With my influence, and that of the Giustiniani, and the repute you have gained for yourself, you may be sure of an appointment.

Rufino would have commanded one of the ships had it not been for his marriage." Rufino Giustiniani had indeed been most warm in his expressions of gratitude to Francis, to whom the whole family had shown the greatest attention, giving him many presents as a proof of their goodwill and gratitude.
"I am quite jealous of your English friend," Rufino had said one day to Maria.

"I do believe, Maria, that you care for him more than you do for me.

It is lucky for me that he is not two or three years older." Maria laughed.
"I do care for him dearly; and if he had been, as you say, older and had fallen in love with me, I can't say how it would have been.

You must acknowledge, it would be very hard to say no to a man who keeps on saving you from frightful peril; but then, you see, a girl can't fall in love with a man who does not fall in love with her.
"Francisco is so different from us Venetians.