"The pleasure has been all on my side," returned Beroviero courteously.
"On the contrary, quite on the contrary," protested his guest, backing away and then turning to go.
Zorzi walked beside him, on his left. As they reached the entrance to the corridor Aristarchi turned once more, and made an elaborate bow, sweeping the ground with his cap, for Beroviero had remained at the door till he should be out of sight. He bent his head, making a gracious gesture with his hand, and went in as the Greek disappeared. Zorzi followed the latter, showing him out.
Marietta saw the door close after her father, and she knew that Zorzi must come back through the garden in a few moments. She bent her head over her beads as she heard his step, and pretended not to see him. When he came near her he stood still a moment, but she would not look up, and between annoyance and disappointment and confusion she felt that she was blushing, which she would not have had Zorzi see for anything. She wondered why he did not go on.
"Have I offended you?" he asked, in a low voice.
Oddly enough, her embarrassment disappeared as soon as he spoke, and the blush faded away.
"No," she answered, coldly enough. "I am not angry—I am only sorry."
"But I am glad that I would not answer your question," returned Zorzi.
"I doubt whether you had any answer to give," retorted Marietta with a touch of scorn.
Zorzi's brows contracted sharply and he made a movement to go on. So her proffered friendship was worth no more than that, he thought. She was angry and scornful because her curiosity was disappointed. She could not have guessed his secret, he was sure, though that might account for her temper, for she would of course be angry if she knew that he loved her. And she was angry now because he had refused to tell her so. That was a woman's logic, he thought, quite regardless of the defect in his own. It was just like a woman! He sincerely wished that he might tell her so.