"Of
course, I do not mean to speak of mere money, though few people quite
despise it."
"That may be understood in more than one way," answered Zorzi
cautiously. "In the first place, do you mean that if I left the master,
it would be to go to another master, or to set up as a master myself?"
"Let us say that you might go to another glass-house for a fixed time,
with the promise of then having a furnace of your own. How does that
strike you?"
"No one can give such a promise and keep it," said Zorzi, scraping the
wet clay from his hands with a blunt knife.
"But suppose that some one could," insisted Giovanni.
"What is the use of supposing the impossible?" Zorzi shrugged his
shoulders and went on scraping.
"Nothing is impossible in the Republic, except what the Ten are resolved
to hinder. And that is really impossible."
"The Ten will not make new laws nor repeal old ones for the benefit of
an unknown Dalmatian."
"Perhaps not," answered Giovanni. "But on the other hand there is no
very great penalty if you set up a furnace of your own. If you are
discovered, your furnace will be put out, and you may have to pay a
fine. It is no great matter. It is a civil offence, not a criminal one."
"What is it that you wish of me?" asked Zorzi with sudden directness.
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