As soon as the girls had gone upstairs to their rooms, the ship’s boat came alongside, and the prisoners were carried into the house, glances of indignation and anger being cast at the gouvernante, who had, as soon as she was placed on board the boat, closely veiled herself; and some of the women broke out into threats and imprecations.

“Captain Lontano, the servants will show you a room where your men can guard the prisoners.  You had better remain with them yourself.  Let no one, except your own men, enter the room.”

Giuseppi was on the steps, and Francis stepped up to him and eagerly asked, “What news of the gondola?”

“I found her, stove in and full of water, behind the piles close to the steps.  Someone must have pushed her there, to be out of the way of the traffic.  She has several holes in her bottom, besides being stove in at the gunwale where the other boat struck her.  They must have thrust the ends of their oars through her planks, out of sheer spite, when they found that we had escaped them.  Father and I have towed her round to your steps, but I doubt whether she is worth repairing.”

“Well, we can’t help it, Giuseppi.  She has done her work; and if every two ducats I lay out were to bring in as good a harvest, I should have no reason to complain.”

Having seen the prisoners safely placed, the merchant returned.

“I think, Francisco, you must go with me.  They will be sure to want to question you.”

“I shall have to say what were my reasons for thinking your daughters were hid in that hut, signor,” Francis said as the gondola rowed towards Saint Mark’s; “and I can only do that by telling of that secret meeting.  I do not want to denounce a number of people, besides Ruggiero.  I have no evidence against them, and do not know what they were plotting, nor have I any wish to create for myself more enemies.  It is quite enough to have incurred the enmity of all the connections of the house of Mocenigo.”

“That is true enough, Francisco, but I do not see how it is to be avoided.  Unfortunately, you did recognize others besides Ruggiero.”

“Quite so, signor, and I am not going to tell a lie about it, whatever the consequences may be.  Still, I wish I could get out of it.”

“I wish you could, Francis, but I do not see any escape for it, especially as you say you did not recognize Ruggiero as the passenger you carried.”

“No, signor, I did not.  It might have been he, but I cannot say.  He was wrapped in a cloak, and I did not see his features.”

“It is a pity, Francisco, for had you known him, the statement that, moved by curiosity, you followed him and saw him into that hut, would have been sufficient without your entering into the other matter.  Most of my countrymen would not hesitate about telling a lie, to avoid mixing themselves up further in such a matter, for the dangers of making enemies are thoroughly appreciated here; but you are perfectly right, and I like your steady love of the truth, whatever the consequences to yourself; but certainly as soon as the matter is concluded, it will be better for you to quit Venice for a time.”