She was safe now, for he would go and meet the
archers, opening the door to give himself up. Using his crutch he swung
himself along into the dark corridor without another moment's
hesitation.
But matters did not turn out as he expected. When the force came down
the footway from the dilution of San Piero, Giovanni was still talking
to his wife about household economies and censuring what he called the
reckless extravagance of his father's housekeeping. As he talked, he
heard the even tread of a number of marching men. He sprang to his feet
and went to the window, for he guessed who was coming, though he could
not imagine why the Governor had not waited till the next day, as had
been agreed. He could not know that on leaving him Jacopo Contarini had
seen his father and had told him of Zorzi's misdeeds; and that the
Governor had supped with old Contarini, who was an uncompromising
champion of the law, besides being one of the Ten and therefore the
Governor's superior in office; and that Contarini had advised that Zorzi
should be taken on that same night, as he might be warned of his danger
and find means to escape. Moreover, Contarini offered a trusty and swift
oarsman to take the order to Murano, and the Governor wrote it on the
supper table, between two draughts of Greek wine, which he drank from a
goblet made by Angelo Beroviero himself in the days when he still worked
at the art.
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