ide to let him pass, before barring
the door again. Aristarchi, though not much taller than himself, was the
biggest man he had ever seen. He thanked Zorzi, who pushed forward the
porter's only chair for him to sit on while he waited.

"I will bring you an answer immediately," said Zorzi, and disappeared
down the corridor.

Aristarchi sat down, crossed one leg over the other, and took a
pistachio nut from his pouch.

"Master porter," he began in a friendly tone, "can you tell me who that
beautiful lady is, who came here a moment ago?"

"There is no reason why I should," snarled the porter, beginning to
strip the outer leaves from a large onion which he pulled from a string
of them hanging by the wall.

Aristarchi said nothing for a few moments, but watched the man with an
air of interest.

"Were you ever a pirate?" he inquired presently.

"No, I never served in your crew."

The porter was not often at a loss for a surly answer. The Greek laughed
outright, in genuine amusement.

"I like your company, my friend," he said. "I should like to spend the
day here."

"As the devil said to Saint Anthony," concluded the porter.

Aristarchi laughed again. It was long since he had enjoyed such amusing
conversation, and there was a certain novelty in not being feared. He
repeated his first question, however, remembering that he had not come
in search of diversion, but to gather information.

"Who was the beautiful lady?" he asked. "She is Messer Angelo's
daughter, is she not?"

"A man who asks a question when he knows the answer is either a fool or
a knave. Choose as you please."

"Thanks, friend," answered Aristarchi, still grinning and showing his
jagged teeth. "I leave the first choice to you. Whichever you take, I
will take the other. For if you call me a knave, I shall call you a
fool, but if you think me a fool, I am quite satisfied that you should
be the knave."

The porter snarled, vaguely feeling that the Greek had the better of
him. At that moment Zorzi returned, and his coming put an end to the
exchange of amenities.

"My master has no long leisure," he said, "but he begs you to come in."

They left the lodge together, and the porter watched them as they went
down the dark corridor, muttering unholy things about the visitor who
had disturbed him, and bestowing a few curses on Zorzi. Then he went
back to peeling his onions.

As Aristarchi went through the garden, he saw Marietta sitting under the
p