human
You had better stay where you are, said Malipieri, speaking down.
gpt
If you show yourself I will drop a stone on your head.
human
Are you Christians, it asked,
gpt
That is what we are going to do, Malipieri answered coolly.
human
Have you anything to say? It will not take us long to do the job, so you had better speak at once. How did you get in?
gpt
If I am to die without getting out, why should I tell you?
human
There is a certain sense in what the man says, sir,
gpt
My good man, said Malipieri, speaking down,
human
If you will let me out, I can serve you, answered the man below.
gpt
There is nobody in Rome who can serve you as I can.
human
Who are you?
gpt
Are you going to let me out, Signor Malipieri? enquired the man.
human
If you are, I will tell you.
gpt
Oh, you know my name, do you?
human
Perfectly. You are the engineer engaged by the Senator Volterra to find the treasure.
gpt
Yes. Quite right. What of that?
human
You have found it, answered the other.
gpt
Of what use will it be to kill me? I cannot take that statue away in my waistcoat pocket, if you let me out, can I?
human
You had better not make too many jokes, my man, or we will put the boards over this hole in five minutes. If you can really be of use to me, I will let you out. What is your name?
gpt
Toto,
human
Yes. That means Theodore, I suppose. Now make haste, for I am tired of waiting. What are you, and how did you get in?
gpt
I was the mason of the palace, until the devil flew away with the people who lived in it. I know all the secrets of the house. I can be very useful to you.
human
That changes matters, my friend. I have no doubt you can be useful if you like, though we have managed to find one of the secrets without you. It happens to be the only one we wanted to know.
gpt
No, answered Toto.
human
There are two others. You do not know how I got in, and you do not know how to manage the 'lost water.'
gpt
That is true, said Malipieri.
human
But if I let you out you may do me harm, by talking before it is time. The government is not to know of this discovery until I am ready.
gpt
The government! exclaimed Toto contemptuously, from his hiding-place.
human
May an apoplexy seize it! Do you take me for a spy? I am a Christian.
gpt
I begin to think he is, sir,
human
I think so, too, said Malipieri.
gpt
Throw away that iron, Masin. He shall show himself, at all events, and if we like his face we can talk to him here.
human
He is a mason, as he says,
gpt
Did you take me for a coachman?
human
Before you come up here, Malipieri answered,
gpt
You seem to know so much about the overflow shaft that I should think you might have guessed. If you do not believe that I came that way, look at my clothes!
human
You got through some old drain, I suppose, and found your way up.
gpt
It seems so,
human
Are you going to let him go free, sir? asked Masin, standing ready.
gpt
If you do, he will be down the shaft, before you can catch him. These men know their way underground like moles.
human
Moles, yourselves!