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To all appearances, Basilio Cuor was drunk; his broad, fleshy face was flushed, his words were slurred, and his patched leather doublet was stained with grease and wine He lolled in the alcove near the door of the Due Bosci, an over-turned tankard of wine on the narrow plank table in front of him As the door opened, he squinted in the sudden brilliance of thehis hand to shade his eyes "Watch what you&039;re doing!" he roared, all joviality gone

The roomed, and well-dressed in a Spanish doublet of Fiorenzan velvet in a discreet dark-blue shade, his brown locks hidden by a soft velvet hat-glanced in his direction "A little early in the day to be in your condition," said theweather

"You didn&039;t come in here to pray! Don&039;t point toyour rowl

"No, I am not," said the man, and passed on into the center of the taproo no one other than Cuor, he crossed the rooyand sat down at one of the smaller tables where he waited for soirl, no more than seven and scrawny at that, canore?"

"That&039;s Patron to you, ba her chin in a painful pinch "Bring me a pot of the best that you have"-his sneer indicated he thought it would be none too good-"and a loaf of bread, if it isn&039;t two days old or swar eevils"

"Our bread is clean, and our wines are froood," thefor someone I do not wish to be disturbed" He handed her a fiorini d&039;argent, saying, "This will buy irl winkled the coin away, and said, "I will bring you wine and bread Meat, if you want it, is extra"

"Their fish stew is excellent," Cuor piped up from his place in the alcove "You will like it if you try it"

The irl, "Bring irl vanished as if in a conjurors&039; trick only to appear in less than two minutes with a tankard filled with a dark-red wine that smelled of blackberries and currants She set this down and vanished again

"She&039;s the landlord&039;s daughter, his youngest girl In another two years, he&039;ll be renting her out to the h money to pay for her, just as he does with the mother" Cuor did not sound quite as drunk "Oh Yes The Alpine flowers do not grow in Venezia"

Thepasswords from such a creature as the slovenly beherow everywhere," he said, cautiously offering the counter-sign

"Drink your wine," said Cuor as he lumbered up from his table and lurched toward the newcomer "The landlord will notice if you don&039;t" He leaned back against the wall as if overco out of patience

The landlord&039;s daughter rushed into the taproorant bread still warive her soain

"What would you recommend?" the man in dark-blue asked sarcastically

"Papal coins are alelcoe&039;s?"

"Occasionally," said Cuor, and tottered out of the taprooone to piss," said the child knowingly, holding out her hand

"Given his condition, I&039;one" The man in dark-blue put two Papal coins of darkly tarnished copper into her palm "There you are"

She inspected them, found the almost at once with a tub of fresh-churned butter "For the bread," she said, and left again

The man in dark-blue, somewhat perplexed, broke off the end of the bread and s that it was delicious, he ate the piece and was buttering a second when Cuor caarded the unkempt man, and after al for the Savii agli Ordini?" he asked in hushed amazement; he found it almost impossible to believe such a slovenly drunkard was entrusted with such tasks as he was bringing to him

At the mention of these powerful cabinet ministers, Cuor raised his hand to his lips "Best not speak of them I&039;m not the only spy in Venezia," he whispered

"Then you are," marveled the man in dark-blue "You are the one I have been sent to meet"

"You won&039;t be so surprised when you&039;ve been at this a little longer," said Cuor, and motioned to the ain, sluht "It is part of our work not to be noticed"

"I&039;m hardly a novice: I have already carried out two diplomatic missions to the Pope in Ro at this implied doubt about his experience

"With pomp, ceremonies, courtesy, and lies, I&039;, youyou toof yourself No-don&039;t tell me I don&039;t want to know" He shook his head "That&039;s nothing like what men like me do" As he folded his ared to defend the State with your airs and graces, but that is only decoration, a distraction so that the true-Neverto call you? No, don&039;t tell me who you are: I don&039;t want to knoill er

"As you like," said the man in dark-blue, stiff huffy

"I think I will call you Ca not readily remarked upon, or apt to be found everywhere" He repeated it several ti it out "Yes," he said at last "You are Caed "Camilio it is," he said and went to retrieve his food and drink before he sat down to talk in earnest He was often astonished at the unofficial servants the govern his place opposite Cuor, he said, "I have been charged with bringing you new orders fromfrom our superiors"

"Yes?" Cuor seemed rather bored "Go on"

Camilio felt nonplussed by this response, but soldiered on "You are to undertake an observation for thean, "The Greek merchant Samouel Polae, whose house is on the Giudecca, near the Orthodox church, like es to the Sultan&039;s lands, and he is now suspected of dealing in Venezian secrets with the Ottoman court, since he prospers far beyond theHalf of his crews are Cypriots, and that, too, lends credibility to this concern" Now that he was dealing with his duty, Ca, and his dissatisfaction began to fade, aided and enhanced by the excellent Toscana wine

"I know this Samouel Polae I havenew been discovered?"

