"Where is it?" she asked, after a moment's hesitation. "If you are in
earnest you will tell me."
"It is better that you should know, in case anything happens to me,"
answered Zorzi. "It is buried in that big jar, in some three feet of
broken glass. I had to take the glass out bit by bit, and put it all
back again."
As Marietta looked at the jar, a little colour rose in her face again.
"Thank you," she said. "I know you trust me, now."
"I always have," he answered softly, "and I always shall, even when you
are married to Jacopo Contarini."
"That is still far off. Let us not talk of it. You must get ready to
leave this place before morning. You must take the skiff and get away to
the mainland, if you can, for till my father comes you will not be safe
in Venice."
"I shall not go away," said Zorzi firmly. "They may not try to arrest me
after all."
"But they will, I know they will!" All her anxiety for him came back in
a moment. "You must go at once! Zorzi, to please me--for my sake--leave
to-night!"
"For your sake? There is nothing I would not do for your sake, except be
a coward."
"But it is not cowardly!" pleaded Marietta. "There is nothing else to be
done, and if my father could know what you risk by staying, he would
tell you to go, as I do.
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