"Did you ever hear of Odysseus?" asked Aristarchi.
"No. What should I know of your Greek gods? If you were a good Christian, you would not speak of them."
"Odysseus was not a god," answered Aristarchi, with a grin. "He was a good Christian. I have often thought that he must have been very like me. He was a great traveller and a tolerable sailor."
"A pirate?" inquired Arisa.
"Oh no! He was a man of the most noble and upright character, incapable of deception! In fact he was very like me, and had nearly as many adventures. If you understood Greek, I would repeat some verses I know about him."
"Should you love me more, if I understood Greek?" asked Arisa softly. "If I thought so, I would learn it."
Aristarchi laughed roughly, so that she was almost afraid lest he should be heard far down in the house.
"Learn Greek? You? To make me like you better? You would be just as beautiful if you were altogether dumb! A man does not love a woman for what she can say to him, in any language."
He turned up his face, and his rough hands drew her splendid head down to him, till he could kiss her. Then there was silence for a few minutes.
He shook his great shoulders at last.