he loses his temper and begins to walk about,
she immediately seats herself and assumes an exasperating calmness of
manner. Accordingly Marietta sat down on a small chair near the table
and watched her father in silence, persuaded that he would be obliged to
yield in the end.

"No one has ever dared to browbeat me in this way, in my whole life!"
cried the old man fiercely, and his voice shook with rage.

"Will you listen to me?" asked Marietta with sudden meekness.

"Listen to you?" he repeated instantly. "Have I not been listening to
you for hours?"

"I do not know how long it may have been," answered the girl, "but I
have much more to say. You are so angry that you will not hear me."

"Angry? I? Are you telling me that I am so beside myself with rage, that
I cannot understand reason?"

"I did not say that."

"You meant it, then! What did you say? You have forgotten what you said
already! Just like a girl! And you pretend to argue with me, with your
own father! It is beyond belief! Silence, I say! Do not answer me!"

Marietta sat quite still, and began to look at her nails, which were
very pink and well shaped. After a short silence Beroviero stopped
before her.

"Well!" he cried. "Why do you not speak?" His eyes blazed and he tapped
the pavement with his foot. She raised her eyebrows, smiled a little
wearily and sighed.

"I misunderstood you," she said, with exasperating patience. "I thought
you told me to be silent."

"You always misunderstand me," he answered angrily and walking off
again. "You always did, and you always will! I believe you do it on
purpose. But I will make you understand! You shall know what I mean!"

"I should be so glad," said Marietta. "Pray tell me what you mean."

This was too much. He turned sharply in his walk.

"I mean you to marry Contarini," he cried out, with a stamp of the foot.

"And you mean never to see Paolo Godi's manuscript again," suggested
Marietta quietly.

"Perdition take the accursed thing!" roared the old man. "If I only knew
where you have put it--"

"It is where you can never, never find it," Marietta answered. "So it is
of no use to be angry with me, is it? The more angry you are, the less
likely it is that I shall tell you. But I will tell you something else,
father--something you never understood before. My marriage was to have
been a bargain, a great name for a fortune, half your fortune for a
great name and an alliance with the Contarini. Perhaps