Above me I heard a warning hiss from old Mariani, which, if anything, increased my dread.

But Ramiro snored on, and I was reassured.
A moment I stood debating whether I should go on, or first return to divest myself of that cap of mine.

In the end I decided to pursue the latter course.

The need for swift and sudden movement might come ere I was done with this adventure, and those bells might easily be the undoing of me.

So back I went to the surprise and infinite dismay of Mariani until I had whispered in his ear the reason.