Icouldscarcelyhelplaughing，notathisChristianpiety，sincefaithandconsciencearebeyondcontrol，butatthecuriousturnhegavehisremonstrance。IconcludedhetookmeforaJew；andtodisabusehimofthisnotionImadehastetogivehimthe\"HoursoftheHolyVirgin，\"whosepicturehekissed，andthengavemethebookback，tellingmeinamodestvoicethathisfather——a，galleyofficer——hadneglectedtohavehimtaughttoread。\"Iam，\"saidhe，\"adevoteeoftheHolyRosary，\"andhetoldmeahostofmiracles，towhichIlistenedwiththepatienceofanangel。WhenhehadcometoanendIaskedhimifhehadhadhisdinner，andherepliedthathewasdyingofhunger。IgavehimeverythingIhad，whichhedevouredratherthanate；drinkingallmywine，andthenbecomingmaudlinhebegantoweep，andfinallytotalkwithoutrhymeorreason。Iaskedhimhowhegotintotrouble，andhetoldmethefollowingstory:
\"MyaimandmyonlyaimhasalwaysbeenthegloryofGod，andoftheholyRepublicofVenice，andthatitslawsmaybeexactlyobeyed。
Alwayslendinganattentiveeartotheplotsofthewicked，whoseendistodeceive，todeprivetheirprinceofhisjustdues，andtoconspiresecretly，Ihaveoverandagainunveiledtheirsecretplans，andhavenotfailedtoreporttoMesser—GrandeallIknow。ItistruethatIamalwayspaid，butthemoneyhasnevergivenmesomuchpleasureasthethoughtthatIhavebeenabletoservetheblessedSt。Mark。Ihavealwaysdespisedthosewhothinkthereissomethingdishonourableinthebusinessofaspy。Thewordsoundsillonlytotheill—affected；foraspyisaloverofthestate，thescourgeoftheguilty，andfaithfulsubjectofhisprince。WhenIhavebeenputtothetest，thefeelingoffriendship，whichmightcountforsomethingwithothermen，hasneverhadtheslightestinfluenceoverme，andstilllessthesentimentwhichiscalledgratitude。Ihaveoften，inordertowormoutasecret，sworntobeassilentasthegrave，andhaveneverfailedtorevealit。Indeed，Iamabletodosowithfullconfidence，asmydirectorwhoisagoodJesuithastoldmethatImaylawfullyrevealsuchsecrets，notonlybecausemyintentionwastodoso，butbecause，whenthesafetyofthestateisatstake，thereisnosuchthingasabindingoath。ImustconfessthatinmyzealIhavebetrayedmyownfather，andthatinmethepromptingsofourweaknaturehavebeenquitemortified。ThreeweeksagoIobservedthattherewasakindofcabalbetweenfourorfivenotablesofthetownofIsola，whereIlive。IknewthemtobedisaffectedtotheGovernmentonaccountofcertaincontrabandarticleswhichhadbeenconfiscated。Thefirstchaplain——asubjectofAustriabybirth——wasintheplot。Theygatheredtogetherofeveningsinaninn，inaroomwheretherewasabed；theretheydrankandtalked，andafterwardswenttheirways。AsIwasdeterminedtodiscovertheconspiracy，IwasbraveenoughtohideunderthebedonadayonwhichIwassureIwouldnotbeseen。Towardstheeveningmygentlemencame，andbegantotalk；amongstotherthings，theysaidthatthetownofIsolawasnotwithinthejurisdictionofSt。Mark，butratherintheprincipalityofTrieste，asitcouldnotpossiblybeconsideredtoformpartoftheVenetianterritory。Thechaplainsaidtothechiefoftheplot，amannamedPietroPaolo，thatifheandtheotherswouldsignadocumenttothateffect，hehimselfwouldgototheimperialambassador，andthattheEmpresswouldnotonlytakepossessionoftheisland，butwouldrewardthemforwhattheyhaddone。Theyallprofessedthemselvesreadytogoon，andthechaplainpromisedtobringthedocumentthenextday，andafterwardstotakeittotheambassadors。
\"Ideterminedtofrustratethisdetestableproject，althoughoneoftheconspiratorswasmygossip——aspiritualrelationshipwhichgavehimagreaterclaimonmethanifhehadbeenmyownbrother。
\"Aftertheyweregone，Icameoutofmyhiding—placeanddidnotthinkitnecessarytoexposemyselftodangerbyhidingagainasI