She told him the story of the last meeting, and how Zorzi had been made
one of the society in order that they might not feel obliged to kill him
for their own safety.
"What fools they are!" exclaimed Aristarchi with a low laugh, and
turning his head under her hand.
"You would have killed him, of course," said Arisa, "if you had been in
their place. I suppose you have killed many people," she added
thoughtfully.
"No," he answered, for though he loved her savagely, he did not trust
her. "I never killed any one except in fair fight."
Arisa laughed low, for she remembered.
"When I first saw you," she said, "your hands were covered with blood. I
think the reason why I liked you was that you seemed so much more
terrible than all the others who looked in at my cabin door."
"I am as mild as milk and almonds," said Aristarchi. "I am as timid as a
rabbit."
His deep voice was like the purring of a huge cat. Arisa looked down at
his head. Then her hands suddenly clasped his throat and she tried to
make her fingers meet round it as if she would have strangled him, but
it was too big for them. He drew in his chin a little, the iron muscles
stiffened themselves, the cords stood out, and though she pressed with
all her might she could not hurt him, even a little; but she loved to
try.
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