Then they returned, not too soon, for they found thieves in the act of
breaking into the house, probably in search of food. These miserable,
half-starved men they spared, though they could have killed them easily
enough. They even gave them a pouch full of biscuit and dried meat ere
they dismissed them. This they did quickly, since one of them, as they
could see, was already stricken by the plague and had not long to live.
When they were gone, the old woman being out of the house, whence she
had fled on hearing the robbers, they collected all Sir Geoffrey's and
his lady's jewels and plate, of which there was much, for he lived in
state in Venice, as became an ambassador. These they buried in three
large iron boxes beneath the flagstones of the cellar, the safest place
that they could find. Having thrown the excavated earth into the canal
under cover of the dark, they replaced these stones and strewed dust
over them.
Wondering whether it would ever be their lot to look upon these chests
and their contents again, they left the cellar, to find the old woman
knocking at the back door of the house, whither she had returned,
frightened by the sights and sounds in the city. They bade her bring
them food, which they needed much who had laboured so hard on that
sorrowful day, and after they had eaten took counsel together.
"Seeing that all three of us are still in health, as if there is
anything in the promises of Murgh we should remain, is it not time,
master," asked Grey Dick, "that we left this accursed Venice? Now that
Sir Geoffrey is gone, there is naught to keep us here.
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