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He found Arisa waiting for him in her favourite place by the open window, and the glow of the setting sun made little fires in her golden hair. She could tell by his face that he had been fortunate at play, and her smile was very soft and winning. As he sank down beside her in the luxurious silence of satisfaction, her fingers were stealthily trying the weight of his laden wallet.
But that was all, and Arisa remained on her knees, not even turning her head a little as her lover went by. "Not so ugly after all," Contarini had said, under his breath, and the careless smile went with the words. Arisa's lip curled contemptuously as she heard.
"Yes," assented Jacopo. "That is very amusing. But just suppose, for the sake of discussion it is impossible, of course, but suppose it that instead of there being only one perfectly beautiful woman in the world, whose name is Arisa, there should be two, and that the name of the other chanced to be Marietta Beroviero." Arisa raised her eyes and gazed steadily at Jacopo.
Then he contemplated his work, and laughed at the weak jaw and the womanish mouth. "You look like an ugly woman in man's clothes," he said, by way of consoling his victim. He rose now, for he feared lest Contarini's friends might break open the door downstairs. He shouldered the heavy bundle with ease, set his blue cap on the back of his head and bade Arisa go with him.
Then he stole nearer to the place where Arisa was still kneeling, and came noiselessly behind her and leaned against the column, and watched her, not caring if he surprised her now. But she did not turn round. Listening intently, Aristarchi heard a soft quick whispering, and he saw that it was punctuated by a very slight occasional movement of her head.
It was a bargain, and he was not going to give up Arisa and the house of the Agnus Dei because he meant to marry the rich glass-blower's daughter.
I did not know him when he came to the foot of the gallows, howling out that I was innocent." "Were you?" asked Arisa. "Of course I was," answered Aristarchi with conviction. "Who was the man that had been killed?" "I forget his name," said the Greek. "He was a Neapolitan gentleman of great family, I believe. I forget the name. He had red hair." Arisa laughed and stroked Aristarchi's big head.
It was much more to the point that in the complicated and dangerous plan which the Greek captain and Arisa were carrying out, Zorzi could be of use to them, without his own knowledge. As has been told, the two had decided that he was in love with Marietta, and she with him. The rest followed naturally.
Now after hearing what Giovanni had to say, he had not the slightest doubt but that Zorzi had really broken the laws, and it seemed an admirable solution of the whole affair that the Dalmatian should be exiled from the Republic for life. That being settled, he wished to get rid of his visitor, as Arisa was waiting for him.
By and by, when it was an hour after dark, and they had eaten of delicate things which a silent old woman brought them on small silver platters, Contarini went down to let in his guests, and Arisa was alone, as usual on such evenings. For a long time she lay quite still among the cushions, in the dark, for Jacopo had taken the light with him.
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