At last she heard the expected signal of his coming, the soft and repeated splashing of an oar in the water just below the window.  In a moment she was in the inner room, to receive him in her straining arms, longing to be half crushed to death in his.  But to-night, even as he held her in the first embrace of meeting, she felt that something had happened, and that there was a change in him.  She drew him to the little light that burned in her chamber before the image, and looked into his face, terrified at the thought of what she might see there.  He smiled at her and raised his shaggy eyebrows as if to ask if she really distrusted him.

“Yes,” he said, nodding his big head slowly, “something has happened.  You are quick at guessing.  We are going to-night.  There is moonlight and the tide will serve in two or three hours.  Get ready what you need and put together the jewels and the money.”

“To-night!” cried Arisa, very much surprised.  “To-night?  Do you really mean it?”

“Yes.  I am in earnest.  Michael has emptied my house of all my belongings to-day and has taken the keys back to the owner.  We have plenty of time, for I suppose those overgrown boys are playing at dice downstairs, and I think I shall take leave of Contarini in person.”

“You are capable of anything!” laughed Arisa.  “I should like to see you tear him into little strips, so that every shred should keep alive to be tortured!”

“How amiable!  What gentle thoughts you have!  Indeed, you women are sweet creatures!”

With her small white hand she jestingly pretended to box his huge ears.

“You would be well paid if I refused to go with you,” she said with a low laugh.  “But I should like to know why you have decided so suddenly.  What is the matter?  What is to become of all our plans, and of Contarini’s marriage?  Tell me quickly!”

“I have had a visit from an officer of the Ten to-day,” he said.  “The Ten send me greeting, as it were, and their service, and kindly invite me to leave Venice within twenty-four hours.  As the Ten are the only persons in Venice for whom I have the smallest respect, I shall show it by accepting their invitation.”

“But why?  What have you done?”

“Of course it is not a serious matter to give a sound beating to an officer of justice and six of his men,” answered Aristarchi, “but it is not the custom here, and they suspect me of having done it.  To tell the truth, I think I am hardly treated.  I have sent Zorzi back to Murano, and if the Ten have the sense to look for him where he has been living for five years, they will find him at once, at work in that stifling furnace-room.  But I fancy that is too simple for them.”

He told her how Pasquale had come in the morning, and how the officer who had been in pursuit of him had searched the ship for Zorzi in vain.  The order to leave Venice had come an hour later.  The anchors were now up, and the vessel was riding to a kedge by a light hawser, well out in the channel.  As soon as Arisa could be brought on board Aristarchi meant to make sail, for the strong offshore breeze would blow all night.