"Mother," said Marcantonio, sternly, "charge me with no unknightly deed!
To love Marina is to love a woman nobler than any of thy maidens; thou
knowest her not. I would bring her to thee to win thee, but she will not
come. It is thou, she saith, who must send her sign of favor."

"I fear me it must be long in going, my Marco; yet I love thee well. How
should I send my favor to a daughter of the people!"

"Those are the words of Marina Magagnati."

"She is wise then; she will help thee to forget."

"The vow of a Giustinian is never broken; that hast thou taught me, my
mother, from the legends of our house. This sword, upon which I have
sworn it, I lay at thy feet. Bid me raise it in token of thy favor and
of thine aid in this one thing which I ask of thee."

They stood looking into each other's faces, her pride melting under the
glow of the beautiful new strength in the face of the son whom she had
thought so yielding; yet it was she who had striven to teach him
knightliness.

She hesitated,--"If I cannot aid thee, what wilt thou do?"

"I must wait and suffer," he said; "for Marina will not yield."

"It is new for a maiden of the people to know such pride," she answered,
scornfully.