“Are his deeds so notorious that they might pronounce on his fate without proof?”

“Go, ask that question in the streets!  Not a Christian loses his life in Venice without warning; and the number is not few, to say nothing of those who die with state fevers, but men see the work of his sure hand in the blow.  Signor Roderigo, your canals are convenient graves for sudden deaths!”

“Methinks there is contradiction in this.  Thou speakest of proofs of the hand that gave it, in the manner of the blow, and then thou callest in the aid of the canals to cover the whole deed.  Truly, there is some wrong done this Jacopo, who is, haply, a man slandered.”

“I have heard of slandering a priest, for they are Christians, bound to keep good names for the church’s honor, but to utter an injury against a bravo would a little exceed the tongue of an avocato.  What mattereth it whether the hand be a shade deeper in color or not, when blood is on it.”

“Thou sayest truly,” answered the pretended Roderigo, drawing a heavy breath.  “It mattereth little indeed to him condemned, whether the sentence cometh of one or of many crimes.”

“Dost know, friend Roderigo, that this very argument hath made me less scrupulous concerning the freight I am called on to carry, in this secret trade of ours.  Thou art fairly in the senate’s business, worthy Stefano, I say to myself, and therefore the less reason that thou should’st be particular in the quality of the merchandise.  That Jacopo hath an eye and a scowl that would betray him, were he chosen to the chair of St. Peter!  But doff thy mask, Signor Roderigo, that the sea-air may cool thy cheek; ’tis time there should no longer be this suspicion between old and tried friends.”

“My duty to those that send me forbid the liberty, else would I gladly stand face to face with thee, Master Stefano.”

“Well, notwithstanding thy caution, cunning Signore, I would hazard ten of the sequins thou art to pay to me, that I will go on the morrow into the crowd of San Marco, and challenge thee openly, by name, among a thousand.  Thou mayest as well unmask, for I tell thee thou art as well known to me as the lateen yards of my felucca.”

“The less need to uncover.  There are certain signs, no doubt, by which men who meet so often should be known to each other.”

“Thou hast a goodly countenance, Signore, and the less need to hide it.  I have noted thee among the revellers, when thou hast thought thyself unseen; and I will say of thee this much, without wish to gain aught in our bargain, one of appearance fair as thine, Signor Roderigo, had better be seen openly than go thus for ever behind a cloud.”

“My answer hath been made.  What the state wills cannot be overlooked; but since I see thou knowest me, take heed not to betray thy knowledge.”

“Thou would’st not be more safe with thy confessor.  Diamine!  I am not a man to gad about among the water-sellers, with a secret at the top of my voice; but thou didst leer aside when I winked at thee dancing among the masquers on the quay.  Is it not so, Roderigo?”