It turned out to be much easier to carry out his plan than he had
expected.
"My name is Zuan Venier," he said, in answer to Pasquale's gruff
inquiry.
Pasquale eyed him a moment through the bars, and immediately understood
that he was not a person to be kicked into the canal or received with
other similar amenities. The great name alone would have awed the old
porter to something like civility, but he had seen the visitor's face,
and being quite as good a judge of humanity as Venier himself, he opened
the door at once.
Venier explained that he wished to pay his respects to Messer Angelo
Beroviero, being an old friend of Messer Jacopo Contarini. Learning that
the master was absent on a journey, he asked whether there were any one
within to whom he could deliver a message. He had heard, he said, that
the master had a trusted assistant, a certain Zorzi. Pasquale answered
that Zorzi was in the laboratory, and led the way.
Zorzi was greatly surprised, but as Venier had anticipated, he said
nothing before Pasquale which could show that he had met his visitor
before. Venier made a courteous inclination of the head, and the porter
disappeared immediately.
"I heard that you had been hurt," said Venier, when they were alone. "I
came to see whether I could do anything for you.
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