That was how he chanced upon them, downstairs, at their last meeting." "How do you know it was that message, and not some other ?" "Contarini told me." "But if the boy loves her, as I am sure he does, why should he have delivered the message ?" asked; the cunning Greek.

"It would have been very easy for him to have named another hour, and Contarini would never have seen her.

Besides, he had a fine chance then to send the future husband to Paradise! He needed only to name a quiet street, instead of the Church, and to appoint the hour at dusk.

One, two and three in the back, the body to the canal, and the marriage would have been broken off." "Perhaps he does not wish it broken off," suggested Arisa, taking an equally amiable but somewhat different point of view.

"He cannot marry the girl, of course--but if she is once married and out of her father's house, it will be different." "That is an idea," assented Aristarchi.