Marietta was told to go into the deserted building, containing the main
furnaces, now extinguished, for it was not fitting that she should be
seen by a patrician whom she did not know, sitting in the garden as if
she were a mere serving-woman whose face needed no veil. She ran away
laughing and hid herself in the passage where she had spent moments of
anguish on the night of Zorzi's arrest, and she waved a kiss to him,
when her father was not watching.
Zorzi waited at the door of the laboratory, while Beroviero waited
within, standing by the table to receive his honourable visitor. When
Zorzi saw Venier's expression of astonishment on seeing him, he smiled
quietly, but offered no audible greeting, for he did not know what was
expected of him. But Venier took his hand frankly and held it a moment.
"I am glad to find you here," he said, less indolently than he usually
spoke. "I have good news for you, if you will take my advice."
"The master has already told me what it is," Zorzi answered. "I am ready
to give myself up whenever you think best. I have not words to thank
you."
"I do not like many words," answered Venier. "But if there is anything I
dislike more, it is thanks. I have some private business with Messer
Angelo first.
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