They had proceeded but a few hundred
yards when it was discovered that some indispensable article had been
left behind.
In fact, the Englishman's purse was missing, and John was despatched to
the inn to search for it.
This occasioned a little delay, and the carriage of the Venetians drove
slowly on. John came back out of breath and out of humor; the purse was
not to be found; his master was irritated; he recollected the very
place where it lay; the cursed Italian servant had pocketed it. John
was again sent back. He returned once more, without the purse, but with
the landlord and the whole household at his heels. A thousand
ejaculations and protestations, accompanied by all sorts of grimaces
and contortions. "No purse had been seen - his excellenza must be
mistaken."
No - his excellenza was not mistaken; the purse lay on the marble table,
under the mirror: a green purse, half full of gold and silver. Again a
thousand grimaces and contortions, and vows by San Genario, that no
purse of the kind had been seen.
The Englishman became furious. "The waiter had pocketed it. The
landlord was a knave.
