a great admiral's galley, ready to put to sea against Genoa. There
a big merchantman back from Africa. And along the canals went all the
people in the world, you'd think. Now it was a Frenchman, all silks
and satins and 'la-di-da, monsieur!' Or a Spaniard with a pointed
beard and long, lean legs and a long, lean sword. And now it was a
Greek courtesan, white as milk, sitting in her gondola as on a throne.
Here was a Muscovite, hairy, dirty, with fine fur and fine jewels and
teeth sharp as a dog's. And now an effeminate Greek nobleman, languid
as a bride. And here were Moorish captains, Othello's men, great
giants of black marble; and swarthy, hook-nosed merchants of Palestine;
and the squires of Crusaders--pretty, ringleted boys, swearing like
demons. And here and there were Scots and Irish mercenaries, kilted,
sensitive folk, one moment smiling at you and the next a knife in your
gizzard.

And as he went through the courts there were whispers and laughter, and
occasionally a soft voice invited him to enter; but he smiled and shook
his head. Near the Canal de Mestre, which is close by the Ghetto, he
stopped by the wine-shop called The Prince of Bulgaria, and he could
hear great disputation. And some were speaking of Baldwin II, and how
he had no guts to have let Palaeologus take Constantinople from him.
And others were murmuring about Genoa.

"Mark us, they mean trouble, those dogs. Better wipe them off the face
of the earth now." And a group were discussing the chances of raiding
the Jewish Kingdom of the Yemen. "They've got temples there roofed
with gold."... And an Irish piper was playing on a little silver set
of pipes, and an Indian magician was doing great sleight