"Scusi, signore!" exclaimed the ugly, disreputable-looking old man,
holding his battered straw hat behind him, and bowing with as much
studied grace as his deformity would allow. The Tuscan, always the
essence of politeness, is a marvellous diplomatist. "I regret to
disturb the signore," he went on in his soft, musical speech; "but I was
anxious to know if he met yesterday in Florence the prior of San Sisto?"
"I did," I replied, amused at his ingenious attempt to affect ignorance
of our meeting.
"And did you make any purchases?"
"I bought one book--a rare Arnoldus."
"In manuscript?"
"Yes."
"Bound in original oak boards, with an old brass clasp--eh?" he
inquired, with a queer smile about the corners of his mouth. "May I be
permitted to see it?"
His demand aroused my suspicions at once. It was evident that the prior
had regretted having sold it to me, and had sent his agent to endeavour
to get it back at any cost. Therefore, knowing the unscrupulous ways of
some Italians in a cosmopolitan city like Leghorn, I did not intend to
give the cunning old fellow sight of it.
"Why do you wish to inspect it? I've packed it away, and it would give
me great trouble to get at it again."
"Then the signore does really send things to England to sell again, as I
have heard the people say?" suggested the old man somewhat rudely.
"No, I'm not a dealer," I responded angrily. "Who told you so?"
"It is common gossip, signore," replied the queer old fellow blandly.
"But if you wish it, I'll take steps to correct public opinion on that
point."
"Let the gossips say what pleases them," I snapped. "I've never yet
sold anything I've bought. I suppose they think that by the quantity of
my purchases I must be going to set up a curiosity shop. But," I added,
"tell me, Graniani, why do you wish to see the manuscript I bought
yesterday?"
"Oh, mere curiosity," was his quick answer. "You know I'm interested in
such things, and wanted to know how the prior treated you after my
recommendation."
"He treated me well enough, and I brought a bargain."
"A bargain?" he echoed, and I fancied I detected a strange curl in his
lip. "The _reverendo_ does not sell many bargains. How much did you
pay?"
"Ah!" I laughed, "I suppose you want to charge him commission--eh?"
The hunchback grinned, displaying his toothless gums, whereupon I took
up the receipt and showed him the amount I had paid.
Again he expressed a desire to be allowed to see the book; but, feeling
certain that he had come to me with some hidden motive, and at the same
time wondering what plot against me the evil-looking old fellow was
forming, I point-blank refused. I did not tell him that I knew of his
presence in Florence on the previous day, deeming it best to reserve the
knowledge to myself. Without doubt he had seen the book in Landini's
possession, and the desire to inspect it again was only a clever ruse.
"I think, signore, that hitherto my dealings with you have shown me to
be trustworthy," he said in a tone of complaint, "and yet you refuse to
allow me to see a volume that I understand is most interesting."
"And rare," I added. "It has already been valued by Olschki, who
declares it to be a unique specimen, and worth very much more than I
gave for it."
"I know, I know," he replied with a sly wink. "The person who sold it
to the prior knew its value and told me. But it is not a bargain,
signore--depend upon it that you never get a bargain from the _signor
reverendo_."
"To whom, then, did it originally belong?"
"Ah, that I regret I am not at liberty to say, signore. I gave my word
not to divulge the name. Our nobility who become so poor that they are
compelled to sell their treasures to the rich foreigners, like yourself,
are naturally very reticent about allowing themselves to be known as
needy." True, I had believed that the old fellow himself was a
broken-down noble, some count or marquis who had a knowledge of antiques
and who had fallen upon evil times; but the events of the last couple of
days had caused me to change my opinion, and to regard him rather as a
clever and crafty adventurer.
I could see by his manner that he was ill at ease, and after some
conversation regarding an old Montelupo plate he had offered me at a
fabulous price, I waited for him to speak.
"I really wish, signore, you would show me the manuscript," he blurted
forth at last. "Believe me, I have always acted in your best interests,
and surely you will not refuse me such a small favour?"
"But why are you so desirous of seeing it?" I demanded.
"In order to verify a suspicion," was his response.
"Suspicion of what?"
"A suspicion which I entertain, and of which, if true, you should be
warned."
I was surprised at his words. Had not the actual seller of it warned me
by strange hints?
But an instant later, on reflection, I saw the cunning of the two men,
who, acting in collusion, wished to repossess themselves of the book,
and I resolved to combat it.
