"
"Odysseus was not a god," answered Aristarchi, with a grin. "He was a
good Christian. I have often thought that he must have been very like
me. He was a great traveller and a tolerable sailor."
"A pirate?" inquired Arisa.
"Oh no! He was a man of the most noble and upright character, incapable
of deception! In fact he was very like me, and had nearly as many
adventures. If you understood Greek, I would repeat some verses I know
about him."
"Should you love me more, if I understood Greek?" asked Arisa softly.
"If I thought so, I would learn it."
Aristarchi laughed roughly, so that she was almost afraid lest he should
be heard far down in the house.
"Learn Greek? You? To make me like you better? You would be just as
beautiful if you were altogether dumb! A man does not love a woman for
what she can say to him, in any language."
He turned up his face, and his rough hands drew her splendid head down
to him, till he could kiss her. Then there was silence for a few
minutes.
He shook his great shoulders at last.
"Everything else is a waste of time," he said, as if speaking to
himself.
Her head lay on the cushions now, and she watched him with half-closed
eyes in the soft light, and now and then the thin embroideries that
covered her neck and bosom rose and fell with a long, satisfied sigh.
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