"You are hard to catch!" he cried, and laughed again. "You did not
really suppose that I was in earnest? Why, every one knows that you have
the manuscript here."
"Then I suppose you spoke ironically," suggested Zorzi.
"Of course, of course! A mere jest! If I had known that you would take
it so literally--" he stopped short.
"Pray excuse me, sir. It is the first time I have ever heard you say
anything playful."
"Indeed! The fact is, my dear Zorzi, I never knew you well enough to
jest with you, till to-day. Paolo Godi's secrets in my keeping? I wish
they were! Oh, not that anything would induce me to break the seals. I
told you that. But I wish they were in my possession. I tell you, I
would pay down half my fortune to have them, for they would bring me
back four times as much within the year. Half my fortune! And I am not
poor, Zorzi."
"Half your fortune?" repeated Zorzi. "That is a large sum, I imagine.
Pray, sir, how much might half your fortune be, in round numbers? Ten
thousand silver lires?"
"Silver!" sneered Giovanni contemptuously.
"Gold, then?" suggested Zorzi, drawing him on.
"Gold? Well--possibly," admitted Giovanni with caution. "But of course I
was exaggerating. Ten thousand gold pounds would be too much, of course.
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