The San Francisco call., 1908-03-22
CHAPTER v
A Nan and a Maid

like. 1t was indeed not at all
likely that man OF the Vene-
tian's temper and tastes would talk
with an Armenian slave dealer a mo-
ment longer than necessary.
Gullabi, on hearing what was wanted,
declared that he had the very thing;
in fact, by a wonderful coincidence. it
was the very thing IN the acme Of per-
fection, a dream. a vision, fully worth
100 ducats, and certainly not to be sold
for 500; it had fine natural hair that
had never been dyed; it's teeth were 2s
in number, the wisdom teeth not hav-
ing yet appeared. and Gullabi would
wager that Messer Carlo could not and
a single pearl in all Constantinople
10 match one Of these eight and twen-
~; N8ts ankles We're so finely turned
that a woman could span them with
her thumb and forefnger. Gullabi felt
safe IN saying this, for his black wife,s
huge hand would have spanned zoe's
throat; also it had a most beautiful and
slender waist. which. as Messer Carlo
remarked, was certainly a point Of
beauty. Moreover. Gullabi would de-
liver a signed and sealed certificate
with it.
For Zeno was conscientious. and held
Marco Pesaro's letter in his hand while
be questioned the Armenian in regard
to the various points in succession. lest
he should forget any OF them He did
not in the least believe word that
Gullabi said. of course. The east was
never the land Of simple. trusting
faith between man and man. He would
even have wagered that Gullabi had
nothing in his prison of the sort that
Pesaro wanted. and at the moment of
the interview he would have been quite
right But he was toierably sure that
If he insisted on having the best. the
best would be forthcoming in a week
al the utmost. Satisfied with this
prospect. he dismissed Gullabi and
thought no more about the matter. ex-
cept TO wish that Marco Pesaro had not
troubled him with such an absurd COM
mission.
A fine young gentleman of later
times would probably have thought few
quests were more amusing than this,
and would have dreamed that night of
the beauties he intended to see before
at last deciding upon the purchase.
Doubtless there were young venetians
even then in Constantinople who would
have envied Zeno the amusing task of
criticising pretty faces, hands and
ankles.
But he was not Of the same temper
or disposition as those gay youths. He
could not remember that any woman
had ever made a very profound i'm
preston on him. even in his boyish
DAYS When he was in Greece. it had
been suggested to him that he might
as well marry. like other young men.
and he had allowed himself TO be be-
trothed TO a sleepy Greek heiress who
had conceived an lndolent but tenacious
admiration for his lighting qualities.
but IT had pleased the fates that she
should die before the wedding day of
a complication Of the spleen superin-
duced by a surfeit OF roseleaf jam and
honey cakes He was rather ashamed
TO own to himself that her translation
TO a better world had been distinct
relief TO his feelings, for he had soon
discovered that he did not love her.
though he had been too kind to tell
her so, and too honorable to think Of
breaking his promise of marriage.
He did not despise woman either; in
deed. his conduct in the affair of his
betrothal had proved that. Now and
then he had paused in his restless ca
reer 10 think Of a more peaceful life.
and in the pictures that rose before
his imagination there was generally
a woman. Unhappily. he had never seen
any one like her in real life. and when
he was tired Of dreaming he shrugged
his shoulders at such impossibilities
and went back TO his adventurous ex-
istence without sigh Yet it might be
thought that although he did not fall
in love he might now and then spend
careless hours with the free and fraiI.
for he made no profession OF show of
austerity, and whatever he really might
be, he did not aspire to be called a
saint He had been a wild student in
Pa6ua once and had drunk deep and
played high until he had suddenly
grown tired Of stupid dissipation and
citing game Of life and death as a
soldier Of fortune under a condottiero,
during FIVE long wandering years.
And now il was long indeed, since
his lips had touched a woman's, for his
character had taken its final manly
shape, and the only folly to which he
still yielded now and then was that of
risking his life recklessly whenever he
fancied that a cause was worth it; but
this he did not look upon as madness,
still less as weakness, and there was no
one 70 argue the question with him.
His honest brown eyes softened some
times almost like a woman's. but only
for pity or kindness, meyer for word or
look Of love
He rose in the bright spring morning
just before the sun was UP, and went
down the steps at the waters edge be-
low his house and swan far out In
clear water that was still icy cold
then dressed himself completely as
strong and healthy men do, who hate
10 feel that they are not ready to face
anything from the beginning of the
day. But while he was dressing he was
not thinking Of the errand that was 10