Only Zuan Venier, a compassionate smile on his face, knelt beside
Contarini and carefully withdrew the iron gag from his mouth.
At the same instant Aristarchi's hatchet chopped through the hawser by
which his vessel was riding, and he took the helm himself to steer her
out through the narrow channel before the wind.
CHAPTER XXIII
When Pasquale had let Zorzi in, he crossed the canal again, moored the
skiff with lock and chain, and came back by the wooden bridge. Zorzi
went on through the corridor and came out into the moonlit garden. It
was hard to believe that only forty-eight hours had passed since he had
left it, but the freshly dug earth told him of Giovanni's search, about
which Pasquale had told him, and there was the pleasant certainty that
the master had come home and could probably protect him, even against
the Ten. Besides this, he felt stronger and more able to move than since
he had been injured, and he was sure that he could now walk with only a
stick to help him, though he was always to be lame. He had looked up at
Marietta's window before leaving the boat, but it was dark, for Pasquale
had wished to be sure that no one should see Zorzi and it was long past
the young girl's bedtime.
Pasquale came back, and produced some more bread and cheese from his
lodge, for both men were hungry.
Pages:
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461