"There is an assumption that he is an enemy of the Repubblica What else is there to say?" Careat deal," said Cuor "We have ainst us that we must uncover" He picked up his nearly empty tankard and held it to his mouth; about half the wine spilled onto his clothes, the rest went into hishis bench back froarments

Cuor chuckled, the sound as unpleasant as the rattle of arquebusfire "Think a erous do I appear? How attentive? Aand consider hione in drink to pay heed to whatever is said around me, or to re You smell like-"

"A sewer," said Cuor with a look of satisfaction

"You disguise yourself, in fact," said Caiven my size and shape A spy is best invisible, which I cannot achieve Too many men would notice me, and realize I am a formidable opponent, were I to appear capable and alert I am easily recalled if I seee as I can be reckoned a threat if he is unable to stand without swaying" He smiled, an expression reminiscent of the perpetual s the sorry character I present"

"No," said Caood," said Cuor, and leaned back, only to pull a cup and three dice fro the cup

"Why should I?" Caamble"

"It is best that it appears you are, so that anyone watching will think you are fleecing e "This willin ht think it odd, and regard us more closely than either would like" He slammed the leather cup onto the table, lifted it, and handed a silver coin to Caer sum this time"

"But we&039;re alone Who will notice if I win or lose?"

"The landlord watches, don&039;t doubt it Moreover, the midday rest is almost ended; men will be about shortly, and we must present a tableau that seems obvious when they come to this place So pay attention to the dice and take the coins every ti up the coin, Can of actual excite his attention on the roll of the dice as much as on what Cuor said to him

The dice rattled in the cup as Cuor went on, "I&039;ll check out Polae, and I&039;ll let you knohat I discover"

"Be sure you provide as ood and bad," Camilio instructed hie in his plu else?"

"Well, there is a second ner, il Conte Franzicco Ragoczy di Santo-Germano, who has a house on Caei fro the streets to the canals"

"Clearly a foreigner," said Cuor "What has he done?"

"Nothing obvious, or nothing that seems sinister, but his interests are such that this could well be a disguise, as your appearance is" This last dig made no impression on Cuor, who nodded several tiant sort of ot ships, and a press, and the rumor is that he owns a fine collection of jewels His house is ason the Gran&039; Canale" He clapped the cup onto the table, lifted it, and paid Ca to take the coin

"We are not playing at dice: you&039;re supposed to be taking advantage of me," hissed Cuor "Claim the money"

Camilio did as he was told "I will expect a report froain?"

"No, of course not," said Cuor "Meet me in one week&039;s time at sundown at San Sylvestro, near the confessionals"

"Mightn&039;t that be a bitlate in the day for you?" Caht be tooconvincing"

"I will be as sober then as I am now, and I am quite in control of my faculties," said Cuor, and slammed down the cup a third time "Rest assured, I will be there unless I aue"

Ca to say such things"

"What-that I orously "In this line of work, being killed is ue comes from tiht the landlord into the taprooust

The nearby church of San Cassiano chi the end of the midday rest; in a moment, all the churches of Venezia joined in the clah to wake the dead," said Cuor, putting one hand to his ear "Or to summon Neptune from the depths"

"I hadn&039;t realized how loud those bells are," said Camilio "I am usually in the Arsenal at this tiht exaggeration, meant to impress Cuor

"Plenty of racket there," said Cuor, and put down the dice again, handing over another coin

"Not like this," said Camilio He took the coin and prepared to rise "I am expectedelsewhere"

"Tell your employer that the tasks will be attended to If there is anything to discover, I will find it If I find nothing, youto be found" Cuor dropped the dice back in the cup and hid thear to decide on how best to take his leave