It was like his own, but
it was better, and the knowledge of its composition and treatment was a
fortune. Then, too, the secret of dropping a piece of copper into a
certain mixture in order to produce a particularly beautiful red colour
was in the book, and the colour could not be mistaken and was not the
one which Beroviero had been trying to produce. He shook his head sadly
as he went out and locked the door behind him, convinced against his
will that he had been betrayed by the man whom he had most trusted in
the world.
Pasquale watched the two, father and son, as they got into the gondola.
Old Beroviero had not even looked at him as he came out, and it was not
the porter's business to volunteer information, nor the gondolier's
either. But when the latter was ordered to row to the Governor's house
as fast as possible, he turned his head and looked at Pasquale, who
slowly nodded his ugly head before going in again.
On reaching their destination they were received at once, and the
Governor told them what had happened, in as few words as possible.
Nothing could exceed old Beroviero's consternation, and his son's
disappointment. Zorzi had been rescued at the corner of San Piero's
church by men who had knocked senseless the officer and the six archers.
Pages:
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387