"I have no use for any warning," I laughed. "I suppose you'll tell me
some fairy story or evil pursuing the man in whose possession the volume
remains--eh?"
The hunchback raised his shoulders and exhibited his grimy palms,
saying:
"I have come to the signore as a friend. I regret if he should seek to
treat me as an enemy."
"Now, look here," I exclaimed, rather warmly, "I've no time to waste
over useless humbug like this! I've bought the book at the price asked,
and neither you nor the prior will get it back again. Understand that!
And further," I added, "I shall not require anything more that you may
have to sell. I've finished buying antiques in Leghorn. You can tell
all the touts in the piazza that my purse is closed."
Again the ugly old man raised his shoulders expressively and opened out
his hands--this time, however, in silence.
I rang the bell for Nello to show the fellow out. Then, when I had done
this, he turned to me with knit brows and asked:
"Does the signore refuse absolutely to show me the `Book of Arnoldus'?"
"Absolutely."
"Then it must be at the signore's peril," he said slowly, with a
strange, deep meaningness and a curious expression on his brown,
wrinkled face.
"I don't believe in prophecy," I cried in anger. "And if you mean it
for a threat--well, only your age saves you from being kicked
downstairs."
The old fellow muttered beneath his breath some words I did not catch,
then bowed as haughtily as though he were a courtier born, and, turning,
followed the silent Nello through the long white door.
I believe it was a threat he uttered at the moment of parting; but of
that I was not quite sure, therefore was unable to charge him with it.
Still the strange warning caused me to reflect, and the old hunchback's
movements and his secret inquiries about my antecedents all combined to
induce within me a vague sense of anxiety and insecurity.
Through an hour in the blazing, breathless afternoon I dozed with
cigarettes and my three-day-old English newspaper, as was my habit, for
one cannot do literary work when the sun-shutters are closed and the
place in cooling darkness. I was eager now to get back to England, and
had already ordered Nello to make preparations for my departure. He was
to go into town that afternoon and inform the professional packer to
call and see me with a view to making wooden cases and crates for my
collection of old furniture and pictures, all of which I intended to
ship direct to London. Italy was a lovely country, I reflected, but,
after all, England was better, especially when now, through no fault of
my own, I had stumbled into a slough of mystery.
The faithful old man was heart-broken at my sudden decision to leave.
"Ah, _signor padrone_," he sighed, when he returned to report, "this is
a sorry day for me! To think--the signore goes to England so far off,
and I shall never see him again! I have told them in the town, and
everyone regrets."
"No doubt," I answered, smiling. "I suppose I've been a pretty paying
customer to the tradespeople. They must have made good profit out of
me--eh, Nello?"
"They did, _signor padrone_, before I came to you; but of late it has
been different. I've continually threatened to tell you when I've found
them attempting to cheat. They don't like to be thought thieves by an
Englishman, signore."
[A section of five lines missing, page 52.]
Faltered the white-haired old man. "Ah, signore, you don't know--indeed
you don't. You have always been so good to me that somehow--well, to
tell the truth, I've served you as though you were my own son. Could
you not take me with you to England?"
"Impossible!" I said. "You don't know English, in the first place;
besides, you have your family here. You'll be far better off in Leghorn
than in England, with its grey skies and damp climate. You, a Tuscan,
couldn't stand it a month."
"But Beppo Martini, from the Hotel Campari, went to London, and now he's
one of the head-waiters at the Hotel Carlton--a splendid post, they
say," urged Nello.
"I know. But he was younger, and he'd been in Paris years before," I
answered decisively. "I regret, Nello, but to take you to England is
utterly impossible. When I am gone, however, I hope to hear of you
often through the _signor console_."
"But you do not know," he urged. "You can't know. All I can tell you
is that when we part you will be in peril. While I am at your side
nothing can happen. If you discharge me, then I fear for your safety."
I laughed at him, deeming his words but a blundering attempt to compel
me to keep him. Italians are experts in threats and insinuations of
evil.
"Well, Nello, I haven't any fear, I assure you," I replied. "You've
been a most excellent servant to me, and I much regret that we should be
compelled to part; but as for evil falling upon me during your absence,
I must say frankly that I don't anticipate anything of the kind."
"But will not the _signor padrone_ be warned?"
"Warned of what?" I cried, for everyone seemed to have some warning in
his mouth for me. "Of what I have told you?"
