"I leave the first choice to you. Whichever you take, I
will take the other. For if you call me a knave, I shall call you a
fool, but if you think me a fool, I am quite satisfied that you should
be the knave."
The porter snarled, vaguely feeling that the Greek had the better of
him. At that moment Zorzi returned, and his coming put an end to the
exchange of amenities.
"My master has no long leisure," he said, "but he begs you to come in."
They left the lodge together, and the porter watched them as they went
down the dark corridor, muttering unholy things about the visitor who
had disturbed him, and bestowing a few curses on Zorzi. Then he went
back to peeling his onions.
As Aristarchi went through the garden, he saw Marietta sitting under the
plane-tree, making a little net of coloured beads. Her face was turned
from him and bent down, but when he had passed she glanced furtively
after him, wondering at his size. But her eyes followed Zorzi, till the
two reached the door and went in. A moment later Zorzi came out again,
leaving his master and the Greek together. Marietta looked down at
once, lest her eyes should betray her gladness, for she knew that Zorzi
would not go back and could not leave the glass-house, so that site
should necessarily be alone with him while the interview in the
laboratory lasted.
Pages:
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123