Still, the thought that he was soon to return and take his place in the shop in Chepe was exceedingly unpleasant to him.

Soon after breakfast the bell at the water gate rang loudly, and a minute later the servant entered with the news that Signor Polani was below, and begged an interview.  Mr. Hammond at once went down to the steps to receive his visitor, whom he saluted with all ceremony, and conducted upstairs.

“I am known to you by name, no doubt, Signor Hammond, as you are to me,” the Venetian said, when the first formal greetings were over.  “I am not a man of ceremony, nor, I judge, are you; but even if I were, the present is not an occasion for it.  Your son has doubtless told you of the inestimable service, which he rendered to me last night, by saving my daughters, or rather my eldest daughter—­for it was doubtless she whom the villains sought—­from being borne off by one of the worst and most disreputable of the many bad and disreputable young men of this city.”

“I am indeed glad, Signor Polani, that my son was able to be of service to you.  I have somewhat blamed myself that I have let him have his own way so much, and permitted him to give himself up to exercises of arms, more befitting the son of a warlike noble than of a peaceful trader; but the quickness and boldness, which the mastery of arms gives, was yesterday of service, and I no longer regret the time he has spent, since it has enabled him to be of aid to the daughters of Signor Polani.”

“A mastery of arms is always useful, whether a man be a peace-loving citizen, or one who would carve his way to fame by means of his weapons.  We merchants of the Mediterranean might give up our trade, if we were not prepared to defend our ships against the corsairs of Barbary, and the pirates who haunt every inlet and islet of the Levant now, as they have ever done since the days of Rome.  Besides, it is the duty of every citizen to defend his native city when attacked.  And lastly, there are the private enemies, that every man who rises but in the smallest degree above his fellows is sure to create for himself.

“Moreover, a training in arms, as you say, gives readiness and quickness, it enables the mind to remain calm and steadfast amidst dangers of all sorts, and, methinks, it adds not a little to a man’s dignity and self respect to know that he is equal, man to man, to any with whom he may come in contact.  Here in Venice we are all soldiers and sailors, and your son will make no worse merchant, but rather the better, for being able to wield sword and dagger.

“Even now,” he said with a smile, “he has proved the advantage of his training; for, though I say it not boastfully, Nicholas Polani has it in his power to be of some use to his friends, and foremost among them he will henceforward count your brave son, and, if you will permit him, yourself.

“But you will, I trust, excuse my paying you but a short visit this morning, for I am on my way to lay a complaint before the council.  I have already been round to several of my friends, and Phillipo Giustiniani and some six others, nearest related to me, will go with me, being all aggrieved at this outrage to a family nearly connected.  I crave you to permit me to take your son with me, in order that he may be at hand, if called upon, to say what he knows of the affair.”