"You want to go to England as my personal body-servant and guardian--
eh?"
"I do," replied the old man gravely.
"And because of that you've hit upon an exceedingly clever ruse by which
to induce me to let you have your way," I laughed. "No, once for all,
Nello, you cannot go with me."
He stood in silence for a few minutes, as still as though he were turned
to stone.
Tears stood in the eyes of the affectionate old servitor. A lump had
arisen in his throat, and I saw that with difficulty he swallowed it.
"You do not know my fears, _signor padrone_," he said huskily. "It is
for your own sake that I ask you to keep me as your servant--for the
sake of your own future. If, however, you have decided, so it must be.
Nello will leave you, signore; but he will not cease to be your humble
and devoted servant."
Then he turned slowly, and went out, closing the doors after him.
I felt sorry that I had jeered at him, for I had not known how deeply he
was attached to me. Still, to take a man of his age to England would be
an utter folly, and I could not help feeling that the warning he had
uttered was a false one, spoken with a motive.
At last I rose, and, ascending to the study, where the windows were
still closed against the heat and sun-glare from the sea, took forth my
treasured Arnoldus, and seated myself at my writing-table with the
determination of deciphering at least some of that record written at the
end.
The first line only of the uneven scrawl was in Latin, as I have already
given, and for a long time I puzzled over the next, so sprawling and
faded was it; but at length I discovered to my utter surprise and
satisfaction that the rest was not in Latin, but in the early
sixteenth-century English.
Then slowly and with infinite pains I gradually commenced to transcribe
the mysterious record, the opening of which read as follows:
"For soe much as the unskilfull or the ungodly cannot of themselves
conceyve the use of thys booke, I have thought it good to note unto them
what fruite and comoditie they maye tayke thereof in soe plane forme of
manner as I can devise.
"Fyrst, therefore, they maye here lerne who and what manner of man I am.
Next, they maye knowe of mi birthe and station, of mi lyfe at the
Courte of mi Lorde Don Giovanni Sforza, Tyrant of Persaro, of mi
confydences wyth mi ladie Lucrezia, of my dealynges with the greate
Lorde Alexandra P.P. VI., the terryble Pontiff, of mi adventures among
the fayre ladyes of Pesaro and Rome, and of dyvers strange thynges in
Yngolande."
Written in rather difficult sixteenth-century English, which I have
modernised somewhat, it continued:
"Then may they further mark the deep significance of this my secret
record, and of how with speed I made amends for my slowness beforetime.
Lastly have I here noted at the request of certain that by their own
labour and without instruction or help they cannot attain the knowledge
of The Secret Hidden. The studious man, with small pains, by help of
this book, may gather unto himself such good furniture of knowledge as
shall marvellously enrich the commonplace.
"Do you, my reader, think of death? The very thoughts disturb one's
reason; and though man may have many excellent qualities, yet he may
have the weakness of not commanding his sentiments. Nothing is worse
for man's health than to be in fear of death. Some are so wise as
neither to hate nor fear it; but for my part I have an aversion to it,
for it is a rash, inconsiderate thing that always cometh before it is
looked for; always cometh unseasonable, parteth friends, ruineth beauty,
jeereth at youth, and draweth a dark veil over the pleasures of life.
Yet this dreadful evil is but the evil of a moment, and that which we
cannot by any means avoid; and it is that which makes it so terrible for
me, sinner that I am; for were it certain, hope might diminish some part
of the fear; but when I think I must die, and that I may die every
moment, and that too in a thousand different ways, I am in such a fright
the which you cannot imagine. I see dangers where perchance there never
were any. I am persuaded 'tis happy to be somewhat dull of mind in this
case; and yet the best way to cure the pensiveness of the thoughts of
death is to think or it as little as possible.
"Let him that learneth this my secret, and surviveth, seek and so gain
his just reward. But if thou, my reader, hath terror of the grave seek
not to learn the contents of this closed book. Tempt not the hidden
power that lieth therein, but rather let the clasp remain fastened and
the secret ever concealed from thy knowledge and understanding.
"I, Godfrey Lovel, one time of the Abbey of Croylande, brother of the
Order of the Blessed Saint Benedict, warneth thee to stay thy curiosity,
if thou fearest death as I do fear it.
"TO SEEK FURTHER IS AT THINE OWN PERIL."