“No—­no—­Signor Squire,” he said; “in the first place, I’ve no secret to tell; and it would be a trickish thing to touch your money and not give you its worth in return; and then the lugger is Guernsey built, and carries a good King George’s commission.  In my part of the world we never take gold unless we sell something of equal valie.  Gifts and begging we look upon as mean and unbecoming, and the next thing to going on to the town as a pauper; though if I can sarve you lawfully, like, I’m just as willing to work for your money as for that of any other man.  I’ve no preference for king’s in that partic’lar.”

All this time Ithuel held out the sequins, with a show of returning them, though in a very reluctant manner, leaving Andrea, who comprehended his actions much better than his words, to understand that he declined selling his secret.

“You can keep the money, friend,” observed the vice-governatore, “for when we give, in Italy, it is not our practice to take the gift back again.  In the morning, perhaps, you will remember something that it may be useful for me to know.”

“I’ve no occasion for gifts, nor is it exactly accordin’ to the Granite rule to accept ’em,” answered Ithuel, a little sharply.  “Handsome conduct is handsome conduct; and I call the fellow-creetur’ that would oppress and overcome another with a gift, little better than an English aristocrat.  Hand out the dollars in the way of trade, in as large amounts as you will, and I will find the man, and that, too, in the lugger, who will see you out in’t to your heart’s content.  Harkee, Philip-o; tell the gentleman, in an undertone, like, about the three kegs of tobacco we got out of the Virginy ship the day we made the north end of Corsica, and perhaps that will satisfy him we are not his enemies.  There is no use in bawling it out so that the woman can hear what you say, or the men who are drinking in the other room.”

“Signor Ithuello,” answered the Genoese, in English, “it will not do to let these gentlemen know anything of them kegs—­one being the deputy-governor and the other a magistrate.  The lugger will be seized for a smuggler, which will be the next thing to being seized for an enemy.”

“Yet I’ve a longing for them ’ere sequins, to tell you the truth, Philip-o!  I see no other means of getting at ’em, except it be through them three kegs of tobacco.”

“Why you don’t take ’em, when the Signore put ’em into your very hand?  All you do is put him in your pocket, and say, ’Eccellenza, what you please to wish?’”

“That isn’t Granite, man, but more in the natur’ of you Italians.  The most disgraceful thing on ’airth is a paupe”—­so Ithuel pronounced “pauper”—­“the next is a street-beggar; after him comes your chaps who takes sixpences and shillin’s, in the way of small gifts; and last of all an Englishman.  All these I despise; but let this Signore say but the word, in the way of trade, and he’ll find me as ready and expairt as he can wish.  I’d defy the devil in a trade!”