it to disown your humble
servant. He bound me over to an honest notary at Naples, and gave me two
hundred crowns by way of provision. Well, signor, I saw enough of the
law to convince me that I should never be rogue enough to shine in
the profession. So instead of spoiling parchment, I made love to the
notary's daughter. My master discovered our innocent amusement, and
turned me out of doors,--that was disagreeable. But my Ninetta loved
me, and took care that I should not lie out in the streets with the
lazzaroni. Little jade, I think I see her now, with her bare feet,
and her finger to her lips, opening the door in the summer nights,
and bidding me creep softly into the kitchen, where--praised be the
saints!--a flask and a manchet always awaited the hungry amoroso. At
last, however, Ninetta grew cold. It is the way of the sex, signor.
Her father found her an excellent marriage in the person of a withered
picture-dealer. She took the spouse, and very properly clapped the door
in the face of the lover. I was not disheartened, Excellency; no, not
I. Women are plentiful while we are young. So, without a ducat in my
pocket, or a crust for my teeth, I set out to seek my fortune on board
of a Spanish merchantman. That was duller work than I expected: but
luckily we were attacked by a pirate; half the crew were butchered, the
rest captured. I was one of the last,--always in luck, you see, signor,
monks' sons have a knack that way! The captain of the pirate took a
fancy to me. 'Serve with us,' said he. 'Too happy,' said I. Behold me
then a pirate. Oh jolly life! how I blest the old notary for turning
me out of doors! What feasting! what fighting! what wooing! what
quarreling! Sometimes we ran ashore and enjoyed ourselves like princes;
sometimes we lay in a calm for days together, on the loveliest sea that
man ever traversed. And then, if the breeze rose, and a sail came
in sight, who so merry as we? I passed three years in that charming
profession, and then, signor, I grew ambitious. I caballed against the
captain; I wanted his post. One still night we struck the blow. The ship
was like a log in the sea,--no land to be seen from the mast-head, the
waves like glass, and the moon at its full. Up we rose,--thirty of
us and more. Up we rose with a shout; we poured into the captain's
cabin,--I at the head. The brave old boy had caught the alarm, and there
he stood at the doorway, a pistol in each hand; and his one eye (he had
only on