r more than
my wound which has made me weak and miserable; for three days I have
not earned a farthing. I wanted to go over to the monastery[15] and see
if I could get a spoonful or two of the soup that is made for invalids;
but all my companions have gone; there is not one to have compassion
upon me and take me in his _barca_;[16] and now I have fallen down
here, and shall, I expect, never get up again." "Hi! hi! hi! hi!"
chuckled the old woman; "why do you begin to despair so soon? Why lose
heart so quickly? You are thirsty and hungry, but I can help you. Here
are a few fine dried fish which I bought only to-day in the Mint; here
is lemon-juice and a piece of nice white bread; eat, my son; and then
we will look at the wounded arm." And the old woman proceeded to bring
forth fish, bread, and lemon juice from the bag which hung like a hood
down her back, and also projected right above her bent head. As soon as
Antonio had moistened his parched and burning lips with the cool drink,
he felt the pangs of hunger return with double fury, and he greedily
devoured the bread and the fish.

Meanwhile the old woman was busy unwrapping the rags from his wounded
arm, and it was found that, though it was badly crushed, the wound was
progressing favourably towards healing. The old woman took a salve out
of a little box and warmed it with the breath of her mouth, and as she
rubbed it on the wound she asked, "But who then has given you such a
nasty blow, my poor boy?" Antonio was so refreshed and charged anew
with vital energy that he had raised himself completely up; his eyes
flashed, and he shook his doubled fist above his head, crying, "Oh!
that rascal Nicolo; he tried to maim me, because he envies me every
wretched penny that any generous hand bestows upon me. You know, old
dame, that I barely managed to hold body and soul together by helping
to carry bales of goods from ships and freight-boats to the _depot_
of the Germans, the so-called Fontego[17]--of course you know the
building"--Directly Antonio uttered the word Fontego, the old
woman began to chuckle and laugh most abominably, and to mumble,
"Fontego--Fontego--Fontego." "Have done with your insane laughing if I
am to go on with my story," added Antonio angrily. At once the old
woman grew quiet, and Antonio continued, "after a time I saved a little
bit of money, and bought a new jerkin, so that I looked quite fine; and
then I got enrolled amongst the gondoliers. As I was alwa