In 1782, following a storm at sea, the Moroccan ambassador's ship is wrecked against the Sicilian coast. The diplomat speaks no Italian, so Fra Giuseppe Vela, a Maltese brother, is requested to watch over him and serve as his interpreter. Actually, the monk knows only a few words of Arabic, which troubles him not at all. Quite the contrary: the sly-boots is determined to make the most of the situation.—Guy Bellinger